301: No Later Than Monday

[BehattedWanderer]

A moment for the dear departed. Netflix is better about it than Gamefly for spontaneity, mostly because they can stream media. Games are still affixed to disc and cartridge, and can't just be had at whim. Maybe we'll see a resurgence, or that the online companies will pick up the slack of the retailers. Blockbuster had a great idea with the combination, but I fear they started far too late to survive.

 

[BlindMessiah94]

I'm glad game rentals were able to keep you playing during tough times...I've been where you are.

But where I live it's 9 dollars to rent a game for 1 day.

1 DAY.

It's cheaper for me to go to my used gaming store, grab a few last gen titles for under $30 total, and have them last me for a few months.

 

[zerobudgetgamer]

When I was a kid, the only way to play "new" games (not so much new releases, just new to us) was to get them for a birthday or Christmas gift, to borrow from friends or to go to the rental store. It truly was an experience of discovery, where the slightest interesting bit of box art was enough to get you a new game to play for a few days. In fact, being able to rent games was how I discovered some of my favorite games of all time. I would never have played Godzilla: Monster of Monsters as a kid if we didn't see it on a rental store's shelf. My siblings and I stood in shock as we saw Final Fantasy II, a 16-bit sequel to one of our favorite NES games, on display. My curious mind picked up a copy of Harvest Moon, only to literally lose a week of my summer vacation to the game (time never passed by so quickly as that one week). EarthBound, Princess Tomato, Bionic Commando, heck, renting Donkey Kong Country 3 saved me from purchasing one of the worst games in the franchise. I remember going back to the rental store for three or four weeks trying to get Star Fox, only for it to have been taken each time. Finally getting the chance to rent it was one of the happiest moments in my gaming life.

Ignoring the string of titles, you took the words right out of my mouth.

Renting was an integral part of my childhood. Though I can no longer remember exactly which titles I rented over the years, each one was a true joy. Every Friday, my mother would drive me to Blockbuster, and I'd have to pick a game while she picked a movie. And this was back when Rentals were only for 2 days, so whatever I picked I either sat in front of the TV and played all weekend, or I'd end up renting it the next week, praying my save didn't get copied over. I believe we stopped renting around when the PS2 and GameCube came out, all over some late fee dispute my parents weren't willing to let go. Ever since, the only time I'd step foot inside a Rental Store was when Game Crazy was still around. I've long since considered joining GameFly, but with no stable income, I couldn't exactly justify the expense.

 

[The Random One]

Man, saying I bought one game for every twenty games I rented it would be a conservative estimate. Renting has always been my main source of games. Back when I was in college, I found a rental place that due to what I assume was a rounding error would let me rent a game on Thursday and return it Monday for two days' rent. It was right next to the bus stop I got off when I got back from college, so it was ridiculously convenient. I think gaming is what I really did when I was in college. I sure as hell wasn't getting laid.

Recently the Brazilian version of Gamefly went bankrupt and I now have to buy games if I want to play them, which I usually do used since I'm about two years behind the trends anyway. (Just finished Mass Effect 2, whoo!) Moneterialy speaking, it's about the same, only harder because I have to contact buyers and stuff. But the thing that made me the saddest is that I won't play bad games any more. I mean, having played Too Human to see if it was that bad for myself is something I take pride of, and I won't be doing it any more. How will I know what's great if I don't also see the mediocre?

 

[Prismatus]

Your name is familiar...

So is the degree you've completed...

Good article to start off on. Here's to many more!

 

[Please delete this account]

I could never get around the fact that I could buy most of the games used, that the rental places around here had, for close to and in some cases even less than it cost to rent them! It is rare for me to pay $20 for games for my Xbox 360. I always wait until I can pick them up used online or at the local used item store (pawn shop). Most I purchase in the $6 - $10 range. So I am not sad to see the rental places going out of business.

 

[Dhatz]

thinking money instead of experience is what keeps you from living in the future.

 

[Lorechaser]

I had a very similar experience a few years back. I moved out of state for a job several months before my family could move. I suddenly found myself without wife and kids in a new state with a TV, a 360, and not much else. I picked up a gamepass from BB, which was about $25 for two games at a time, unlimited uses. I could drive by BB on the way home, pick up two games, go home and play for a few hours, and, if I didn't like them, get two more the next day. I found gems I never would have consideted, even from Gamefly. Two days each way is a lot of time to give to a game you've got doubts about

But the drive home? No problem. It sucked to miss my wife and kids, but it was, as the story, really eye opening for gaming. It also got me deeply back in to board games.

 

[Skratt]

thinking money instead of experience is what keeps you from living in the future.

Care to elaborate?

 

[Jaebird]

Meh. I'd rather support my local brick and mortar rental store, who's prices are exceptionally better ($1.75 for one night; $3 for 3 nights (awesome)).

