Blockbuster Testing Game Rentals With Total Access Subscription

Update: HackingNetflix spoke with Bob Barr from Blockbuster, and he said that if you rent a game it will add a $5 surcharge on your next billing cycle. When you're done you can exchange it for another game by mail, or in-store for a discounted game rental. 

Blockbuster is testing video game rentals as part of the Total Access subscription, and they expect to make this available to all customers by the second half of the year. Video games cost more than DVDs, have a shorter shelf life, but if Blockbuster is able to establish revenue sharing deals with the game studios this could be a way to steal some Netflix customers.

"We already rent more video games than any other company, store-based or online, in the nation, so we know our core customer loves games as well as movies," said Bob Barr, Vice President and General Manager of blockbuster.com. "With this pilot program, we're laying the groundwork for offering BLOCKBUSTER Total Access customers easy online access to the movies and games they want, through an integrated subscription offering. Plus, according to their plan, they'll continue to be able to exchange their by-mail rentals both for free in-store movies as well as half-price in-store game rentals. A combination video game and movie online offering -- with in-store exchange privileges -- is a tremendous value and convenience offering not available through anyone other than Blockbuster."

Netflix has avoided game rentals, and has even promoted Gamefly in recent envelope ads.

No word on pricing yet, but the announcement does mention half-price in-store game rentals.

What do you think? Should Netflix rent games? Will you switch to Blockbuster for games? 

Full text of the announcement on HackingBlockbuster.

Comments

[RV]

Sadly, if this was to happen, and the subscription price didn't change much, and it was a bundle of say 15 a month for 2 dvds at a time and 1 game at a time, I would have to switch over to Blockbuster. I have sent emails to Netflix many times asking to include some video games, but never got a response.

[Brian Schmitz]

This is really the only saving grace Blockbuster has left in store for the company as a whole. Their in-store pricing structure is horribly expensive, and although their mail service is fairly competitive against Netflix, when you look at the value-added services with streaming that Netflix provides, Netflix wins hands down every time. It is really only a matter of time before BB is closed for good. Their approach for streaming is basically too little, too late, in my opinion.

[Taylor]

The half-off in-store exchange isn't terrific. It's still about $5-6!

Overall, currently the main reason I use NetFlix is because of the streaming. Blockbuster is way, way behind in that. As I have a XBox 360, it's pretty much a no-brainer. $9/mo for unlimited streaming...

[Fred]

I have netflix for movies. I have a PS3 but I use it for the blu-ray. Video games have no interest to me at all.

My Blockbuster franchise doesn't participate in Total Access so I couldn't switch even if I wanted to.

If Netflix were to offer it, fine. If not, fine too. Might help them with other customers, but not me.

[Mike Lerch]

It's funny that this is running today. I'm a long-time Netflix subscriber, and just today I canceled my 30-day trial of Gamefly. I LOVE the idea, but in my month I got three games. the best turnaround was 5 days, the worst was 9 days. Just too slow!

I would LOVE it if Netflix either bought Gamefly outright or maybe just did a partnership where Gamefly had access to their distribution network. I'd suggest to Netflix that they just add a $2 or $3 surcharge to their existing rates (much like paying the extra buck to get Blu-Ray) and leave everything else the same. Maybe have separate Game and DVD queues, but I'd even be OK if they just had one big queue! I'd LOVE it.

[Tim Stoops]

I play video games, but I would never consider renting them. I would not switch to Blockbuster as a result of this story. I'll be staying with NetFlix.

[dave]

It would be nice for Netflix to do it if it didn't raise prices. I would up my subscription to have an extra disc at home. That would sure beat shelling out $50+ for a new game that you kids tire of after a couple of weeks.

[joe]

i am a longtime netflix only subscriber. but if blockbuster did games, i would switch. i have heard terrible things about gamefly, but i have started doing a lot more gaming recently.

[tsrblke]

I own an Xbox 360, and I could say that I wouldn't go for this. I tend to buy one game at a time, work my way through it very delibrately (maybe even more than once) and then either a) take a break or b) Go buy a new game. But I don't rent or resell my games. (Because I tend to go back and play them every now and then.) So the thought of paying an extra fee to do this isn't really up my alley. Plus with DLC expanding the life of games, I may want them longer.

[MiniMonkey]

As enticing as it is to combine movie and video game rentals into the same monthly service, I would not switch to Blockbuster. I will never switch to Blockbuster. I begrudgingly rented from Blockbuster for years until Netflix came around. Netflix has been nothing but excellent to me in the 8 years I've been a member. But if Netflix were to offer video game rentals, I'd welcome that change with open arms and would be happy to pay more for this added service.

[CMHDave]

Boy I'll tell you... I switched to NetFlix for the streaming and don't use it as much as I thought I would. If the price was right on games as part of the rental agreement over at Blockbuster, I'd switch back in an instant. Blockbuster Total Access was identical to me in service as Netflix aside from streaming.

[ZeroCorpse]

I don't bother with game rentals. I use Goozex, and just trade my games without needing to have any money involved. It's safe and usually pretty quick. There's no time limit (it's YOUR game, until you decide to trade it again) and you can build a library without much effort.

Of course, it depends on you having some games to trade, but you could always pay for some starter points and trade credits, and then work from there.

