Redbox Asks For Feedback on XBone, PS4 Rentals

[Steven Bogos]

Redbox Asks For Feedback on XBone, PS4 Rentals

Redbox has launched "gamingfuture.net [http://gamingfuture.net/]", a place for its customers to discuss what excites or concerns them about next-gen gaming.

When Microsoft tried to appease angry fans by spilling more beans [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124711-Microsoft-Addresses-Xbox-One-Concerns?utm_source=news&utm_medium=index_carousel&utm_campaign=all] than a clumsy Mexican chef regarding its Xbox One DRM and used game policies, it included the line: "Loaning or renting games won't be available at launch, but we are exploring the possibilities with our partners." Redbox, who we can safely assume to be a Microsoft partner considering the presence of an official Xbox 360 Redbox app, has recently opened the floor for its customers to express their own concerns about next-generation gaming and the future of game rentals.

The popular game rental service has launched "gamingfuture.net [http://gamingfuture.net/]", where its customers can air their grievances, or share their excitement over next-generation consoles. Considering Redbox's business is in game rentals, we can safely assume this to be a sort of brainstorming project into how exactly they can incorporate Xbox One and PS4's sketchy new take on "game licencing" into its business.

The website features various links to reports on the Xbox One and PS4, including the aforementioned bean-spilling press release. The company has apparently also messaged and alert to members of its "Text Club" service about the site, as well as posting about it on the official Redbox twitter account [https://twitter.com/redbox/statuses/343459962770579457].

Redbox currently offers a $2 per night videogame rental guarantee, something that it no doubt hopes to continue into the next generation. With Microsoft's insistence of "always-online" and cloud gaming, could we see game rentals become digital only? Considering the Xbox One has to "phone home" every 24 hours, renting a game, downloading it, and playing it for $2 a night all without leaving your living room seems to be something that is entirely plausible.

Source: Engadget [http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/08/redbox-gamingfuture-xbox-one-ps4/]

Permalink

 

[Strazdas]

Online rental is a great idea and one i would definatelly make use of. Want to play a game that you know is a one-time off 5 hour story. rent it for a day and get it over with. and if by chacne you end up liking it then you can buy it. would make them try to make games that arent 3 hour interactive movies too.

ALso how come stuff about Xbone has so few comments?

 

[Arawn]

Digital game rental isn't that far fetched. Everyone has downloaded full games and demos online. The whole rental process for games will no doubt take a page from the already digital movie rental Amazon, PSN, etc already employ. You download the title and once you press play a timer starts. You have X days to play the game. After X days the game simply won't start up. PSN+ has 60 min game trials people can download. It's really that taken to a greater duration. Only difference I can see is that it would probably allow the trophies (or not. But that would be rather petty of them to deny you that) Regardless I don't want to go all digital for same reason I carry cash while I have a credit card; it's reliable. Interweb does go down from time to time. Having to insert a disc isn't that difficult. Waiting for 2-6GB download, then install, is rather boring. But let us think about those with less than ideal connections to the internet. If it takes me a little under 30 mins to download a game, I can imagine them facing a hour or more. It is a nice convience, but the companies benefit more so than we do. Digital games reduce cost. They don't have create a disc, order those plastic cases, make box art, print thousands upon thousands of instruction manuals, or wrap up the case in plastic after.

 

[Rainforce]

ALso how come stuff about Xbone has so few comments?

maybe we already decided which console PS4 to buy : D!
But on a more serious note, maybe everyone got tired of all the similarly-shaped news regarding the Xbone, and just can't bother anymore.
All the hatred and rage is finally burned out after weeks of Xbone news.

On topic: I am still not sure how suicidal this is for microsoft, but I'd surely like to rent games in the future, if possible.

 

[Th37thTrump3t]

Since Xbox One officially has drm and a big used game restriction system in place, i don't see how stores like Gamestop or services like Redbox and Gamefly can benefit from that console.

I mean seriously, if Sony decides to pull the same crap with their PS4 (I hope to freaking Christ they don't), gamefly and Redbox are pretty much dead. With the amount of control Gamestop has. They should be furious at M$ and make threats like "were not going to store a single Xbox One console or title. Instead, were going with PS4, Wii U, etc".

There are rumors that the PS4 is going to be doing something similar. The only thing confirmed to be different about the PS4 is the fact that it doesn't require you to be always online.

