Games and films become members-only as Amazon pushes Prime

Amazon's push to encourage the whole world to sign up to its Prime members' service continues: the online retailer has started to make blockbuster movies and games, including Birdman and Grand Theft Auto V, exclusive to Prime members. The walled-off products are an eclectic selection: they include the Playstation 4 editions of Rainbow Six Siege and Assassin's Creed Syndicate (but not editions for other consoles), and the Blu-ray edition of Oscar-winning movie Birdman – but not the DVD. The exclusivity, which affects customers in the UK and US, seems unlikely to prompt many conversions to the 79-a-year club: all the items are still available from third-party sellers, in many cases undercutting Amazon's own price, even with the cost of shipping taken in to account. It seems unlikely to be a cost-saving exercise, either, as the affected items have some of the lowest overheads on the store. Video games have a relatively high selling price, don't go off if they stay on a shelf too long, and can be stacked and shipped with ease.