I wouldn't switch to Blockbuster, though. I learned my lesson with them. I've had too may items that I was turning in to them never get checked in, and then they charge me for it. The minimum-wage employees don't have much stopping them from pocketing an item every once in a while when it's on your account. The company always sides with the employees in this case.

I know. I used to manage a Blockbuster. Their corporate structure sucks.

[Arthur Bickford]

I would have to agree with RV. I don't want to switch, as I LOVE Netflix, but to combine video and game rentals in one fee, that would be too tempting. I have Netflix and Gamefly, and would go ape **** if they combined. I hope Netflix reads this.

[jon]

I already use BBTA (as well as NetFlix 1-out for the online streaming), but I must say this would be a welcome addition. I don't play games a whole lot and it would be nice to be able to rent something once in a while without having to subscribe to a full gaming service like GameFly or pay BB's outrageous in-store game rental prices.

[red]

Combining movies and games into one package makes perfect sense. Netflix should follow suit because I'll like defect to Blockbuster.

[exnetflixter]

Netflix won't rent games, period.

[d0x]

I spend a ton of money on games and I used to be a member of Gamefly but they were nothing short of terrible with multiple month long wait times.

I would consider switching for games depending on price and how long the wait would be. I pretty much only use Netflix for instant view on my xbox 360 now. I switched to 1 disk and I've had the same movie sitting here unwatched since November...

Between instant view and the video marketplace on Xbox Live i really have no need to rent disks anymore.

[steve case]

Netflix should do this and I hope they do. It makes perfect sense for them too. I love their service and this would go along way in saving gamers money and making Netflix tons of cash.

[Isaac]

I'm not going to switch to Blockbuster because of it, but I would pay NetFlix more per month to add this service.

[Gwen Montoya]

I love Netflix. I've been a member for about eight years and nothing would make me switch. I use Gamefly too. I don't love it. It is much, much slower than Netflix and their games ship pretty randomly, regardless of where they are on the queue. I use Gamefly for my daughter. It is so much cheaper than buying a even used games.
I would do cartwheels if Netflix added video games, but I don't expect it to happen.

[ZeroCorpse]

I'm telling you-- If you switched, you would probably regret it the first time Blockbuster charges you full retail price for a game they "never got back" or that was "returned defective".

The IDEA of the combined services might seem convenient to you, but you're seriously overestimating Blockbuster's customer service, and taking Netflix's AWESOME service for granted.

Personally, I think adding games would cause problems to the Netflix efficiency and I don't want them to do it. Trust me: Don't bother renting games at all. Just use Goozex and trade them. It's far better than having to work with a rental schedule, and it provides an awesome selection of titles that are yours to keep if you want, or yours to trade for another when you're done.

Blockbuster's game rental prices are terrible, and they will screw you over when it comes down to it. Just watch; They'll start this program and then we'll hear all sorts of people complaining about lack of availability of titles, being charged for lost/broken games when they didn't lose/break them, or just general problems with Blockbuster's always-lackluster customer service.

You won't be happy, but don't let me stop you. Switch if you want. You'll be back on Netflix in six months, anyway.

[nolahd]

if netflix would try and do game rentals. the best way for them to do this would not so much be to buy gamefly, butinstead buy gametap. gametape cam be part of netflix at now extra charge like watch instantly service but for games. while at the same time gamerentals could become part of your disc plan at no extra charge but say only on plans with 2 or more discs, so it could be 1 game only at a time option for that plan. you could pay an extra $1 or $2 a month and allow any plan 2 disc and above to allow you to rent all games if u want to..

now they could buy gamefly if it would be worth it for the library of games they already have and distro centers, if its for a low enough price for them to take over.

[tsrblke]

@ Nolahd,

Gametap has been Sold to a european company (Metaboli). Plus limiting a person to 1 game downloaded at a time would be a step backwards for Gametap. It's already $5/month anyway so making it cheaper would be hard.

[rjm]

My brother has bb and still gets games as pack of his package.

I dont know how many, and I know its not as many as it used to be but I know he can still get games.

[Gettit]

"if you rent a game it will add a $5 surcharge on your next billing cycle. When you're done you can exchange it for another game by mail, or in-store for a discounted game rental. "

Another great "clarification" from Blockbuster. Reminds me of "The End Of Late Fees" and the subsequent clarification of that.

So, this is basically a "rent one for $5, get another for, um, $3?" If that's the case its not adding game rentals to subscriptions, its just adding home delivery of games for which you have payed per game.

[Leo Tsypkin]

My local Hollywood Video which was located right up the street from my apartment just closed. Hollywood Video was nominated the best video rental store in Monterey County. The store which was located in Seaside was the best location. The one in Pacific Grove where i lived before I moved out was horrible-the Blockbuster next to Trader Joe's is very good. I don't want to to Blockbuster on Fremont Street in Monterey because when it was the only Blockbuster in Monterey County in 1993,my Mom and I had a bad experience with an employee there. I had Blockbuster Total Access for awhile-a friend showed it to me on his computer:My parents have NetFlix,and I was thinking of joining myself,but if they have it,why should I have a membership as well rather than go back to my Blockbuster Total Access Plan?

[creative recreation]

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