 

[thephill]

pc gamer here:

online rentals look fine until you notice that you have to download gigabytes over gigabytes of data every time.... does that go into your time? ^^ how is it an over night spontaneous rental if you spend the next 3 hours downloading it?

The only way i can see it working is if it's some kind of streaming service, netflix style. downloading and installing a 20+Gb game for a one day rental is too impractical; people won't bother with hours long downloads for a few hours of play.
That said though Microsoft seems to think everyone on the planet has access to hyper-fast-mega-broadband that could never drop out and can download a whole game in seconds so we'll see.

 

[Colt47]

pc gamer here:

online rentals look fine until you notice that you have to download gigabytes over gigabytes of data every time.... does that go into your time? ^^ how is it an over night spontaneous rental if you spend the next 3 hours downloading it?

Yeah, I've got the feeling that the reality of digital rental would be more along the lines of playing the game from a centralized server while it downloads. Considering how much I enjoyed bouncing around in the online hell that is Diablo 3, I think I'm sticking with physical disk rentals.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Did I miss something? What's the PS4's "sketchy new take on game licensing?" Last I heard, they have very deliberately worded statements saying very little more than we will be able to trade in our games; meaning they could have the same thing as MS in mind.
So what do they have up their sleeve?

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

pc gamer here:

online rentals look fine until you notice that you have to download gigabytes over gigabytes of data every time.... does that go into your time? ^^ how is it an over night spontaneous rental if you spend the next 3 hours downloading it?

And that's the rub isn't it?

I can't see it taking off at this point.

 

[neppakyo]

What about people with data caps? Some may have a fast enough connection, but are only limited to a certain amount of gigs a month.

 

[Nowhere Man]

Yeah.. no. Digital rentals sound good in theory. But for people with less than adequate internet I can't picture the digital business model taking hold. My internet here is complete ass and I don't feel like waiting almost a day for a game rental download. I wish they'd stop pushing this shit before people's infrastructure can support it.

 

[Falcon Stormvoice]

Did I miss something? What's the PS4's "sketchy new take on game licensing?" Last I heard, they have very deliberately worded statements saying very little more than we will be able to trade in our games; meaning they could have the same thing as MS in mind.
So what do they have up their sleeve?

The Sony statements on it are neither sketchy nor that vague. They could be clearer, but they've essentially said that it won't be changing much from the current generation.

 

[Something Amyss]

Digital game rental isn't that far fetched.

In fact, I'd find it not only plausible, but AWESOME.

ALso how come stuff about Xbone has so few comments?

Sarcasm?

 

[Johnson McGee]

pc gamer here:

online rentals look fine until you notice that you have to download gigabytes over gigabytes of data every time.... does that go into your time? ^^ how is it an over night spontaneous rental if you spend the next 3 hours downloading it?

And that's the rub isn't it?

I can't see it taking off at this point.

I see the same problem with the game lending argument. The days of taking a disc over to a friends house for a quick session have been long dead on Xbox and PS because you pretty much have to plan at least 3 hours in advance to account for the install. Maybe that goes hand in hand with the tiny number of actual in-person multi-player titles on those systems.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm still against taking away the ability entirely.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

pc gamer here:

online rentals look fine until you notice that you have to download gigabytes over gigabytes of data every time.... does that go into your time? ^^ how is it an over night spontaneous rental if you spend the next 3 hours downloading it?

And that's the rub isn't it?

I can't see it taking off at this point.

I see the same problem with the game lending argument. The days of taking a disc over to a friends house for a quick session have been long dead on Xbox and PS because you pretty much have to plan at least 3 hours in advance to account for the install. Maybe that goes hand in hand with the tiny number of actual in-person multi-player titles on those systems.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm still against taking away the ability entirely.

I was talking about the massive downloads you would have to do to in order for it to work.

 

[Johnson McGee]

/snip

I was talking about the massive downloads you would have to do to in order for it to work.

I did realize that, I just thought they were similar situations at least time-wise. If you're talking from a data limit / bandwidth standpoint than I guess they're not a similar situation. It would be plausible if you could play a game while downloading (i.e. the hinted at progressive install feature on new consoles) but I have doubts about how well that would work.

 

[sturryz]

None of this would have happened if the Dreamcast was the top console of it's generation. Just saying...

 

[Strazdas]

ALso how come stuff about Xbone has so few comments?

Sarcasm?

no. normally Xbone stuff has 200+ comments. This had 2 when i posted. and still hasnt reached the end of first page.