Everybody knows that Amazon is trying to push its Prime membership to compete with Netflix, but nobody thought they would go so far.
According to the reports coming in since early morning, many non-Prime subscribers have reported that they are unable to buy certain video games.
And the list is definitely extensive. It includes – FIFA 16, GTA 5, Minecraft, Rainbow Six: Siege, Shadow of Mordor, Dishonored: Definitive Edition, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Far Cry Primal, Battlefield Hardline, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes, Elder Scrolls Online and Farming Simulator.
Amazon is not even being shy about it. If you are a non-Prime member, and you try to buy any of these games, you will get a message by Amazon saying, “This item, sold by Amazon, is currently reserved exclusively for Prime members.”
Though this decision by Amazon might really not affect the customers since the games are still available by third-party sellers. It’s just that Amazon will no longer be directly selling them.
Amazon wants customers to get Prime memberships
Getting £79 membership just to buy a video game might seem too much but that is not the only perk you get. As an Amazon Prime member, you will also get unlimited number of one day deliveries, unlimited Photo storage on Amazon Cloud Drive, students deals, Kindle loans, early access to lightening deals, Prime Music, and most importantly, unlimited streaming to Prime Video.
And the Prime Video part is the main reason why Amazon is pushing Prime Membership, the ecommerce giant wants to get ahead of Netflix.
While Netflix has started focusing more on original content, Amazon is trying to fill its database with more and more movies. According to a new report, Amazon Prime now has four times more movies than Netflix or Hulu. And the difference is really huge. While Netflix only has around 4,500 movie titles, Amazon Prime Video has 18,400 titles.
Of course, if you consider TV titles then Netflix is still ahead with 2,445 while Amazon Prime Video only has 1,981. With Netflix releasing exclusive TV shows like House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Fuller House and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, it will definitely be difficult to get viewers unhooked from the video streaming service.
Amazon has also created some originals like Mozart in the Jungle and Transparent, and though they have also been successful, they haven’t been as successful as Netflix originals which have received many critic awards.
But restricting customers from buying video games is a completely different tactic and the experts are still not sure if this will work in Amazon’s favour or against it. After all, a game like Grand Theft Auto V costs around £42, and to spend £79 just to buy that game really doesn’t make sense.
