Cheap Ass Gamer™

CAG E3 2005 Best In Show Selection – GameTap

Despite Wednesday’s rant about E3, there are a bunch of pretty hot games coming out, even if some of them are mostly visual upgrades to last year’s model. Although I complained about the lack of innovation on display, I’m really not a gaming snob. To me, a fun game doesn’t need to be revolutionary. A good time is really all I’m after. That being said, for the CAG E3 2005 Best in Show pick, I wanted the winner to be more than just a good time. I wanted to highlight the most innovative and potentially ground-breaking product at the show.

GameTap, which is owned by Turner Broadcasting, is a monthy subscription-based service which will allow its members to play (on their PCs) thousands of classic arcade, console (ranging from Atari 2600 to Sega Dreamcast), and PC game titles. Subscribers will also have access to additional media content, such as commercials and interviews, as well as brand new content created just for GameTap. As a sample of the type of new content that will be developed, we were shown a clip of Space Ghost interviewing Billy Mitchell, the Pac-Man champion who looks like he’s still stuck in the 80s.

For a service like this, the user interface is integral to success which GameTap seems to have recognized. The interface seems easy to navigate and, I must admit, a bit sexy. Every game has a large identifiable graphic/logo which can be quickly and easily browsed through, and each game has its own section for additional content (as mentioned above). It isn't easy to describe, but the style reminded me of a cross between Minority Report and The Matrix. I recommend checking out this video if you want to see it action.

What excites me most about GameTap is its potential to bring core gamers (dorks like me) and the casual gamer into the same virtual community. It's hard to imagine another gaming product with the prospect for such mass-appeal. It also does my heart good to see some new life breathed into these older games that were not easily available to the general public. The service will also offer online leaderboards for comparing high scores and the programmers are looking into implementing online multiplayer play (but no promises). I was told that the monthly fee would be between $10-$15 a month. At $10, I feel the service is a great deal, but at $15, it might be too pricey and scare off casual gamers (and some of the MAME savvy core gamers). I would like to see a $10 basic plan, and $15 “Gold” plan which includes online multiplayer (for some games).

Some of you may remember that something similar was attempted before. Time Warner, who owns Turner Broadcasting, gave this a shot back in 1993 when, along with its partner Sega, they launched The Sega Channel. This was a monthly subscription service that would allow Sega Genesis owners to download and play games through their console. I recommend checking out this article if you want to learn more about The Sega Channel.

In a pretty strange coincidence, we had a member of the GameTap Beta Test team post on our forums to invite CAGs to come and apply to test out the service. I’m looking forward to helping shape something with such exciting potential. Congratulations, GameTap, and good luck!

- Posted at 01:48 PM