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[Kuni]

Amazon has extended its "Prime-Exclusive Items" initiative to block non-Prime members from being able to purchase certain video games.

Grand Theft Auto 5 screenshot
The change was spotted by customers this morning, with the PS4 versions of GTA 5, Rainbow Six Siege and Assassin's Creed Syndicate now only available to Prime members, along with the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Far Cry Primal, Battlefield Hardline and more.

If you aren't a member of Amazon Prime, you will now see a box with a blue border on the right of the page "identifying the item as Prime-Exclusive", and will not be able to add the item to your basket.

It isn't yet clear exactly how many games are now available exclusively to Prime members. The initiative does not prevent buyers purchasing the affected items from third-party sellers.

"Prime-Exclusive items are products for sale on Amazon that can only be purchased if you're a member of Amazon Prime," Amazon says on its website. "As a Prime member, you can choose from millions of Prime-eligible items sold on Amazon.co.uk."

A subscription to Amazon Prime costs £79.99 per year. VideoGamer.com has contacted Amazon for comment.

Videogamer

I just don't understand....

Edit - I posted in the thread how to send feedback email to Amazon and putting it here for visibility:

You can send feedback email here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/contact-us. The options to pick are:

• "Prime and more"
• "Other non-order questions"
• "Give Amazon feedback"

 

[Nightbird]

What the fuck Amazon

 

[danowat]

Wha?

Mental, considering there are a raft of other outlets that will sell you those games for comparable prices

 

[Hasney]

That's odd... I actually bought Prime yesterday because Now is in my area finally, but blocking stuff sure is odd.

Wha?

Mental, considering there are a raft of other outlets that will sell you those games for comparable prices

Yeah, I mean, other than getting a game within an hour now, Amazon were one of my last resorts if I really wanted something due to their delivery service and prices. So many other games websites will sell it for cheaper and faster without £80 a year.

 

[kagamin]

What in the hell... who thought this was a good idea?

 

[Mr Reasonable]

What?

This should be ringing alarm bells about how dependent people are on Amazon that they're prepared to not sell to you unless you're subscribing to their services.

 

[Garrett Hawke]

Only thing I can think of is that maybe if they don't have much stock left they reserve it for Prine members? Still dumb tho.

 

[Possumowner]

Good job there's plenty of other places to buy games,that's similar to Game having exclusive games with specific DLC or gimmicks.

 

[kraspkibble]

they did it with wasteland 2 but they've now included the WoW game time card.

i have been thinking of getting Prime cause I buy 99% of stuff from amazon but this is basically forcing me to sign up if i want to buy from them. it's not on.

fuck you amazon. keep this shit up and i will go elsewhere.

 

[Robin64]

Do they think this is what will get me to sign up to Prime?

 

[Broken Joystick]

The initiative does not prevent buyers purchasing the affected items from third-party sellers.

Strange move but at least this is the case.

 

[mclem]

I can just about understand prioritising Prime users if there's stock limitations, but these are games that have been out for some time now, and I'd be very surprised if there's any such issue.

 

[E-phonk]

My country doesn't offer anything prime related (i mean their streaming service) - so why would I take prime.

wtf indeed.

 

[Zakard]

Why would they do that? It is not even really that cheap.

 

[Huggers]

What idiots. I'll just use one of the other hundreds of online retailers

 

[Stupid Sexy Flanders]

They don't even give 20% off on new releases like they do in the states.
If they did I would get the subscription but atm I guess if I need anything that's locked to Prime members only I can get my friend to order it to me

 

[Zafir]

So instead of just doing a 20% discount like all other Amazons they block items behind it. lol

 

[Roxas]

So the Americans get 20% off with Prime and we get this :dead:

Edit: Zafir get out of my mind

 

[KJRS_1993]

Just pop the Amazon link into Flubit.com and get them cheaper than Amazon's listed price anyway.
You'd think it's an error, because it's hopelessly daft if not. I don't know anyone who really relies on Amazon for games at all.

 

[danowat]

Ok, just checked on Amazon, and you can still select and add to your basket through other resellers on there, even ones supplied by Amazon, it's just those directly through Amazon that won't add to basket.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Can they do this without the publishers permission?

Seems like something they'd want to avoid, unless Amazon is kicking some money their way...

 

[people]

PlayStation VITA is an Amazon Prime Exlusive on amazon.fr (this particular Lego Pack, sold directly by Amazon.fr - does not apply to all/other packs or vendors)

 

[Kazooie]

Absolute nonsense and will just stop me buying from Amazon. Not sure why they are doing such a massive push to get everyone on Prime. Not everyone wants next day delivery or the streaming service.

