Turner Broadcasting to start gaming service

[Lord Nepenthean]

http://abcnews.go.com/Tec...&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

Turner Rolling Out Classic Video Games
Turner Broadcasting System Hoping to Bring Classic Video Games, Like 'Pac-Man,' Out of Vault

By MATT SLAGLE
The Associated PressThe Associated Press

Apr 27, 2005 — The company that helped revive old films is hoping to bring classic video games out of the vault.

Turner Broadcasting System Inc., operator of Turner Classic Movies and other cable channels, will let game aficionados get their fix on hundreds of mostly older games, including classics like "Pac-Man" and "Sonic the Hedgehog."

The GameTap service will also have such newer titles as "Tony Hawk" and "Splinter Cell," but not games from the current lineup of titles for GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles.

The on-demand service will require high-speed Internet connections and Windows PCs with at least 256 megabytes of memory and a 3D video card. The system will not work on consoles or Macintosh computers.

Players can use a keyboard, mouse or a USB joystick.

Gamers will likely pay monthly subscriptions of $10 to $20 to download an unlimited number of games, said Blake Lewin, vice president of product invention at TBS. The games will stop working once the subscription expires.

TBS says it already has licensing agreements with 17 publishers, covering about 1,000 games. The plan is to have 300 games available when GameTap launches in the fall, with five to 10 games added weekly.

TBS, a unit of Time Warner Inc., said it was creating GameTap to get in on the increasing popularity of video games.

[Speedy_NES]

I hope this is not going to make classic video games less valuable  

Emulation has, of course, been available for quite a while, so I don't think that this service will have such a great impact on the value of older titles.  I personally don't think that this service will be successful either, due to its monthly subscription fee.  Most gamers are used to free emulation and downloading games for current consoles off the internet and burning them for use on the console.  I don't think they will be willing to pay for this service, unless a crack becomes available allowing the use of these games even after the subscription period has expired.  

-Speedy

[Izret101]

Wow that is going to be pretty big i would think.
I doubt Nintendo is onboard with it though. It will definately conflict with their ideas for the Revolution.

I can't wait to find out more.....
i really wish it said what companies were onboard with the idea. Obviously Sega, Namco and Activision. That leaves 14 others....

[Tynstar]

That sounds pretty cool but I still wont use it. If I want to play a classic game i will hook up a classic console.

[Sauza12]

This is what the Phantom should have done.  This is a great idea for the casual gaming fan, though some of us hardcore gamers might scoff at the idea.  If they are smart and keep the subscription fee at $10 or less, this could be pretty big.

[bum-man]

Hey maybe they will "Colorize" some of the real old games, isn't that what they tried to do with some of the classic B&W films.

[den68]

It sounds like an interesting idea. I would suspect it's mostly going to be the bigger selling more popular titles that would be available. Which for the casual gamer would be what would sell. They mention Pac-Man and Sonic, these have been done on numerous retro collections and Plug & Plays already.

I'd be more interested in the games that require big bucks on ebay, emulation or sheer luck to acquire. But for this to appeal to a large audience I'm sure the obscure stuff will be kept to a minimum.

Also I'm not interested in playing games on my PC and I never rent games which is what this kind of feels like. It will be interesting to see how it plays out though.

[Izret101]

It might end up being some sort of Java or Flash or streaming game.
That is probably why Highspeed net  is "required".