UPDATED 11:47 EDT / APRIL 25 2016

NEWS

Amazon once again locks popular games and movies behind Prime subscription

Last week, some Amazon users were dismayed to discover that a number of popular games, including Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto V, could not be purchased through the website unless they had an Amazon Prime subscription.

The restrictions were quickly lifted, suggesting that maybe the move had been accidental, but now it looks like Amazon is doubling down on making some items Prime exclusive, as a number of games and films cannot be purchased now without a subscription.

This once again includes Grand Theft Auto V, along with a number of other popular movies and games such as BirdmanAssassin’s Creed Syndicate, and Rainbow Six Siege.

Prime exclusive

Previously, Amazon said in a statement to Polygon that “from time to time, Amazon offers exclusive selection and pricing on select items for Prime members.” The company noted at the time that users can always sign up for a 30-day trial of Prime, which of course auto-bills them as soon as the trial ends if they forget to cancel it in time.

Users also have the option of purchasing from another seller on the Amazon Marketplace, but these often come at higher prices that do not include shipping.

This is a worrying move from Amazon for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that the company seems to be using the restrictions to force users to sign up for Prime whether they want it or not, and there is no indication of how long these “from time to time” exclusive selections will last.

While this could certainly lead to an increase in Prime subscribers, it also carries the risk of pushing some users to purchase their games from a site that doesn’t lock the most popular items behind a paywall.

Image credit: Rockstar Games Inc

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