Redbox expanding to video games

[stevew]

Sounds like a great idea, but I wonder how the selection will be.


Redbox will offer $2 per day videogame rentals nationwide in June -- Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/redbox-will-offer-2-per-day-videogame-rentals-nationwide-in-jun/)



Kiosk movie rental giant Redbox is finally officially expanding into the games category, announcing today it will offer videogames nationwide starting June 17th. The $2/day game rentals will include selections for PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii (two of which even have a working online service right now). This may be old hat to some since it's been in testing at about 5,000 locations since around the same time it kicked off nationwide Blu-ray rentals, but for 21,000+ other locations there's now a whole new reason to stand behind someone that wants to check each and every title available when all you want to do is return a disc. Seriously, express return slots Redbox -- get on it.

[SackAttack]

Honestly, I'm not feeling this.

I'm pretty sure Family Video's one-day rental rate is like $1/night for most games, and there aren't a lot of games you're going to only play for a day anyway.

Rent a game from Redbox for 5 days, and at that point you might as well just be on Gamefly's 1-game plan. The only advantage Redbox has is the faster turnaround on return and new rentals.

If you're only going to fuck around long enough to see if you want to buy it, why aren't you just downloading the free demo?

[JonInMiddleGA]

I'm pretty sure Family Video's one-day rental rate is like $1/night for most games

WTF is a Family Video? (never heard of them)

The only advantage Redbox has is the faster turnaround on return and new rentals.

I would think that's the main point

why aren't you just downloading the free demo?

What percentage of 360 titles have one?

[Pumpy Tudors]

I like the sound of this even thoughI have GameFly. For one, the Family Video (it's a fairly sizable video/game rental chain) near my house doesn't keep many copies of games, even the newer games that are popular. They might have only 3 or 4 copies, and they're always rented out. Also, I find GameFly's return times to be slower than I thought. I mean, I live right outside Pittsburgh, and the nearest distribution center is in Pittsburgh. Yet I return a game to GameFly and don't see another one for damn near a week.

Finally, I am likely in the minority, but I hate game demos. I don't want to play a crippled game, even if the point is just to try it out. Sure, it's one thing if it's like a game of pinball or something, because you can't really cripple pinball except for a time limit. If it's a story-based game, though, I'm annoyed at only being able to go so far. If it's a sports game, I'm annoyed that I can only choose between two teams. I'm sure I'm silly, but I'd rather spend $2 to try the full game for a day, and if I like it, I'll either keep it a little longer or buy it. Maybe if I were interested in trying out a dozen games, would be different. I'm usually only interested in one or two games a month, though, so $4 to try out two full games rather than downloading limited versions for free? I would really prefer to try the full game.

Now, if the Redbox game selection is terrible or if they don't stock that many copies, it'll be a bust for me. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to it.

[Scoobz0202]

WTF is a Family Video? (never heard of them)



Not sure how widespread Family Video is, but here in my town it's actually the only video store we have. I don't know about the dollar night stuff, though. I recently rented a PS3 game from there and it was something like two dollars and change a night, up to five to six bucks for five nights.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Not sure how widespread Family Video is, but here in my town it's actually the only video store we have.

Okay, I Googled 'em up. Locations in 19 states but some of those I spot checked (before finding the attached map) are just barely. Zero in GA & FL, 1 in AL, about a half dozen in TN. 753 stores but highly centered in the upper midwest.

http://www.familyvideo.com/images/about_us/20110414_aboutusstoremap.jpg

[stevew]

Family video is basically the only video store left up here.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Family video is basically the only video store left up here.

The Athens area has two Blockbusters left, a 4-store local chain that tends toward sketchy locations, and a single location local that's about the size of a small bathroom.

[stevew]

As far as regular movie RedBox goes, I feel that the .50 extra for a Blu Ray is so worth it. Their DVDs tend to look like they got scratched on a belt sander.

[Autumn]

My limited experience around here is that there's nothing even nearing a $2 game rental. When we first got our Wii we rented some games for the kids. We were paying something like $7. That store has gone out of business, so I'm not even sure if there's any place left, but a $2 Redbox rental would definitely be something we'd try out.

[stevew]

This has been rolled out nationwide.

[Chubby]

not all of them have games yet tho

[Autumn]

Looks like a pretty limited selection so far, but I'm excited to give this a try, since we don't spend much on new games.

[DaddyTorgo]

This could be interesting for some games that I'd want to just play through once or something.

And there's a very convenient RedBox in the supermarket on my way home. Interesting.

[MJ4H]

Selection is horrendous.

[stevew]

The online reservation tool is probably going to be essential for this. Especially if you have a ton of RedBox locations within a reasonable distance.