Big news, gamers: video game rental service GameFly has just announced plans to enter the mobile gaming universe. As if you weren’t already completely addicted to your smartphone…
In a statement released by the company, GameFly shared its plans to begin publishing mobile games for the iOS and Android platforms, as well as launching an independent GameFly GameStore for Android later this year. The company will continue on its mission to be the #1 source for all gaming needs by offering selectively curated Android games in the GameStore, along with game recommendations and daily deals.
No digital initiative these days is complete without a social networking component, and GameFly’s mobile venture is no exception. Game discovery will be simplified via friend recommendations, a rating system, and reviews from fellow gamers on the GameFly social network.
And it’s not just the company and the customers that stand to gain from GameFly’s mobile expansion – the rental service plans to increase its digital reach while supporting struggling developers. The company has set aside a game development fund to work with mobile developers who are in the process of making promising games, but lack the resources to publish and promote their titles.
"GameFly is dedicated to giving consumers the best user experience possible, and to be their single destination for console, PC and mobile gaming needs," said Sean Spector, GameFly co-founder and its senior vice president of business development and content, in a statement. "We plan to be a leading player in mobile games by launching our retail GameStore for Android and helping to fund mobile developers of all sizes to publish, promote and sell their smartphone and tablet games."
The mobile game market may be pretty saturated already, but I have a feeling that GameFly’s new plan will still be a game-changer. There are few major publishers in the mobile space, so it’s exciting to see a new avenue open for aspiring developers to see their visions realized.
If you think you’ve got what it takes to be one of those developers, GameFly has announced that they are currently accepting proposals from mobile game developers who want to be part of the new project. Interested develops should email their submissions to GameDev (AT) GameFly.com, and gamers can expect to see the first new titles this summer.
