GameFly has announced that it is getting into the app publishing business, starting with games on Android and iOS. The company also plans to launch the GameFly GameStore this fall, a third-party Android app marketplace dedicated surfacing “expertly curated Android games.”
The company’s press release touts its game development fund, which was set aside to “work with mobile developers that are in the process of making a great game, but need the extra resources to publish and promote their titles.” Applications are already being accepted, and GameFly hopes to have the first title published over the summer. Of course, the company won’t just be giving the development money away. As the publisher, it will take a cut of the profits. But could this be offset by the other half of today’s announcement–the GameFly GameStore?
Set to debut this fall, GameFly hopes to make its GameStore the go-to destination for mobile games on Android devices. In addition to curated content, the GameStore will include friend recommendations based on GameFly’s existing social network, the usual ratings and reviews, and daily deals. The company’s GameFly app already highlights a “Game of the Day,” and Amazon has been very successful with its Appstore “Deal of the Day.”
As both a game publisher and an app marketplace, GameFly is in a somewhat unique position. While the company hasn’t gone into details about how publishing deals will work, one could imagine developers being given a larger percentage of the profits for apps sold through the GameStore. On the other hand, GameFly could opt to pocket its share of the sales for both publishing and selling the game. GameFly’s roots are in game rentals similar to Netflix, so one could also imagine the company implementing an app rental service at some point, similar to how the GameFly PC client works.
Regardless, it sounds like there’s a new player in the Android app ecosystem, and it could very well turn out to be the best place to find high quality mobile games.
