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GameTap losing over 7% of games; EA, Interplay and other publishers gone Dec. 11

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Just as GameTap celebrated hitting 1,000 games on the service, it'll get to repeat the milestone all over again as it loses 70+ games in a couple weeks. Apparently EA, Interplay, Atari and some lesser-known publishers will end their affiliation with the service December 11. GameTap Editorial Director Douglass Perry says GameTap signs contracts with a publisher which have a beginning and an end. He says none of the games on the service are permanent. Perry also says they were unaware they'd have to pull all those titles when celebrating their 1,000 game mark.

We're currently trying to get a fuller explanation of the current situation. Perry says that GameTap will continue to expand their library despite this setback, but the issue seems to be a wake-up call to many subscribers that GameTap isn't the repository of gaming that they once thought. Although it's unofficial whether GameTap didn't want to pony up the cash to extend the contracts or the publishers asked for too much money to renew -- we're pretty sure GameTap isn't happy about dipping below the 1,000 game mark they recently hyped. It's also not a great day for the company when their subscribers learn quite harshly that games on the service have a virtual shelf life.

Losing all the classic EA stuff really sucks.

Ones that hurt:
Crusader
Wing Commander
Ultima
Command & Conquer
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Descent: Freespace
Freespace 2
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
SimCity Classic
SimCity 2000
TheRealEdwin

6 responses // GameTap losing over 7% of games; EA, Interplay and other publishers gone Dec. 11

  • http://simcity.ea.com/play/simcity_classic.php
    Nobody likes change, but sometimes change needs to happen to instigate development. I wouldn't normally apply such harsh words on a game for kids, but as of late I've been quite the Sim City fan...maybe it's time for me (and maybe even you) to grow up?...or maybe just time to find a new website!
    mattbrawn
  • Truly a response from someone not in the know.

    Sim City is no kids game. Neither was Ultima, C&C, Freespace 2, Alpha Centari, or Descent.

    We're talking about lost revenue from games that are no longer in retail channels and most do not even work on the latest operating system.
    TheRealEdwin
  • LOL awww shucks. that sucks. and let's talk about how EA is incredible with everything except their basketball franchise. 2k8 crushes it in everyway. but yea man. that's a blower...why would EA do that!?
    modi10
  • http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3164678
    The GameTap service does a lot for the preservation of classic games, so this was all pretty disheartening.
    jennatar
  • Business is business I guess, but I'm looking forward to having to explain my crying 4 year-old why two of his favorite games aren't available anymore.

    But, hey, at least people I don't give a sh*t about get to move money around.
    TheRealEdwin
  • It isn't just that, though. As Douglass Perry said, it comes down to contracts ending; their agreements having to do with licensing have ended.
    jennatar

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