Current Events > Why isn't Gamefly more popular for renting games?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I would think people prefer to save money and rent some games instead of buying it

I loved it back in the day but then just didn't have the time to burn through games like I did years ago. Then I got a pc and I'm swimming in free games regardless.

From what I've heard the quality of experience has taken a nosedive.

Like, slower turnaround, discs in worse shape, worse subscription options...

The idea of renting physical games from the internet through the post is just weird to me. Then again, I've never tried it.

I might just be becoming an old person, but renting is more than saving money. It's a whole experience, going into a video store, browsing for a half hour because what you wanted was out of stock, the smell of popcorn. Sigh.

Sure, playing the game is awesome in its own right, but to me renting was primarily about leaving the house and doing something, even if ultimately mundane.

Because it's nothing but a hassle when you can just buy digital games on steep sales and keep them

Dealing with physical games at all in 2024 is pointless and dumb

i tried it out for like a year or so back in the day, and they almost never had what i wanted in stock. if you had other games in your queue, then it would just send you the next one on the list, and then if you had out that when the one you really wanted came back in stock, you would very likely miss it before it went out of stock again. so you basically had to have no games in your queue except the one you wanted, and just wait for it to come back in stock and get sent to you. and in the meantime you wouldn't have any game rented out so you were basically paying for nothing.

Physical games are dying.

are physical games really dying? it seems to still be the popular option looking at the ps5 pro disc drive sales

DrizztLink posted...

From what I've heard the quality of experience has taken a nosedive.

Like, slower turnaround, discs in worse shape, worse subscription options...

It was pretty bleak when I stopped using them a decade ago.

iirc @Leanaunfurled uses it

I havent seen her post in forever.

Seems dumb when you can just get that Mirosoft Game Pass.

Its still a good option for those looking to try the latest releases but don't feel like dropping the full 69.99+ tax asking price. It works best when there is like 3, or 4 69.99 releases dropping in a single month.

I don't play video games for many hours straight like I did growing up and throughout the 2000s/early 2010s, but when I did do a lot of gaming in a week gamefly was worth it. (Its how I got my donkey kong country 3D returns and final fantasy explorers on the 3DS for cheap too. Did that buy to keep option....games costed like like 15 or 18ish bucks apiece).

I prefer PC as a platform these days and you can't rent those games.

Older console games I'd be interested in it's probably cheaper to buy.

I guess I could use it for Switch games, but I play those seldom enough that it's not worth an ongoing subscription cost.

MagiMarthKoopa posted...

Because it's nothing but a hassle when you can just buy digital games on steep sales and keep them

This is why for me. I used Gamefly a bit when I was younger, but now I just get almost everything on sale months or years after release.

bc i almost primarily play games ive already played, so no point for me

Silver_Patron posted...

are physical games really dying? it seems to still be the popular option looking at the ps5 pro disc drive sales

Companies are phasing them out. Fans may still want them but soon they may not even be an option

I get having them but even once I used to like to buy music cds. I don't buy a lot of new music now in general, but with games I don't really care if I just have a license to play them on their server. Most physical disc games are just copy protection now anyway and come with nothing else.

Plus I don't expect GOG (which always gave you offline installers) or the PS current network or Steam to suddenly shut down.

MagiMarthKoopa posted...

Because it's nothing but a hassle when you can just buy digital games on steep sales and keep them

Dealing with physical games at all in 2024 is pointless and dumb

The problem is you might not like the game and you're stuck with it.

Digital has major drawbacks.

Steam has a 2 hour window to return the game, consoles don't have that.

creativerealms posted...

Companies are phasing them out. Fans may still want them but soon they may not even be an option

I call bullshit

I just borrow games from the library, I'd say in the past year I've been borrowing games I've played over 80 games for free.

Gamepass is good for a good amount of games but doesn't always have whatever I want to play and I'm not going to buy a game that I might not like and be stuck with it.

Gamefly is ok but there was one game that never got here and the 2nd one I rented was scratched and didn't work so I dropped the free trial.

The correction should be

Companies are phasing them out. 'Minority of' Fans may still want them but soon they may not even be an option

Physical is now niche and will just continue to drop off year over year. Gen Z and Alpha are more than fine to have digital and streaming only.

Kamil posted...

Most physical disc games are just copy protection now anyway and come with nothing else.

"Most" is a severe exaggeration.

