Gamefly details new digital service

GameFly has found a fair bit of success by emulating Netflix's old business model in the video game space. For a fixed amount per month, users can rent console games and keep them for as long as they want.

Now, the company is following in its forerunner's footsteps once again – with plans to add a game streaming site to supplement its offerings.

Three months after its acquisition of Direct2Drive, the company is finally revealing a few details of how it plans to expand in the digital space. This holiday, GameFly plans to launch the client, which will offer members unlimited play of downloadable PC games. The company has not yet named which publishing companies are on board, not given any specific titles, though a promotional video for the service (see below) shows off some AAA Ubisoft titles, including "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood".

There are no plans, at present, for a streaming only service, the company tells Joystiq.

The service would seem to be another competitor for Valve's Steam distribution service, though GameFly is spinning it as a Spotfiy-like service, giving subscribers an added value on top of their console rentals.

The beta test for the service will begin on Sept. 8.