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Best Netflix-Like Videogame Rental Service?
Duncan the Wuss asks: "So, almost everyone I know loves the DVD-rental-by-mail service Netflix. But what about the videogame rental market? I normally beat a game in about a week, and that can get expensive. I've checked out sites like GameFly and NumbThumb, and they seem reasonable. Geek.com even had a post about a site called TriggerFingers, but I can't seem to get anything to work on it. What I really need to know is, what's a high-quality site of this type that's worth renting from? Netflix is reputable and responds to customer complaints in a timely manner, but are there any video game rental sites with the same level of service? I mean, I don't want to give out my credit card numbers to just anyone."
Dvdbarn.com does video game rentals by mail. I've always been happy with the service, but they mostly stock Xbox games.
I've been VERY happy with Gamefly's selection and service. Granted, they're only in California so if you live on the east coast (like I do) prepare for a wait for the USMail to do their thing - although it's rarely more than a week turnaround total for me.
I've kept games out for two months and they haven't said a word. It's a great service. Although I haven't had to talk to their CS department, I know someone who has and he said it was a good experience.
The thing I like about Gamefly is that if you REALLY like the game, you can "buy it now" and they'll send you the box and the instruction booklet, and you keep the CD.
Gamefly also carries GBA games, which is cool now that Blockbuster doesn't carry them anymore. And their selection is a LOT better than Blockbuster - you can even get a bunch of obscure titles there, on all the systems.
BlockBuster, at least my local store, is trying to do a NetFlix style rental program for video games.
On the positive side: You can drop by your local branch and swap one game for another immediately, without waiting on the mail.
On the major negative side: Being individual stores, not one centralized distribution center, they've had horrible problems with access to particular games. As everyone else has the keep a game for as long as you want membership, the three copies of [whatever the latest game is] immediately disappear, not to be returned for six weeks (at which point someone else takes them for six weeks). Plus, while you can survive a slightly scratched rental DVD movie, a scratched game disc is next to useless.
For me, the negatives massively outweighed the positives (only getting to rent games no one else wants just isn't fun) and I quit my membership after the first month. On the other hand, if you work at BlockBuster or have a friend that does, so you can get one of those three copies before they're on the shelf, it could be a great program.
For those who don't want to navigate each site mentioned to see prices, here's a breakdown I compiled:
Gamefly.com
Plan 1 (1 game at a time) - $13.95 per month)
Plan 2 (2 games at a time) - $21.95 per month)
NumbThumb.com
Plan 1 (1 game at a time) - $13.95 per month
Plan 2 (2 games at a time) - $21.95 per month
TriggerFingers.com
Mini Plan (2 games at a time) - $14.95 per month
Economy Plan (3 games at a time) - $19.95 per month
Mid-Sized Plan (4 games at a time) - $24.95 per month
Luxury Plan (5 games at a time) - $29.95 per month
I've never tried those services but I do know that PennyArcade recommends it (scroll a little down to read Gabe's post about it). Considering how many games they play and how they like to complain about shitty service it must be a testament to Gamefly's reliability that they haven't bashed it yet.
my book
I got both from a place called "DVD Avenue". Been mostly happy; I took the games off my list, though, because they don't send the manuals with them, and I don't play enough games to be able to intuit the controls. YMMV. I don't know if they ship popular titles any faster than NetFlix, though, as I've never used NetFlix.
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Redoctane didn't get mentioned, but for $18.95 you get 2 games at a time, and they have a number of import games for the fanatics who want to play the games everyone else will be playing next year, but don't want to pay the $50-$70+ or so to import them.
I haven't used them personally so I can't say how their service is.
From their description of their service, it looks like you put together a wish list, and they send you games from that list when(if) they become available. Browsing through their list, they only have import sections for the dreamcast, playstation, and playstation 2, and it looks like a number of imports have been "misplaced". Looking through the ps2 titles shows they really haven't been keeping up with the times. They probably discovered that its a lot more expensive when the import games keep "disappearing" in transit than the American versions. (You'd think they'd switch to some kind of certified mail, or at least shipping with delivery confirmation...) Not to mention the support hassles from idiots who don't understand whats needed to play an imported game.
I'd probably think about it if they started tracking shipments and smacking the people who screw them (and the rest of the service users) over, and if they got some imported game cube and xbox games in, as well as newer ps2 titles. Until then they don't have much over blockbusters, seeing as most of the import titles they haven't lost yet are out in the US in English.
If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
I've been fairly happy with game lender for the past few months that I've been having service with them. I think they're still the cheapest and have all the perks of the other services (like buying the game, etc). Also they carry a lot of legacy games (SNES, genesis, and NES) and GBA games. Turn around hasn't been *too* shabby (I live in the midwest) but the biggest problem that I've had so far has been them not having the good games in stock sometimes. As a result they ask you to put at least ten games in your queue at one time.
I'll second the comments on Gamefly - I have actually had a problem with a game delivered (my copy of an XBox games was PAL, not NSTC! They don't even offer PAL games!). Customer service wasn't available, so I left a message. They returned the call in about an hour and shipped a replacement before I returned the bad disc! Great turnaround, great selection and very friendly & responsive customer service. I recommend this service to everyone I know.