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I know that they show Cosmic Carnage in the commercial which means it must be cool. I thought I was the only one who even knew of that game.

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Very cool commercials.

 

Basically it seems like a ROM download service, but each "game" is self-contained. No need for emulators, risky downloading of Roms that could come with spyware/viruses, no site wanting you to vote for them on a shady ranking site that with an anime porn banner on it or else you get corrupted Roms.

 

On the downside, although you get a "free trial" you need to sign up with a credit card. It's 15 bucks a month, but since I don't have a real credit card I'll probably hold off on it a bit.

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Stolen from CheapyD of CheapAssGamer.com. There's more info on the boards, but this is a start:

 

 

ATLANTA - Aug 23, 2005 - Turner Broadcasting System has set the

subscription rate for the fall debut of its GameTap broadband

entertainment network at $14.95 per month. The company also announced

that all subscribers will get a two-week trial period for unlimited

access to the network.

 

The first network of its kind, GameTap allows subscribers to access the

largest vault of games, ranging from the early arcades to console and PC

titles, using a broadband-connected PC. The network will also feature

original Turner programming.

 

"Playing is believing," said Dennis Quinn, executive vice president of

business development, TBS, Inc, referring to the free trial. "GameTap

is such a new concept that we wanted to unlock the 'vault' as a kind of

virtual open house. While two weeks is not nearly enough time to

explore the full depths of GameTap, it's a great opportunity for an

introductory self-tour."

 

Turner executives said that the rate is comparable to that of other

video entertainment subscription offerings, such as massively

multiplayer online role-playing games that predominantly charge about

$15 per month. "MMORPGs have set the bar, and we feel it's a good one

for the kind of value GameTap delivers," said Quinn. He also noted that

one of the most successful Internet-driven DVD subscription service

charges $17.99 monthly for its most popular DVD rental plan.

 

GameTap's monthly subscription rate reflects "the untapped value of

stellar game titles whose launch lights have faded," Quinn said.

"Movies get a second chance on TV, DVD, and pay-per-view. But until

GameTap, even a high earning video game title winds up on an auction

site, in used game shops or garage sales. Behind the $14.95 fee is the

game industry's first post-retail channel that rewards the people who

have made these great games possible."

 

Screenshots are available upon request.

 

About GameTap

GameTap provides subscribers an "all-you-can-play" gaming service

accessible from up to two household computers. To access GameTap,

players securely download and install Turner-developed client software

from www.gametap.com that acts as a gateway to the GameTap vault.

Because games reside securely on the PC, not across a network, they act

just as if they were still on the console or at the arcade. Fast

response times, 3D effects, colors, and characters are all present and

accounted for. GameTap supports navigation and game play using keyboard

and mouse, as well as most USB peripherals.

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Guest Leelee

$15/month is really too much to play a bunch of old cartridge games, in the first place... ignoring that it takes very little effort and knowledge to quickly download all these games and many more for free. Heck, you can even go to a game store and save money in the long run that way.

 

If they added more bigger games like Saturn, DC, PS1, then it would be worth consideration.

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They do have some Dreamcast games...

 

And you should know from posting at CAG that some people are morally against ROMs and emulators. I'm not, but some are, so I guess this service is for them.

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Guest Leelee

I saw one DC game on there.

 

I know there's the moral thing, etc... but let's compare just buying the real games (which the collectors at CAG would want to do anyway). You can get basically every Genesis game on the EB site for $4 or less... and they're even cheaper in stores. The console itself is I think $5-10 bucks in stores, or just go get one at a garage sale/flea market for a quarter.

 

Then you have to add in to the $15/month that you need a good broadband connection, and you need a good graphics card, and you need a good controller which is no easy thing for a PC.

 

It's just not a good idea. Especially considering the Sega Channel itself was $15/month back in the day.

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Finally saw the commercial with the fighters.

 

It's set to a cover of "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" and features clips from...

 

VF2 (looks like Genesis one)

Tomb Raider somethingorother

Kung Fu (I think, NES)

Eternal Champions

Beyond Good and Evil (?)

Comix Zone

Golden Axe, I think

Cosmic Carnage

RPG that I think may be a Xenogears battle

Alien Soldier

Streets of Rage 2

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