Big Fish Membership

Maybe this has been discussed before. If so, please excuse me.

Is there an advantage to being a BF member other than getting to buy and play a game a few days before everyone else or enjoying the occasional lower price on a game? I don't jump on every new game that comes out, not by a long shot. There is so much more going on in life than our games, right? So, who needs that instant gratification? As for the reduced price offered to Members from time time, I buy the games when they go on sale (a BOGO or the like) or some other special deal. I don't buy the games at full price.

(Actually, I did join BF about ten years ago, but quickly realized that membership was not an annual thing, like so many other memberships I have. BF would be charging me EVERY MONTH ~ regardless of whether or not I bought or played any games at all. So, I bailed out of membership almost as soon as I joined.)

The regular price for a SE for members is 6.99
The regular price for a SE for non-members is 9.99

The regular price for a CE for members is 13.99
The regular price for a CE for non-members is 19.99

On a Buy One Get One Free sale you can get two SE games for 6.99 if you're a member (3.50 each).
On a Buy One Get One Free sale you pay 9.99 for the two games if you're a non-member (5.00 each).

On a Buy One Get One Free sale you can get two CE games for 13.99 if you're a member (7.00 each).
On a Buy One Get One Free sale you pay 19.99 for the two games if you're a non-member (10.00 each.

So yes there's an advantage if you buy 12 SE's a year or more -- or 6 CE's a year or more.

If you buy fewer games per year than that, you'll accumulate credits you'll never use, and membership will not be worth it.

I’ve kept a BFG membership for many years. I don’t like to replay games, so I like the opportunity to buy new games at a good price. I too usually wait for good sales to buy. My $6.99 membership fee can be used to buy a standard version game or saved to buy a CE. When I take advantage of a BO/GO sale on CE’s I get a free game. With the sales that have been offered lately, I’ve not payed $13.99 for a CE for years. And I haven’t payed for an SE (except counting the membership fee)) for a very long time. Playing BFG HOPA’s is my hobby. There are others with different hobbies who probably pay more for materials etc. than $6.99/month. Frankly Reenie, I find your post a bit insulting to people like myself.

I have nothing to add to what Jenny and Sparkle said - they were both very good posts on the topic.

You do realize that 6.99 gets you a credit for a free SE game, right?
It's not like you're paying 6.99 just for the membership.
You get a non-expiring credit for any SE (or save up two credits for a CE).

This isn't like a membership for one of those sites where you can only access games while you're a member. Once you have the games, you have them for good, even if you quit the membership.

As long as you're patient, you can quit your membership until there are a lot of Big Fish games you're interested in -- maybe quit for a year or two. Then start your membership again and you'll have plenty to choose from, which you can purchase for reduced member price even if there is no sale.

Jenny, it has been so long since I was a member that it sounds like there may have been some changes. Thank you for your kind reply.

The 6.99/month membership fee giving you a game code for an SE has been in place ever since the Game Club began. The biggest change I have seen over the last five years is that sales are more frequent, which has been a nice thing for members and non-members alike.

Yes. I can’t identify any changes in how the Game Club works other than allowing members to use two membership credits to buy a CE. I’ve been a member since 2010.

The Game Club rules haven't really changed much at least going back to late 2008, when I became a member and bought Azada.

CE's did not exist at that time and there were only SE's.
The first CE I got was Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove CE in November 2009.
If it wasn't the first Big Fish CE, it was close to it.

So the Game Club rules were changed to allow you to use 2 monthly credits to buy a CE.
No other changes to using the Game Club monthly credits that I remember.

There are also credits you get for buying games -- and these do expire.
Buy 6 SE's or two CE's and get a credit good for an SE.
You can't use two of this type of credit to get a CE.

I forget exactly when they first started offering these expiring credits. Back in late 2008, when I began my first Big Fish membership, they had hard copy memorabilia that they'd mail you if you bought a certain number of games in a month. So I ended up with a Big Fish mouse pad and a Big Fish mug. Big Fish eventually dispensed with the hard copy "gifts" and switched to offering credits for a free game.

Big Fish will still send you a Felix the Fish plush if you start a membership and maintain it for a year. As far as I know that's the only physical item they send any more. They used to give you the option of getting your game on a physical disc in addition to the download for $7.99 extra. But they don't offer that any more.

