Blockbuster Can't Brag About New Releases Anymore

vansau

Mortician of Love
May 25, 2010
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Blockbuster Can't Brag About New Releases Anymore



Blockbuster can't even pretend that it's holding a winning hand, not anymore.

Blockbuster's <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103739-Blockbuster-Fizzles-Into-Bankruptcy>rather messy financial demise has been a slow, drawn-out event over the past few months. The company recently made headlines because it was <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105520-Blockbuster-Spending-15-20-Million-to-Escape-Bankruptcy>planning to spend quite a bit of money on advertising this Holiday season, emphasizing how the company's chain of stores gets movies almost a month before groups like Netflix and Redbox. Unfortunately, this advertising campaign is now moot, because it turns out Blockbuster can no longer claim this exclusivity.

Apparently, the company is having such major cash problems that it signed a deal with Fox, Universal, and Warner Bros. that will delay the stores' new release availability. As Geek.com points out, "That comprises over half of new releases, and now puts Blockbuster in the same boat as both Netflix and Redbox."

According so an anonymous source:

"Movie studios have Blockbuster where they want them-they know Blockbuster is not in any position to negotiate because of their financial position. The studios are getting huge payments for new releases from Blockbuster because they know the company needs them."

This sounds like it might be the final nail in Blockbuster's coffin, because the company no longer has any advantage over its (much more profitable) competition. Anyone want to start placing bets on when the company is going to finally disappear?

Source: Geek

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SovietSecrets

iDrink, iSmoke, iPill
Nov 16, 2008
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I give it a few months into the new year and Blockbuster will be gone for good. Can't remember the last time I even went into one.
 

Erana

New member
Feb 28, 2008
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No no noooooooo.

What do people have against getting mail-in movies and games and being able to go to the store and get more whenever they want?

Redbox has an atrocious lack of selections; it saddens me to find out how popular this is.

I can understand Netflix better, but I really do like the personal experience of a store. What do people dislike about it so much?
I guess its like how some people regard me as weird for actually using the library these days...
 

Eri

The Light of Dawn
Feb 21, 2009
3,626
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Adapt or die. That's what you have to do. Blockbuster failed to do this, and now they're dying. No crying from me over it.
Erana said:
No no noooooooo.

What do people have against getting mail-in movies and games and being able to go to the store and get more whenever they want?

Redbox has an atrocious lack of selections; it saddens me to find out how popular this is.

I can understand Netflix better, but I really do like the personal experience of a store. What do people dislike about it so much?
I guess its like how some people regard me as weird for actually using the library these days...
It's not that people dislike it, just that the other options are so much more convenient and easier. Saves gas, time, etc.
 

jackknife402

New member
Aug 25, 2008
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and don't forget people, especially us americans, are lazy bastards who don't want to go to two seperate buildings.
 

Redlin5_v1legacy

Better Red than Dead
Aug 5, 2009
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Erana said:
No no noooooooo.

What do people have against getting mail-in movies and games and being able to go to the store and get more whenever they want?

Redbox has an atrocious lack of selections; it saddens me to find out how popular this is.

I can understand Netflix better, but I really do like the personal experience of a store. What do people dislike about it so much?
I guess its like how some people regard me as weird for actually using the library these days...
While I'd agree with you, a Blockbuster totally put a family based rental shop in my town out of business. While my bitterness has subsided considerably since I was a kid, I still don't feel sorry for the company. Don't become the dinosaur; always be like a virus. Mutating into better forms, propagating everywhere...

[sub]Did I just compare good business to a viral infection? Whoops! :)[/sub]

I do agree about the whole Redbox thing. Horrible selections, just not worth it. I like going to the store physically too but it would seem society is speeding up, even for me. That and I kind of think of Netflix as a luxury I don't deserve or particularly desire.

Who knows, I might be obsolete in a decade due to my more traditionalist approaches to stuff and things.

Oh and Blockbuster has a year at best. I predict hearing about them dying a corporate death in February.
 

Armored Prayer

New member
Mar 10, 2009
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I thought they were already dead. I haven seen one where I live or the greater area.

Sad because thats were I go to rent games. Shame I can't do that anymore without doing it online.
 

Jhereg42

New member
Apr 11, 2008
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Blockbuster also made a few mistakes. The Blockbuster branded movie kiosks are actually owned and operated by the company I work for, who licensed the Blockbuster name for them. NCR is raking in all sorts of profits from those Kiosks, while Blockbuster sees very little.

To be fair, at the time they tried to roll that out (far too late) they didn't have the capital to cover that level of investment. I have a feeling my company will keep running under the Blockbuster name even after it goes out of business.
 

Signa

Noisy Lurker
Legacy
Jul 16, 2008
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I'm mixed on this. It's a little sad because it's marking the end of an era, but on the other hand, why should I be expected to drive to the rental store, pay to watch a movie I don't own, and then drive it back under threat of being charged again, especially if I didn't like it. Blockbuster should have cut their losses years ago and went all online like Netflix. I'm sure they would still be flourishing if they had.

Oh, and fuck those MPAA suits in the ass for thinking delayed rentals is going to make us buy more movies. Stop making movies like Norbit and then we'd might consider not renting and instead start owning.
 

olfelix

New member
May 14, 2010
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Blockbuster gobbled up local videostores, now they're on the menu. There's a foodchain joke in there somewhere...
 

Ren3004

In an unsuspicious cabin
Jul 22, 2009
28,357
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Well, Blockbuster went bankrupt here last year, if not before.
 

Mr.Mattress

Level 2 Lumberjack
Jul 17, 2009
3,645
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Poor Poor Blockbuster. Can't the executives let it die and rest? I can't see them living anymore, and anymore Quarters that they live in will only end with them loosing even more. Blockbuster, you will always be remembered by me (Some of the best movies I ever saw came from Blockbuster), but you have to die now... It's your time, I am sorry.
 

Shining_Pyrelight

New member
Oct 17, 2010
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Yeah, hard to feel bad for Blockbuster after they charge me for being fee 10 minutes late :mad: There aren't any even near here any more so I knew it was inevitable.
 
Oct 14, 2010
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I feel kind of bad for them, but their commercials were dumb.

"You wouldn't wait 28 days for help if a rabid raccoon was biting your arm off, so why wait 28 days to see 'Vampires Suck'?"

Sure, Blockbuster. Sure.