Look out, GameFly: Blockbuster to launch online game rentals

Seven years after its launch, online game rental company GameFly.com will no longer go it alone as Blockbuster, the nation's largest disc-based rental company, will add online game rentals to existing DVD rentals this spring.

Look out, GameFly: Blockbuster to launch online game rentals

Blockbuster to compete online with GameFly

PRESS RELEASE -- An upcoming pilot program from Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE:BBI) (NYSE:BBI.B) , a leading global provider of media entertainment, will offer consumers one-stop shopping for their online video game and movie rental needs. The pilot program, which will be launched during the second quarter, will allow select BLOCKBUSTER Total Access(TM) online customers to rent video games, as well as movies, through the mail as part of their subscription plan. With a goal of having the offering available nationally in the second half of the year, the company is launching the pilot program as the first step in its plan to make BLOCKBUSTER Total Access the only online rental service offering both movies and games.

"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."

In addition to more than 90,000 movie titles to choose from, BLOCKBUSTER Total Access subscribers in the pilot program will have the option of selecting from game titles across major platforms - including Nintendo Wii(TM), PS2(TM), PS3(TM), Xbox and Xbox 360. Participating subscribers will also continue to have the same subscription benefits as they currently do, plus the added benefit of video game availability.

See also: Xbox 360 dominates most rented games of 2008

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EBURKULOSIS

If you could download rentals and then just have them expire, I would be interested...Yawn.

donkeykong57

I never rented from Blockbuster when I was a kid because they were extremely expensive compared to the local chains. I'm subscribed to GameFly and the only way I'll switch to Blockbuster is if the subscription is cheaper.

goldberg_evan

I probably haven't rented anything from Best Buy in about 5 years, possibly longer. I remember their games were $4-5/week and I stoped buying when they got up to $8-10 a week. I never really caught onto the online renting, but I am willing to try it.
EBURKULOSIS has a good idea with the DLing to hard drive and playing it directly from there. 360 does that with Netflix movies, so why not renting games as well?

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