Blockbuster - Game rentals by mail!

[DT4K]

Just got this email a couple hours ago.

"Rent games by mail for no additional charge!
Now you can rent games by mail as part of your Blockbuster By Mail subscription! Choose from over 3,000 games, add them to your Queue, and we'll send them out just like movie rentals."

This ends any thoughts I had of switching to Netflix. Not that I had many thoughts of switching after Netflix bent over for Warner Bros and agreed to the 28 day delay for new releases.

 

[destrekor]

Yeah I saw this. I'm on the lowest tier, as I don't rent that many movies, so it's 2 rentals per month, 1 at a time, with 2 free in-store swaps. So I get 4 movies a month (max... I don't often rent all 4. lol) for $8/month. (Blu-ray too... no RedBox kiosks near me have BD)

I don't know if I'd rent games using that subscription. If I upgrade to 2 at a time, I might start doing that.

 

[dfuze]

That sounds tempting to switch back from Netflix, but I enjoy my netflix streaming (albeit limited selection)

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Noobs. Blockbuster in store 2 out at a time unlimited exchanges blu ray or games. Netflix streaming for the wife. Win.

 

[DT4K]

I haven't had much time for gaming in the last couple of years, but I've got a 15 year old son.
With a 360, PS3, Wii, and PSP, we will get a hell of a lot of use out of this. I'm super excited that I won't have to cringe at the $8 rental price of games in the store.

 

[DT4K]

Noobs. Blockbuster in store 2 out at a time unlimited exchanges blu ray or games. Netflix streaming for the wife. Win.

How much does that run you?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

How much does that run you?

$38 for blockbuster, $9 netflix Monthly

 

[DT4K]

$38 for blockbuster, $9 netflix Monthly

Not worth it for me to pay double just to be able to swap everything in-store.

I'm paying $18 a month for 3 at a time, unlimited mailings and unlimited in-store exchanges(return a mailed movie and swap it for an in-store rental), which now includes movies and games.

 

[PimpJuice]

$38 for blockbuster, $9 netflix Monthly

wow....sucker

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

so you can hang on to games like forever?

 

[Felisity]

This potentially explains why their site was down earlier today.

Seems to be back now.

 

[Kev]

$38 for blockbuster, $9 netflix Monthly

lol and we're noobs?

you pay the same for your dvd rentals that I do for my entire cable tv package

 

[destrekor]

Not worth it for me to pay double just to be able to swap everything in-store.

I'm paying $18 a month for 3 at a time, unlimited mailings and unlimited in-store exchanges(return a mailed movie and swap it for an in-store rental), which now includes movies and games.

uh... wait... what?

I think you have the same plan he does, but got grandfathered in with your current price and same original plan.

3 at a time, unlimited mailings, unlimited exchanges, is now $35 a month.
3 at a time, unlimited mailings, 5 exchanges, is currently $18 or 19.

I wouldn't doubt you have unlimited exchanges, if you've had the subscription for a long time. They seem to let old customers maintain their original subscription package and price.. but if you switch plans or cancel and re-subscribe, you are subject to the current plans and pricing.

There didn't used to be two variations of Total Access, but now there is Total Access (with 5 exchanges), or Total Access Premium.

 

[Drekce]

I have Gamefly and pay about $24 for 2 out at a time. This seems like a better deal. Those of you who use it please post after a while about selection and delivery speed for the games. I have a Gamefly distro center about 1.5 hours from my house, so the turnaround is very good.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I have Gamefly and pay about $24 for 2 out at a time. This seems like a better deal. Those of you who use it please post after a while about selection and delivery speed for the games. I have a Gamefly distro center about 1.5 hours from my house, so the turnaround is very good.

Unfortunately for me, the closest Gamefly distribution center (I believe they are in Austin, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Tampa) is about 800 miles away.

If not for that, I might be interested. But I did have Blockbuster for a little while and they always delivered overnight. Combine that with much lower prices and there's really no reason for anyone in the upper midwest to use Gamefly. I currently have Netflix and this is making me reconsider going back to BB since I rarely use Netflix's streaming (selection is still crap, sorry).

 

[Deeko]

so you can hang on to games like forever?

Yes. I just returned Infamous for PS3 after having it out for about a month and a half.

 

[DT4K]

uh... wait... what?

I think you have the same plan he does, but got grandfathered in with your current price and same original plan.

3 at a time, unlimited mailings, unlimited exchanges, is now $35 a month.
3 at a time, unlimited mailings, 5 exchanges, is currently $18 or 19.

I wouldn't doubt you have unlimited exchanges, if you've had the subscription for a long time. They seem to let old customers maintain their original subscription package and price.. but if you switch plans or cancel and re-subscribe, you are subject to the current plans and pricing.

There didn't used to be two variations of Total Access, but now there is Total Access (with 5 exchanges), or Total Access Premium.

You might be right. I'm pretty sure I'm grandfathered in at a better price or more features than is available for new signups.

But when I say unlimited exchanges, I don't mean that I can get a movie from the store, then return it and get another one. I thought that's what the other poster was saying he had.

