In context: GameFly hasn't publicly said why it decided to can its game streaming service but the decision was apparently made before EA purchased GameFly's assets earlier this year.
GameFly is preparing to shut down its online game streaming service at the end of the month according to a recent report from Variety citing the company's customer support line and messages sent to the service's users.
Accounts will no longer be charged for service after August 31, the report claims, noting that GameFly's disc-based rental service via snail mail will continue.
EA, if you recall, scooped up GameFly this past May. When reached for comment, a company spokesperson told Variety that they acquired the GameFly team in Israel and the technology they developed, but not the GameFly streaming service. The EA spokesperson added that they have not been involved in any decisions around the streaming service.
EA launched a premium version of Origin Access, it's subscription-based gaming service, this week.
Online game streaming seemed poised to explode in popularity but as we've come to realize, adoption hasn't been as rapid as some anticipated (for a variety of reasons). Some were arguably too early to the game while others might not have had the right vision. That could all change, however, with the advent of 5G mobile networks and a new wave of streaming services.