It looks like they now send you a rewards code to redeem before sending you the Felix.
It used to be it would just show up on your doorstep.
https://bigfishgames.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/230484868-Felix-the-Fish-Anniversary-Gift

Without meaning to insult anybody, I also did not feel that membership was worth it before. However, they no longer have the same good sales for non-members that they used to. I haven't even bought any games from Big Fish since August because of this. One thing is that I always buy CE's and membership seems more geared to SE's (my opinion looking in from the outside so to speak). I had been thinking of changing over to SE's (prior to the loss of good sales for non-members) in order to save some money, so I have been considering trying the membership again to see how it goes this time. Then again, I have saved a lot of money just not buying games from them, and really don't need any more, so I haven't decided yet about it.

With a membership, BO/GO’s on CE’s makes the price about $6.99 for each - the same price as a SE for members. Plus, you get a free coupon code for buying two CE’s because CE’s are worth 3 punches each.

Pretty much feel the same here, oldbroad. I bought SE's early on but that changed when they started offering CE versions. I prefer the CE's. Maybe if I bought SE's and if credits didn't expire, I'd be more interested in rejoining as a member.

Game Club credits do not expire. You receive a Game Club credit every month when your $6.99 membership fee is paid. It’s automatically added to your account. And they can accumulate. You can use 1 Game Club credit to buy a SE or save up two to buy a CE. Punch card coupons, for which you receive a coupon code, do expire. You need 6 punches to fill a card within a month. SE’s earn 1 punch. CE’s earn 3 punches. Coupon codes are e- mailed and the expiration date is noted. Expiration dates are about two months out from when you earned the coupon code.

But to each their own.

all i remember is you used to get a stuffed felix, for how long you join, not sure now, ask the others, i cancel my membership.

Felix the Fish is sent to you after one continuous year of Game Club membership.

Can you use the game club credits with the BOGO or % off sales?

I’m pretty sure you can use the Game Club credits in a BO/GO sale. I don’t think you can for a % off sale, but not sure.

Don't confuse the different types of credits.

The credits you get for your 6.99 a month do not expire and you can use two of them to get a CE (use two credits and you don't have to pay money).

The credits that expire are the ones you get for buying two CE's or 6 SE's -- and those are only good for a free SE.

But you don't really get a discount on the games except that it is a member price. They make it sound like you're getting the game for free but you've really pre-paid for it at full (member) price.

For CEs, game credits can be used during the buy-one-get-one-free sales.

If you’re not a member, the game costs $9.99. $6.99 is a discoun of $3. It doesn’t appear to me that the intent is to make you think you’re getting something for free. It’s obvious that your membership fee pays for a Game Club credit. Besides, Game Club members do get opportunties for sales that aren’t open to non-members.

But as I said, to each their own. BFG Club membership works for me. I have plenty of time on my hands and appreciate having something I enjoy doing at what I consider a reasonable price. $6.99 is less than the cost of going to a movie and I get to keep the game.

ETA: Thanks for the confirmation. Marian.

Yes, definitely "different strokes" apply at Big Fish. Thank goodness there are multiple options to enjoying the game site!

I'm a bit unclear about your game ownership comment. Are there people who buy games at BF who don't get to own them? I've bought all of mine (without being a member since 2010, I think) and have access to the entire list, going all the way back. I've replayed quite a few.

My comment re: keeping the game was in reference to the comparison to the price of going to a movie. Once you leave the movie theater, you don’t get to keep the movie. Yes, anyone who buys a BF game gets to keep it.

Thanks, and again, not trying to insult or offend anybody. As you said Sparkle "to each their own". I still don't see the membership working for me the way the non-membership (with the sales that they USED to have) worked for me.

I have paid $6.99 or less for CE's and $3.49 for SE's for years now. I really don't want to pay more than that since that is what I've become accustomed to. I feel like I would be spending more with membership and have to be keeping an eye on the punch card and expiring codes, etc. I may be wrong, which would not be the first time, and why I have been considering giving it another try to see.

Lately, I have felt they are forcing the membership by not having good non-member sales, however, I do feel that a membership of any kind SHOULD have benefits that non-members don't have, so I can't say that I disagree with them changing those sales (if that all makes sense).