A handful of games is crap like one of the more recent call of duties that really was just a piece of plastic that had all of nothing on the disc or something like star wars jedi survivor who's single disc was just a piece of the base install. Online only games like outriders, overwatch, anthem, destiny 2 and so on is constantly updating and so to me it never actually made sense to own these type of games on a disc. (Not unless overwatch was traded in for store credit or something like that back in it's launch year of 2016).

EDIT: Call of duty modern warfare 2 is the recent call of duty game I was thinking about it.

I don't know how it is exactly for xbox one or xbox series s/x games since I actually don't own any physical games for these consoles, but out of the 100s of PS4 discs and PS5 discs I own not a single one of them is "copy protection with nothing else". Disconnect either console off the internet and it straight up installs that entire base game off the disc. Its the entire reason why final fantasy 7 rebirth (and the PS4 version of final fantasy 7 remake) comes with 2 discs to install the game.

Mad-Dogg posted...

"Most" is a severe exaggeration.

A handful of games is crap like one of the more recent call of duties that really was just a piece of plastic that had all of nothing on the disc or something like star wars jedi survivor who's single disc was just a piece of the base install.

I don't know how it is exactly for xbox one or xbox series s/x games since I actually don't own any physical games for these consoles, but out of the 100s of PS4 discs and PS5 discs I own not a single one of them is "copy protection with nothing else". Disconnect either console off the internet and it straight up installs that entire base game off the disc. Its the entire reason why final fantasy 7 rebirth (and the PS4 version of final fantasy 7 remake) comes with 2 discs to install the game.

OK I don't have my PS4 on the internet often and it was an exaggeration. But it feels like the physical game just exists so you can play it on your system offline or not. Maybe sell it too later.

This isn't a case where my legally bought Square Enix Dragon Quest games for some dumb reason on an android device needed to verify this every couple weeks. Sorry I am not currently around Wi-fi constantly. It was so annoying it was just a music player device without the phone haha.

Mr_Karate_II posted...

The problem is you might not like the game and you're stuck with it.

Digital has major drawbacks.

Steam has a 2 hour window to return the game, consoles don't have that.

this. its why renting is still appealing to me. dont want to be stuck with a game I dont want

xAzNPimP4LiFex posted...

this. its why renting is still appealing to me. dont want to be stuck with a game I dont want

I guess circling back if you aren't in the Microsoft ecosystem which I get because I don't use Apple anything. Apparently a lot of people just use that game pass so they can just try a bunch of games at a whim without dealing with the hassle of mailing out and waiting for discs.

Kamil posted...

OK I don't have my PS4 on the internet often and it was an exaggeration. But it feels like the physical game just exists so you can play it on your system offline or not. Maybe sell it too later.

This isn't a case where my legally bought Square Enix Dragon Quest games for some dumb reason on an android device needed to verify this every couple weeks. Sorry I am not currently around Wi-fi constantly. It was so annoying it was just a music player device without the phone haha.

Its true that digital game sales in the modern day makes up most of a game's sales, but part of a video game console's appeal is that they support physical games with the physical option being nice to have for areas around the world with not so great internet options. You can't forget that for a lot of places internet data caps is still a thing, having fast speed options in today's standards isn't always possible (in my area for example, its not quite the boonies in the middle of nowhere but its no urban area with many options. Spectrum has a monopoly going being the only single cable internet provider on my side of town, with the rest of our options being wifi only verizon that is pretty expensive for what you are getting. Speeds is so-so).

The most important reason though is that physical games can be gotten for cheap. You have the chain stores that sell used copies, you have local video game shops, you have facebook marketplace, offerup, craigslist, etc. The best way to get that one 1st/2nd party nintendo game that has a eternal 59.99 to 49.99 price is using options like craigslist......that donkey kong tropical freeze that I swear to gaming god never drops in price can be gotten for like 25 to 30 bucks for people who want quick cash.

Like even if one sticks with digital console games out of convenience (like I do with my xbox one s and series x) it never actually hurts anybody to encourage both options to be around. Actually wanting the physical option to disappear would ruin one of a console's value points (its been brought up before, but when it comes to consoles and the playstation store, microsoft store and the eshop being the only single digital store option for each this would be a very bad thing for video game prices+sales. There would really be no incentive for constant sales in a "my way or the highway" type of scenario).

I do agree with you on video game rights for phones though. Those are complete shit and I wouldn't actually rely on those for game longevity.

So, the issue with game fly is that, for the price you need to beat games relatively quickly for it to be worth it. It's $17.95 a month for 1 game out at a time.

I blaze through games usually, but I have friends that take months to beat one game. So at their pace they'd be spending more than they would if they just buy the games.

