For the first time ever, Apple is allowing a game publisher to sell access to a library of games through a subscription model, not unlike magazine publishers or services like Netflix. Bloomberg reports that mobile publisher Big Fish Games has been approved to offer a monthly subscription of $6.99 to access its titles. The service allows players to switch from game to game without having to make a large number of downloads.
“This is the first time that the technology has matched the business model,”said Big Fish Games founder Paul Thelen.
“It took longer than usual to be approved. [Apple] needed to be convinced there’s a reason to charge customers every month.”
Big Fish will also be offering a free version of its service that only allows 30 minutes of playtime with ads. Games on the subscription service will require a WiFi connection in order to play. Thelen said that an Android version of the same service would be ready by the first quarter of 2012.
Big Fish is also pondering an initial public offering at a later date.
“We’re at scale, have great momentum and remain in a position to pursue a public offering or any number of alternatives if the markets allow,” Thelen said.
