Blockbuster's "Flip Pass"
coil
Amateur pirate. Professional monkey. All pance. Join Date: 2002-04-12 Member: 424Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
Amateur pirate. Professional monkey. All pance. Join Date: 2002-04-12 Member: 424Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
<div class="IPBDescription">cheers to affordable gaming!</div> Blockbuster is offering a few "flat rate" deals - their "game pass" and "movie pass", and the so-called "Flip Card." The two passes are one-month flat-rate purchases that allow you unlimited rentals for that month (only one game or two movies out at a time; I think they're $20 for a month). The Flip Card is a 3-month game pass and costs $50, saving $10 off the price of three 1-month game passes.
Is it worthwhile? Let's look at the numbers.
A game rental at my local Blockbuster costs $6 (and change, but I'll keep the numbers flat) for 5 days. To rent a game every day of a 3-month period, you would have to rent 18 games (18*5=90), which would cost $108. Conversely, to justify $50 for three months, you would have to rent 9 games, or one every 10 days.
9 games in three months might seem like a lot, but there's a little bit of fine print that massively sweetens the deal. If you're like me, you pay as much in late fees as you do in rental costs -- I'm always a day or more late getting a game or movie back, and it hurts! An overdue movie is $2/day, and an overdue game is $4/day (if I remember correctly)!
The fine print of the Game/Movie Pass and the Flip Card is this: When you rent a game/movie, <b><u>YOU RETURN IT WHENEVER YOU WANT</u></b>. You can hold it for a day, for ten days, for the whole three months if you want. And you won't be charged ONE PENNY in late fees. If you're one level away from beating a game and your 5 days are up, no problem -- just keep it another day and show that boss who the REAL boss is. Going out of town and don't have time to return the game? Just let it languish in the drive and return it when you get home.
When you bring it back to the store, all you do is pick your next victim and walk up to the register with it. Give them the old one, take the new one home with you. It's an absolutely brilliant system, and IMO definitely worth the $50 I spent. For the price of a single new retail game or two average used games, I get three months of unlimited gaming. If I find one I really, really want, I'll go pick it up. But if I just want a playthrough, I'm set. Score!
Is it worthwhile? Let's look at the numbers.
A game rental at my local Blockbuster costs $6 (and change, but I'll keep the numbers flat) for 5 days. To rent a game every day of a 3-month period, you would have to rent 18 games (18*5=90), which would cost $108. Conversely, to justify $50 for three months, you would have to rent 9 games, or one every 10 days.
9 games in three months might seem like a lot, but there's a little bit of fine print that massively sweetens the deal. If you're like me, you pay as much in late fees as you do in rental costs -- I'm always a day or more late getting a game or movie back, and it hurts! An overdue movie is $2/day, and an overdue game is $4/day (if I remember correctly)!
The fine print of the Game/Movie Pass and the Flip Card is this: When you rent a game/movie, <b><u>YOU RETURN IT WHENEVER YOU WANT</u></b>. You can hold it for a day, for ten days, for the whole three months if you want. And you won't be charged ONE PENNY in late fees. If you're one level away from beating a game and your 5 days are up, no problem -- just keep it another day and show that boss who the REAL boss is. Going out of town and don't have time to return the game? Just let it languish in the drive and return it when you get home.
When you bring it back to the store, all you do is pick your next victim and walk up to the register with it. Give them the old one, take the new one home with you. It's an absolutely brilliant system, and IMO definitely worth the $50 I spent. For the price of a single new retail game or two average used games, I get three months of unlimited gaming. If I find one I really, really want, I'll go pick it up. But if I just want a playthrough, I'm set. Score!
Comments
I remember seeing an online version of netflix but for games somewheres.
Definitely a good deal if you have that money stuff.
I'm honestly looking for $50 right after I type this and calling my local Blockbuster. My GC is about to get some serious usage in the next three months if I can afford this. Sw33t deal, coil. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
This is the 2nd year they did it this way. But 3 years ago...
Get this deal: $30 bucks for a month. You could rent one game, once a day. I went to blockbuster EVERY DAY- and thus, had 6 games or more in my posession. THAT was heaven, fun for sure. I got it for all summer(3 months)- which btw, this deal, as all their others, is summer only.
I remember seeing an online version of netflix but for games somewheres.
Definitely a good deal if you have that money stuff. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
<a href='http://www.gamefly.com/' target='_blank'>Gamefly?</a>
I've never used it, US only. But that sounds like the kind of thing you mean.
I remember seeing an online version of netflix but for games somewheres.
Definitely a good deal if you have that money stuff. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<a href='http://www.gamefly.com/' target='_blank'>Game Fly?</a>
edit: darn, beaten to it
i think you forgot something though, the one month passes let you hold two games ... more games == more fun
Nope. I checked 'em out; the movie pass is for two movies at a time, but the game pass is only one at a time. At least at my store.
Checked the BB website... it says "one or two games depending on your game pass" but the listed price, $19.99, has "1 out at a time" in fine print below it.
In my opinion, Netflix rocks. I've done it for about 9 months now and it is great. We get awesome turnaround time and excellent selection. I despise Blockbuster and Hollywood. Netflix is my way of giving them the finger.
Now that I own all 3 consoles, I might be interested in this thing...
I've also been considering Netflix since it has a bigger selection than Blockbuster, but I dunno. I don't like the shipping back and forth idea that much.
Now that I own all 3 consoles, I might be interested in this thing...
I've also been considering Netflix since it has a bigger selection than Blockbuster, but I dunno. I don't like the shipping back and forth idea that much. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Just games. I don't think they have a combo pass, as nice as that would be.