Gametart reports increase in game rentals

Posted Apr 18, 2007 at 6:46AM by QJ Staff Listed in: News Tags: Gametart, Rob Savin, UK
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GameTart - Image 1 Would you rather buy a game or just rent one? Well, it seems more and more people prefer to have it rented - or at least in the UK. Gametart (largest games rental service in the UK) reports an increase in their rentals.

The main reason for the increase is the number of titles getting released every month. Not every gamer can afford to buy all the titles they want and the (legal) alternative would be to rent the games. According to Gametart, most of their customers rent two games per month. With rentals costing just GB£ 2.99 per week (about US$ 6), renting could really save money for gamers. Savings can even go up to GB£ 700 or around a whopping US$ 1,400.

Another factor is the release of the Wii and PS3 since there's a lot more titles to choose from. Gametart's Rob Savin, marketing manager comments:

The fact that so many more people are opening their eyes to the opportunity presented by games rental is brilliant. With consoles and games getting as expensive as they are now, rental offers people a really cost-effective way of playing every new game they want.


So what do you think? Would it be better to have games rented or bought?


 
 
 

Comments

by - 2007-04-18 06:37:22
DONT READ THIS!

In 1997 a girl called Lauren was walking in a forest and then a she just disappeared no one ever found her untill 2000 when a young girl called Mary found her body and markings on her chest saying: I wasn't pretty enough" and now you have read this she will appear in your mirror saying your not pretty enough and kill you. by the way the girl called mary died shortly after. To be saved paste this to 5 other articles. THIS TRUE
by - 2007-04-18 06:56:29
SWEET!

I love scary stories! But it's lame to repost them. You need to make up your own stories. Now for my story. Twenty years ago in a log cabin inbetween Chicago, New York and New Orleans, Nebraska, there was someone who got really amd and shot someone else and something happened to that person or whatever, and they became... THE DIARRHEA (I think I spelled that wrong) MONSTER!!!!!!!!one. Then the diarrhea monster takes over Kansas City, Texas flooding th streets with DIARRHEA!!!!!one. Now every night, one of his victims is drowned in his/her sleep by DIARRHEA!!!!!one. If you don't believe this story, then YOU TOO SHALL BE SMITTEN WITH DIARRHEA!!!!!one.
by - 2007-04-18 07:45:21
oh

y is there like 4 times as much stuff in the us ps store than in the uk ps store it annoys me
by - 2007-04-18 08:01:33
in the age of communication

they try to sell different things to different markets. Since we all talk on here... WE know in japan they get cool pink , blue , gold psp. in the us we get *****ty black. (personally i like black but w/e.
by - 2007-04-18 09:46:14
...

rented then bought for a discount if liked
by - 2007-04-18 13:47:53
rented then bought... i think not

I'm guessing most people are renting the games then ripping them, all of the required tools are publically available, and for most ppl (torrent users for eg) this would be a quicker way of getting the game, and im sure they dont feel bad if they at least parted with some cash first. In my experiance, i would download a game, then if it was worth it, i will gladly pay for it. maybe the ppl who rent have gay download speeds, or dont have decent sources. or just want a socially acceptable method of 'screening' a game before buying. to each his own... personally i'd prefer to try something before parting with *any* cash - like trying on clothes at a store.
by - 2007-04-18 13:50:22
re: SWEET!

jeez... you're sitting at a computer. there's no reason for spelling mistakes if you "think I spelled that wrong" www.dictionary.com microsoft word open office the list goes on and on.....
by - 2007-04-18 15:14:42
Rent of buy...

UMDs value drops within a month. I purchased Star Wars Battle Front 2 for $59. USD and the next week it dropped to $19. USD. That pissed me off. Block Buster doesn't carry a wide enough variety and most of the selection is rented out before I can get a copy of anything decent. I've prefer to rent but no other sources are avalible to rent from other than Block Buster. I prefer to rent and not be a douche bag by stealing a game by downloading an iso from the net. Only ass holes do that. Plus, if a game supports Online Multiplay you can't play online by using ISOs so purchasing a UMD to play online is a must. I like to rent before I buy so I know the game is good enough to spend my money on a purchase, but with very few sources locally to rent from, it makes game previewing before game purchasing very hard.
by CHUCKINGROCKSATSPACESHIPS - 2007-04-18 18:31:28
Fake

I heard that when I was a child and never saw anything. I kept wishing to see it but never happened.
by - 2007-04-19 06:29:12
Rent to own

I like renting before buying. I can usually finish a game by renting it or at least determine if it's worth buying or not. "maybe the ppl who rent have gay download speeds, or dont have decent sources. or just want a socially acceptable method of 'screening' a game before buying." I like putting money back into the system so that developers can afford to put out new games. By purchasing the games that I enjoy I'm contributing to their continued success and development.
by - 2007-04-25 07:32:25
legallity too

It's illegal to download a game, even if u are just trying it. I don't really give a crap if u are really just trying it, but some people are just keeping them and never paying. So you can get arrested and tried for it just like the RIAA or MPAA does. I don't d/l games, because I usually get reviews from PSM as my "try", but I support you if you do. So many companies will put out the same crappy game every year. And you don't know if this "Madden" is worth it or not, or you don't know if this "insert crappy movie game here" is worth it or not. So you must try it out first. I like that, because it stops some companies that would try to swindle you out of your money. If everyone gets good reviews first or tries it out first, then those companies will cut the budget game crap.

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