What I mean is that for each movie I get in the mail, I can return it to the store and get 1 free in-store rental. Then when I return that in-store rental, they send me the next one in my queue by mail. It's unlimited in the fact that I can do that as many times as I want.

So theoretically, I could get 3 movies in the mail, watch them all, exchange them for 3 movies at the store, watch those, return them, get 3 more in the mail a couple days later. So if I had the free time, I could easily watch over 30 movies a month for $18.

 

[destrekor]

You might be right. I'm pretty sure I'm grandfathered in at a better price or more features than is available for new signups.

But when I say unlimited exchanges, I don't mean that I can get a movie from the store, then return it and get another one. I thought that's what the other poster was saying he had.

What I mean is that for each movie I get in the mail, I can return it to the store and get 1 free in-store rental. Then when I return that in-store rental, they send me the next one in my queue by mail. It's unlimited in the fact that I can do that as many times as I want.

So theoretically, I could get 3 movies in the mail, watch them all, exchange them for 3 movies at the store, watch those, return them, get 3 more in the mail a couple days later. So if I had the free time, I could easily watch over 30 movies a month for $18.

What you have is the same. With unlimited in-store exchange, you can get a free movie in-store for every online mailer you return in-store. Under no plan can you return a free in-store rental for another in-store rental.

The difference for plans currently, is that unlimited in-store exchanges commands a huge premium; otherwise, what you are currently paying would only get 3 at a time, unlimited mailings, but only 5 free in-store exchanges.

The plan you have right now, you'd have to pay nearly twice that amount to keep the same plan features. They jacked up the prices for unlimited in-store exchange but offered a middle-ground between no exchanges and unlimited exchanges.

 

[Dulanic]

Blockbuster is cheaper than netflix already when it comes to bluray. I pay $16 for 3 at a time including bluray and games now! Or I could get gamefly for $24 + netflix for... 16 + whatever the bluray fee is... 3? So yeah thats no question who I am going with. Not to mention I got tons of damaged bluray discs from netflix, havent received 1 with blockbuster.

 

[DT4K]

What you have is the same. With unlimited in-store exchange, you can get a free movie in-store for every online mailer you return in-store. Under no plan can you return a free in-store rental for another in-store rental.

The difference for plans currently, is that unlimited in-store exchanges commands a huge premium; otherwise, what you are currently paying would only get 3 at a time, unlimited mailings, but only 5 free in-store exchanges.

The plan you have right now, you'd have to pay nearly twice that amount to keep the same plan features. They jacked up the prices for unlimited in-store exchange but offered a middle-ground between no exchanges and unlimited exchanges.

OK, I see.
I know they used to have some kind of movie pass, where you paid a monthly fee and you could get movies in-store and exchange them in-store as many times as you wanted. I guess that's not available any more.

To be honest though, I probably don't use the in-store exchange more than 5 times per month anyway. Most of the time, I watch the movies I got in the mail and just drop them off at the store in the morning on my way to work. That way, they get into the system right away and I usually get my next movie in the mail in 1 or 2 days.

Occasionally, there will be something out that I want to see "right now", so I'll do an in-store exchange, but that's almost never more than 5 times per month.

So if I was a new member signing up, I don't see how you can beat $20 per month for 3 at a time movies and games by mail, and 5 in-store exchanges per month. I did read about Netflix's expansion of their streaming options, so we'll see how much they offer there.

 

[fustercluck]

sorry for the bump but wondering if anyone knows how long it usually takes blockbuster to send you a game through mail. Like time from on your online queue to being in your hand. Netflix would take a couple days usually, sometimes 3.

 

[Wyndru]

Yes. I just returned Infamous for PS3 after having it out for about a month and a half.

Nice. I might check this out. I usually get sick of console games after about 2 weeks of gameplay.

 

[BoomerD]

I saw the "Blockbuster Game Rentals by Mail" thread, and thought this would also be of interest to many here: (from today's email)

RENT VIDEO GAMES FROM REDBOX
FOR JUST $2 PER NIGHT!
That's right! Coming this month, you'll be able to rent the hottest video games from select local redbox locations near you for just $2 per night. Choose from a great selection of games for PS3, XBOX 360 and Nintendo Wii. Get Ready, Game Night is Coming!

I don't own any game consoles, so it doesn't do any thing for me, but I know I'm in the minority, so I figured I'd pass it on...

 

[fustercluck]

Cool to hear about Redbox...wish they had games right now though and not later this month like they say

No one knows how long blockbuster takes to get movies/games to you?

 

[PrinceMyshkin]

Cool to hear about Redbox...wish they had games right now though and not later this month like they say

No one knows how long blockbuster takes to get movies/games to you?

Depends on what distribution center has the movie/game being shipped out and how far it is from you. It normally takes 2-3 days for most items to arrive at my address. Sometimes 1 day.

Edit: Also depends whether the item is avialable or listed as short wait or long wait (Dont expect to get it anytime soon if its long wait).