That's not what it is at all (IMO).
It's a money grab where you give them money for absolutely nothing. I think it's an extension of the $1 Cointaker GZ "Spot"......... only this time it's $5 a game and they're loading up as many "games" as possible.
Notice it's non-refundable, doesn't guarantee a game, doesn't actually do anything beyond give them $5 per game.
Sell ten thousand "spots" and that's 50 grand of pure profit for absolutely nothing in return. Genius.
The customers get the warm fuzzy of falsely believing they are at the top of a list....... a list which doesn't really exist since the games themselves don't exist.
The next step will be selling "spots" for $100, and then more. Buy the right to buy a game..... a distro's dream come true!!!
After that would be a paid allocation list, where you are paying even more to be on a real list when a game is a lock to be produced.
How many would pay $500, $1000 to be a confirmed recipient for BTTF LE, Bond LE, HP LE, or whatever? Surely enough people to sell a distro's allocation, and this has the benefit of raising the price without touching the MSRP and looking like a pure crook.
What if it becomes a auction type thing where people are bidding the highest dollar just to have the RIGHT to buy an LE/CC game when it's released?
Not even a matter of being 1st to put a deposit down..... PAY to be able to put a deposit. HA!!!
This is only the start (IMO).