The deal is expected to take the total number of on-demand games from different publishers available on Yahoo Games to 100. New Microsoft titles include "Dungeon Siege," "Flight Simulator 2004," "Freelancer" and "Zoo Tycoon."
"This relationship gives Yahoo Games the ability to meet the growing demand for direct rental and streaming play via the Internet," Dan Hart, general manager of Yahoo Games, said in a statement.
Subscription-based online PC gaming is gaining popularity among Internet users. Market research firm IDC predicts that revenue from downloadable PC gaming will grow from US$52.7 million in 2003 to more than US$760 million in 2007. The spread of broadband is helping Internet companies set up streaming services that let subscribers play PC games directly on their desktop PCs.
Yahoo said players signing up for unlimited monthly or quarterly packages can play all subscription games with no time limits. The unlimited package costs US$14.95 for one month and US$34.95 for three months. A one-month, three-games package costs US$9.95.
The Web company, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., said it offers about 50 Java-based titles for free on its games page, in addition to single and multiplayer games and downloads. Players log five-and-a-half-billion minutes of online game-play per month, it said.