 

[teeny]

I find a lot of value in Prime but this is just the wrong way to drive people to subscribing. Nasty.

 

[SnowHawk]

You can get Far Cry Primal for cheaper from a third party seller which is fulfilled by Amazon.

This move makes no sense to me.

 

[Heartfyre]

My country doesn't get any of the benefits from Prime, so you can imagine what I think of this.

 

[Kuni]

Thankfully my flatmate and I share prime and this counts for me but this is just a very confusing and anti-consumer move...

 

[justsomeguy]

What the hell? That is unbelievably anti-consumer.

I'm already pissed that they merged "next day delivery service" with "shitty streaming service" and doubled the price. WTF are they on?

 

[Alpende]

What in the hell? You have to pay to buy something else. Okay.

 

[danowat]

Prime should be an added value service for those that choose to subscribe, not a gated purchasing system for those that don't, offer Prime members a discount, but just blanket stopping people buying from Amazon because they don't subscribe is a shitty move.

Still waiting for the news that this was a mistake.

 

[Zaventem]

This is awful. I hope this doesn't spread to the states.

 

[ThoughtsOfSpeaking]

UK amazon has been becoming an absolute shitshow for months now. Ive gone from doing 90% of my online shopping there, even if items are more expensive, to occasionally making a new account to take advantage of the free trial of prime.

The final straw for me was when Microsoft had a promotion where all their first party titles dropped in price across all retailers, but amazon locked the discounts behind prime as if they were doing it off their own back.

For alot of things, argos, very, shop2, tgc and even zavvi are better bets now.

 

[MLH]

I don't buy any of my games from Amazon any more, in fact I rarely buy anything.
If I do need something I'll make a search on Amazon, find a seller, then usually find they have their own site so I can cut out Amazon as the middle man.

As for Video Games the UK is hugely competivite with many online stores matching or beating prices for new games.
Here's a list of a few stores I use:
Gameseek, ShopTo, 365games, VideoGameBox, CoolShop, GamesCentre, TheGameCollection, GraingerGames, RiceDigital, GAME, SimplyGames and the supermarkets (ASDA, Sainsburys, Tesco etc)

Even then if you can't find it cheaper than Amazon try Flubit

 

[Steroyd]

Fuck off Amazon, I was salty enough with their Black Friday shenanigans, now I'm potentially outright locked out of buying certain games? Good luck with that.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

What a load of bollocks. Just more reason for me to shop there; not as though I did much anyway.

 

[Soodanim]

I have Prime, and have always have good experiences with their customer service, but this is surprisingly bad.

I would have thought that this would negatively affect them, seeing as £40+80 is a lot more than £45 or 50. To me that would drive sales elsewhere, not get more Prime customers. Unless they think people will use their free month on GTA them keep the service.

 

[gelf]

Well that solidifys Amazon at the back of my queue for buying stuff online. That's a terrible move.

 

[ps3ud0]

WTF? This seems just too stupid to hold to ransom the very products you sell...

Never gonna buy Prime now, but that student deal was enticing

ps3ud0 8)

 

[BrettHeazy]

I stopped using amazon for games, media and tech a while ago.

This sucks!

 

[Vashetti]

It doesn't make me want to sign up for Prime, it makes me want to shop elsewhere.

 

[glaurung]

I encountered this same thing when I was buying the Captain America Winter Soldier blu-ray earlier this week. Prime exclusive.

Signed up for the trial month, but good luck getting £79 from me.

 

[Kysen]

I noticed that as well, though it was a one off. Its bullshit.

 

[Bl@de]

I have Prime but this is just wrong. Fuck off Amazon.

 

[FearMyWrench]

Noticed this on a few things recently. They're often quite discounted as well though.

Amiibo too! https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B014VIKY5W/

 

[Messofanego]

Does Amazon pay taxes?

 

[Daffy Duck]

So wrong.

Fuck off Amazon.

 

[ShogunDarius]

absolutely stupid idea, only gonna annoy people like it already has

 

[Wulfram]

Well, if they don't want my money...

 

[Hasney]

The funniest thing about the GTA V example is that when I went to look at it, there's a cheaper seller, fulfilled by Amazon that isn't Prime exclusive. Hilarious.

 

[Carl]

£80 paywall before you can even buy it at regular price ha. Nah. Just shop somewhere else.