GameFly is offering discounted gift certificates for subscriptions to their rental service. http://www.gamefly.com/Gift-Certificate/Buy

Although gift certificates for the various subscription plans appear to be discounted, the clear best deal by my estimation is the 2 games out for 2 months for $22.95. $22.95 is the current regular price for a 1-month 2 games out subscription, making this effectively half price.

I have long used these gift certificates to pay for my own subscription to GameFly by e-mailing the gift certificates to myself and redeeming them. The price for the 2-game/2-month certificate has ranged from $27.95-$29.95 over the last year. The current holiday deal lowers the monthly cost of a 2-game plan to $11.48. This is better than the previous regular price of $13.98-$14.98 per month using GCs, and much better than the regular costs of $22.95 per month.

The e-mail announcing the sale says there's a limit of 5 gift certificate purchases per account. Presumably, this just means 5 at the sale price, as I've redeemed about eight 2-month gift certificates to date. One can have redeemed gift certificates lined up that will automatically be redeemed for future renewals.

Threads about GameFly deals often devolve into debates about strategies for/effectiveness of the service in getting the best games at launch. For my part, I love the service and have used it successfully to get some (but not every one I've wanted) hot launch titles and kids games for which I can't bring myself to pay full price, even though my kids want them shortly after they're released.

Good deal, I'll bite for 2 months.

how long is the sale in effect?

Originally Posted by cjenvy how long is the sale in effect?

The e-mail I got doesn't list an end date, though it references savings during "this holiday season".

Advertisement

Register for free to remove this ad

sad when gamefly cant do simple math

2 months 22.95 x 3 68.85 x 6 137.70
6months 97.55 x 2 = 195.10

12 months 214.60



That 2 months Cant be right... 1 year of gamefly 2at a time for less then 140

Great deal but I think I need the holidays to play my huge backlog lol

Ended up ordering 4 months worth. Figured I might as well just add it to my already exuberantly high BF bill.

Thanks OP!

Originally Posted by slidecage sad when gamefly cant do simple math 2 months 22.95 x 3 68.85 x 6 137.70 6months 97.55 x 2 = 195.10 12 months 214.60 That 2 months Cant be right... 1 year of gamefly 2at a time for less then 140

you cant buy a years worth via 2 month certs

picked up 10 months for little under 123


figure i can break it up a few months here a few months there



Figure pick up a a 2 games per month = 60 x 10 = 600 if i could dump those 20 games for 20 each = 400

would be 200 out of pocket.... end up saving around 75 bucks and end up with 15 bucks in gamefly certs

so save 90 bucks

at least now i wont buy a new game to keep until next thanksgiving LOL

GameFly is still having an end of year sale, right?

Originally Posted by cjenvy you cant buy a years worth via 2 month certs

Last year Gamefly had a stated maximum per account in their GC promotion email, but it didn't actually apply in practice. I have no idea if this year will be the same or not, but I suppose I'll find out at some point in the near future.

In for 4 months, was going to be paying them anyway, but half price is always better! Thanks OP!

Thanks OP, restarted my membership for a buck and loaded up on 4 gift cards. Seems like a great deal to me.

Damn! I don't get paid till nextweek! I hope the deal is still going on next week.

I believe I have cracked the math behind GameFly's non-intuitive gift certificate pricing scheme. The "problem" is that each of their pricing packages includes one free month in the calculation of the price and discount. This results in the shortest gift certificate term being the best deal, as the free month is applied on a per certificate basis. Here's an example using their 2 games out pricing:

2 months = $22.95 x (2 months - 1 free month) = $22.95
3 months = $22.95 x (3 months - 1 free month) = $45.90 minus 15% discount = $39.00
6 months = $22.95 x 5 = $114.75 minus 15% = $97.55
12 months = $22.95 x 11 = $252.45 minus 15% = $214.60

GameFly thinks it is offering no discount on a 2-month GC and 15% on the longer term GCs, but because of the built-in free month it is actually offering a 50% discount on a 2-month GC, a 43% discount on a 3-month GC, a 29% discount on a 6-month GC, and a 22% discount on a 12-month GC. You don't have to be a CAGer or a mathematician to realize that stacking the 2-month GCs is the way to go. And by the way, this pricing scheme has been in place for at least a year -- http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=310279 -- so it's not just a pricing glitch in the current holiday sale.

Originally Posted by slidecage sad when gamefly cant do simple math 2 months 22.95 x 3 68.85 x 6 137.70 6months 97.55 x 2 = 195.10 12 months 214.60 That 2 months Cant be right... 1 year of gamefly 2at a time for less then 140

Shhh...don't tell them. I've been doing this for almost a year now. Every other month I buy a 2 month gift card.

screw it, bought 2 months worth, thanks OP!

So you guys are sure that I can apply this to my existing plan? It doesn't mention it in the terms but it sounds like that's what you're doing. Awesome.

Edit: Buying 5. Bought 3 2-monthers so far. Just not sure if I want to buy more 2 per month or some 1 per month...

Can I start a one month, one game at a time trial then before the month ends tack on one of these subscription certificates?

Originally Posted by Goomba Stomper Can I start a one month, one game at a time trial then before the month ends tack on one of these subscription certificates?

I don't see why not