Games Retailer Trialing Physical Subscription Service in Australia

Netflix-style subscription based services for games aren’t an uncommon occurrence, with services such as EA Access and Xbox Game Pass already offering unlimited access to a selection of games for a monthly fee. But now, retail chain EB Games, a subsidiary of GameStop, is trialling a brick-and-mortar version of the service in one Australian state.

“Swap ‘n’ Play is a new service we’re trialling in South Australia that allows customers to grab any preowned game they want, and to swap it over as much as they like instore,” an EB Games spokesperson told GameSpot.

For $19.95 AUD a month, the service allows customers to borrow one game at a time, and EB Games states that the Swap ’n’ Play program will give customers “access to the entire library of preowned games. As long as we have the game--they can play it.”

“Whether they finish it in a day or decide they don’t like it, they can grab something new whenever they want. There’s no limit to how many times they can swap. We created Swap ‘n’ Play to add value for our regular customers, especially parents. Over school holidays it’s not unusual for families to be in and out our doors finding new games to play. Swap ‘n’ Play allows for a hassle-free and more affordable shop.”

The program operates in tandem with the chain's EB World membership program, and after signing up customers can cancel at any time after the 2 months.

As to whether the retailer plans on expanding this service nationally in Australia, or other to other GameStop-related outlets around the world, the EB Games spokesperson said: “We’ve had positive feedback from the community overnight, however at this time we’re only running Swap ‘n’ Play in South Australia.”

More information can be found on the EB Games website.