Humble Bundle, a digital distribution platform that regularly serves up pay-what-you-want collections of PC and mobile games, has launched a subscription service that will deliver downloadable PC games to members on a monthly basis.
After paying the service’s subscription fee, members will receive a batch of codes redeemable for “handpicked games” every month, with new titles remaining a mystery to buyers until they are distributed.
The service explores a market demand for blind-boxed goods that has grown in popularity over the last year. Services like Loot Crate send out packages to subscribers every month filled with toys, apparel, and promotional items that revolve around a central theme, often focusing on pop culture or established media properties.
Multiple Loot Crate competitors have cropped up in recent months, including Nerd Block, My Geeky Goodies, and the gaming-oriented 1UP Box. Another popular service is IndieBox, which assembles retail-ready special editions of featured PC games before shipping them out to subscribers. Many games featured in IndieBox bundles never previously saw physical releases, driving up collector demand.
Humble Monthly sidesteps its mail order-focused competitors, however, opting instead to distribute Steam-redeemable codes for featured games via e-mail. Users are not notified of each bundle’s featured games until after they are distributed, but as a launch incentive, the service is offering a digital copy of Legend of Grimrock 2 (currently available via Steam for $24) to new subscribers.
Humble Bundle organizers note that many Humble Monthly games have never been featured in previous bundles. Continuing the organization’s charitable efforts in the past, five percent of Humble Monthly subscription proceeds will be given to a featured charity.
Humble Monthly subscriptions are available for $12 per month. New bundles will be mailed out on the first Friday of every month, and subscribers can cancel at any time and keep the games they’ve redeemed from past collections.