Not to mention you're beholden to whatever Gamefly's delivery speed is in your area. When I had a subscription before, it would range from 2 to 7 days to receive a game.

I don't want physical media to go away, I guess I just accepted it seems more likely now. Plus there are weird situations when I bought the Lost Child on the PS4 store for like 8 dollars and a physical copy went for a lot more. Now that game has been pulled from the digital store which is licensing reasons so that sucks.

I can re-download it on my account but seems no one else who didn't buy it digitally can get it again. That seems unfair. Like I stated not really happy about a digital future but my apatheticness and "picking fights" I guess.

I didn't mean to sidetrack the topic but I felt this idea was more antiqued than ppl using Netflix still for their DVD trade service.

Mr_Karate_II posted...

Steam has a 2 hour window to return the game, consoles don't have that.

Xbox does.

Unknown5uspect posted...

Xbox does.

Xbox does not.

DrizztLink posted...

discs in worse shape

they start having problems when gamers don't handle em right :(.

I used for a couple years many years ago for the PS3. It was a neat concept but I discovered it wasn't worth it to only rent 1 game at a time. You end up losing 5-7 days while waiting for the game to ship back and return. Renting two games seems like the ideal way to do it, if you have the time and commitment to constantly play the rented games. And if you don't have that time commitment then it's not really worth it. Especially if you have Steam or a backlog of games via other means.

Because nowadays people play the same game over and over again

I always thought that people use Gamefly for games that they may be in the fence about. Like the average Call of Duty and GTA player would buy copies from their series but probably use Gamefly for Battlefield or Saint Row.

Mr_Karate_II posted...

Xbox does not.

https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/
subscriptions-billing/buy-games-apps/refund-orders

teep_ posted...

iirc @Leanaunfurled uses it

I used it for a time, I haven't gotten a physical game in forever. If you still use physical games and you're more of a one n done type like me, I think it's a great deal. Especially with new launches and/or Nintendo games. And if want to keep games they have some good deals, especially around the holidays.

sup

divot1338 posted...

sup

Not much, generally good. You?

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

omg Asherlee! How are you? I'm here more often than you'd think, just chilling in a General for the most part. I've been happier staying out of the CE trenches lol.

Physical games are becoming nothing more than a key on a disc thanks to companies. Now, you get a game and you install it but you cann't play it unless you update or patch it and that requires online and soon they'll try and make it to where you have to be online at all times to even play. No point in renting physical copies when this is the case.

name_unknown posted...

The correction should be

Physical is now niche and will just continue to drop off year over year. Gen Z and Alpha are more than fine to have digital and streaming only.

Thats a load of BS, Boulders Gate 3 was digital release only initially only for example but its physical release already sold out on pre orders.

Digital cannot and will not ever fully replace physical. That and many people are afraid of their favorite game potentially ending up like the Godzilla 2014 game.

Kaiser1one posted...

Physical games are becoming nothing more than a key on a disc thanks to companies. Now, you get a game and you install it but you cann't play it unless you update or patch it and that requires online and soon they'll try and make it to where you have to be online at all times to even play. No point in renting physical copies when this is the case.

Wrong.

When I had non internet for a week, I installed Skyrim with the disc, didn't require any internet to install it.

Same for a few other physical copies of games that I own.

Surprised they are still around. Seriously thought this was a joke topic trying to get us to reminisce about the mid-00's. Even Netflix's mail service is dead now.

I used them like 20 years ago to rent games for the ps2. It was ok but the turnaround time wasn't great, it would take like a week to send a game in and get a new one back, at least in Northern California. Netflix was like 2 or 3 days.

Mainly used it to play games that I wasn't sure about. Played some real stinkers but found some real gems I probably wouldn't have played otherwise, like God Hand.

I already stated how the always online thing is only for Android/Phone games in my experience, I also thought this a joke topic, like going to a Red Box. Neat it's still around just seems like an unnecessary hassle.

Kaiser1one posted...

. Now, you get a game and you install it but you cann't play it unless you update or patch it and that requires online and soon they'll try and make it to where you have to be online at all times to even play.

I am totally convinced that not a single person that keeps spreading this around has actually tried playing one of their PS4 and PS5 disc based games from PS4 launch until now.

The main reason to buy a game like batman return to arkham's PS4 disc is so you can install it, disabled patch downloads in the menus/DC from the internet, and play it that way since one of this game's original patches was to lock the FPS to 30. (The game originally shipped with a unlocked framerate. Unstable as hell on a base PS4 or PS4 pro, but runs hardlocked at 60 on a PS5).