Game Domain International has launched the public beta of its digital distribution platform AWOMO.

The service, which boasts the ability to let players run triple-A PC titles direct from a web browser rather than having to wait to download them, has opened to the public with a free games offer.

Those who visit www.awomo.com will be allowed to play a series of games, such as Rome Total War, free of charge.

“Having privately tested within a small community of gamers, it is now time for us to stress test our new technology on a wider scale,” explained Roger Walkden, Chief Executive Officer of GDI.

“We have seen speeds that are up to 20x faster than conventional download services, and we’re looking forward to sharing the benefits of our system with gamers, so they can share their experiences with us and give feedback.”

As well as faster speeds, GDI says that when fully launched the service will offer a number of benefits including a variety of payment options, including Rent to Own; free demo time, no install limitations, thus side-stepping contentious DRM issues; community functions; plus a growing catalogue of games.

“Digital Distribution is heralded as the future of video games retailing, but this will only happen if the download experience is improved for the end user," added Walkden.

"AWOMO’s ‘one click from a browser’ simplicity and super-fast speed provides a glimpse into a bright new future for gamers wanting instant gratification and publishers looking for new distribution options. With faster speeds come new revenue models for the games industry and we are looking forward to introducing these as part of the Beta at a later date.”