GameTap Goes Live

Turner Broadcasting System has formally launched its new GameTap gaming service. GameTap gives gamers the ability, for a $14.95 monthly fee, the ability to stream a surprisingly high number of current and classic games to a PC. Basically like a subscription-based rent-by-mail service, just without the mail. A few weeks ago, Turner launched a trial offer for the service, but this marks its official opening. The full game list is fairly impressive for a launch, and the company promises to continue adding hundreds more titles. Currently, there is a large focus on classic games, with the libraries companies like Sega and Midway highly represented. Conversely, when it comes to more current games, Ubisoft has the most currently on offer--which means if you haven't played Beyond Good & Evil, this is your chance. From my experience with the service, it feels seamless and well-implemented, though I could do without what I assume were engineered as "hip" video features that play while the games are being streamed. Emulation for console and arcade games is handled well. Right now, the main drawback to GameTap is that its selection is defined by the limited number of publisher deals it has acquired. However, it's a good start and a good idea, and if a constantly growing library is in the works, it'll look like a pretty attractive option indeed.