 

[Shoggoth2588]

You can still rent games you silly billy. Play-N-Trade offers rentals (most of them anyway...as far as I know). Redbox is another, some of them offer games. Gamefly, the Netflix for game players. There's also Gamestop although it's a bit different for them. For gamestop, you buy a used game, play it then before those first 7 days are up, you take it back with the receipt for a full refund or another 'rental'. Just make sure you get it back before day 7...Also, I'm about 80% sure you can return merchandise from one store at another one, making the 'rental process' easier.

 

[Kilgengoor]

I thought renting videogames would be a feasible solution to my usual gluttony without having to shell out 60? every time I wanted to play something, but the only shop I've got near my house is a Game, which only admits games to be returned in business hours, Monday to Saturday, it's 15 minutes away from my home and it charges 3? for the first day, 2 for every one following the first. So I decided that I'd be better keeping my fucking gluttony for myself lest I want to burn all my salary into rentals.

But I feel for you. It's gotta be tough to lose it, if it wasn't a freaking abuse.

 

[icyneesan]

God I remember renting from Blockbuster every week when I spent the summer at my sisters place. Always such a joy. The Blockbuster was also AC'd so after the long walk in the sun to get there it was paradise <3

Now I go to a local video rental place, Willows. It's much nicer then Blockbuster, and has way more games available then the local Blockbuster. But it saddens me to think kids out there won't get to enjoy summer quite like I did. Also its hella a lot cheaper then Blockbuster. 2 games for a week. One 'old' release (what they define as old) and one 'new' release (again, they pick whats old or new) or $10CAD. They also still have PS2 and Gamecube games for rent. As well as DS games. Majority of the games I've played on my PS3 I rented from there as the PS3 has way to many games I don't wanna spend $60 on

 

[theriddlen]

There are no game rentals in my country to begin with, so i won't cry. Besides, i prefer buying things than renting - I've rented like three movies in my life.

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

It can be used to your advantage though. A blockbuster near me closed recently, and I was able to buy a few used games, then sell them back to Gamestop for about $20 dollars in profit.

 

[AugustFall]

*used second page second paragraph.

I enjoyed the article a lot. I remember when I used to rent things and gaming was way more fun because last-ability was no longer a requirement. Buying a game is an investment for me and that's why I like competitive games or RPGs but I feel like I've missed out on a lot of the great single player action/platformers of the last god knows how many years because I figured they weren't long enough to warrant $60.

Also I like how you touched on the "spontaneity" of renting. There are a lot of mediocre games that are still fun that don't get played because people research their purchases and only by games which are <8/10.
Mediocre games add a counter balance to all the great stuff you buy and allow you to realise that a good camera is something to really treasure. Also a lot of the lower scored games are just good ideas not properly executed. Even if portal wasn't as good as it is; the mechanic alone is worth playing for.

 

[LadyMint]

Part of me doesn't give a flying flip about Blockbuster going downhill, but that's just me being bitter. I've had bad experiences with them that became part of the reason I turned to Netflix and never looked back.

The rental store that I miss was a Mom n Pop one that was down the street from where I lived as a teen. You could get there by a fifteen minute walk down a road with no sidewalk. The old man who ran the rental store charged $3 for five days, and he used some sort of heat gun to burn the name of the store into the game cartridges. At the time that seemed to be the only thing you needed to ensure someone wouldn't just make off with the game, I guess. My brother and I used to go there all the time to rent games for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo, and the store owner was like that uncle who always had all the cool stuff. The store's been turned into something else now but I'll never forget where it stood and what an awesome part of my life it was.

Unfortunately, I don't play games enough to have a Gamefly membership. But, that's also another reason why I'm not feeling that bad for Blockbuster. They've moved into the online rental-by-mail venue and do games as well as movies. Blockbuster may be losing its physical presence in towns but I believe it will continue to live on, and it may even be better than before. Personally, I consider getting a DVD in the mail from Netflix like having Christmas every other day. You get home and there's that recognizeable red package sticking out of your mailbox with something you've been waiting to see. For me, that feeling of getting a "gift" almost everyday replaces the one of browsing aisles. So while I sigh at the fond memory I have of the old man's rental store I used to visit, nowadays I feel giddy with anticipation over what film on my list of must-sees will be coming in the mail.

 

[Xanthious]

So, did you guys know that there is a 1-week, FULL refund policy when buying used games at Gamestop? No strings attached. So it is like renting a game at blockbuster, except you get a better selection, for a longer rental time, and for absolutely free.

Knowing this makes this article irrelevant. At least until Gamestop discontinues this policy because, apparently, I blew their secret wide open.

My job requires me to travel a lot so I abuse the hell out of this policy. I make no secret when I go in and get four or so PSP or DS titles that I will be coming back for my security deposit when when I return home. Fortunately the staff at my local Gamestop is fairly good natured about it so it's all good.

If I'm going to be actually home for an extended period of time I will go grab a 360 or PS3 title from them used and (hopefully) blow through it before the 7 days is up. However, if I don't then I return it on day seven and go buy it again at the other Gamestop a few miles away inside the mall. Gaming legally for free is pretty freaking sweet all in all.