Highlighting a new series here on Insider Apps, we will be spotlighting a new service or subscription that we find to be particularly interesting. Importantly, these are only new services, not companies that are already well-established. We also receive a good deal of incoming applications, and so when we sift though them we often find little nuggets of gold.
The Qualities
Todays gold is Osserva.io. To be clear, this is less of a review of Osserva, and more of a feature of it. It simply would not be fair review something when we aren't avid gamers for example. Our approach is more about the substantive qualities of the service and how it resonates with the rest of the ecosystem.
Simply put, Osserva is a gaming subscription service... one of many actually. What separates this one however is that it isn't selling bundles or early access. The company is showcasing beautiful indie games (mostly) via an email mailing list and then giving them to subscribers for free. Embedded in each showcase is a prose-filled passion for the game and why it was chosen. No filler games here. It feels like the old days when video-obsessed employees showcased their favorites on the video store shelves.
The Breakdown
The other interesting aspect is that not all the games are new. Often with games, there is a big initial boom of players and then the marketing for them sort of falls away. Making some of the featured games months or even years old since they were released. That makes Osserva a curated showcase of the best games that you may have never heard about. Here is the Insider Apps breakdown with your burning questions answered:
| Feature | Particulars |
|---|---|
| Price | $9/month flat fee |
| What You Get | 10-12 Free Games every month In-depth write-ups Life-time ownership of the games |
| What Others Say | Mostly Positive |
| What Separates Them | Free Games Curation Consistency |
| Insider Apps Ranking | 8.5 out of 10 |
Value Proposition
One aspect of the business that is particularly interesting is how they achieve the price tag. We looked up one game on their list, a game called Dead Event with a price tag of $4.99. With at least 10 games per month at that price, this give subscribers a monthly value of $45.00, in exchange for only $9.00. Likewise, we saw other games in the list retailing for $14.99 or more. This value must derive from the deals made between the service and publishers.
At the very least you can say that even if some of the games are not to your liking, there are plenty more to make up for it. The service is also primarily an email sent out, but should you find that to not be to your taste, you can turn that feature off and opt for a website login.
Also, what I think really gives this a big boost is the fact that you can access all of the back-catalogue for free as well. Since they are new, this is not a big list, but over time it should build up value for future subscribers.
Final Thoughts
Obviously if you are a gamer, this is sort of a no-brainer for you. The big caveats are that you cannot choose the games you receive, you have to trust the team and their choices. Since everyone has their own taste, this may leave some wanting only certain categories. That said, you could hate 80% of the selections and still find the value it.
Overall, we are impressed with this new service and the cleanliness of the experience. Clearly they have a meaningful value, respect their subscribers, and we look forward to seeing them grow in the coming years. Osserva gaming subscription is available through numerous partner websites and through their main website itself.
