GAME enters the digital and streaming games space

The UK’s leading High Street games retailer GAME has this morning announced a significant foray into the digital games market.

A beta version of a new initiative called GAMEwallet will go live today. It will allow customers to purchase a range of digital content using either their existing Reward Card points or using the new GAMEwallet top-up card.

And from next year the retailer plans to offer GAMEwallet gift cards.

Furthermore, the centralisation of payments into a single system means users only to have to manage one account for multiple MMOs and online games.

Products in the offer include Runescape and APB Reloaded. Publishers already committed to the model include Jagex, Outspark and K2 Gamers First.

The digital games market is growing fast, but two things are holding it back: the reliance on customers using credit or debit cards online, and the lack of a one-stop shop offering advice across a wide range of titles from different publishers. We’re about to change that,” GAME Group’s commercial strategy director Tricia Brennan stated.

GAMEwallet is designed for the 80%+ of our customers who are buying digital products in our stores using their Reward points, cash or a trade-in instead of a debit or credit card because they want security and control.

We want to make digital gaming accessible to everyone, and will introduce new customers to great digital titles and experiences by presenting and recommending the best range of titles in one place.”

The scheme has been developed in conjunction with InComm.