I moved to where I now live in 09, and back then the shopping center where my local grocery store is had a Blockbuster (it has since become a dental office) and everytime I buy groceries I think about the good times I had at Blockbuster growing up. At least once a month we would order pizza and go to Blockbuster to rent some movies. I remember when that Blockbuster went out of business in 2010 and they had a hug going out of business sale with PS2 games as low as 3 dollars and I bought a ton of games that day (wish I had never given up my PS2). I also remember when I was little it seemed every store or gas station had a corner for video rental.
As a kid working at a video rental place always seemed like such a cool job and as a teen, I was busy with sports and when I did work it was at restaurants or temp agencies. I'm curious if anyone had ever worked there or any other video rental?
Also, you think that model could ever work again with some being more interested in physical media? I could possibly see a rental place but they would have to have some other stuff, but I do know some VHS collectors so you could make it work.
It coming back is an inherently contradictory market. People interested in physical media and collectors want to own it. Even as a secondhand market or a "rent to own" system wouldn't appeal to them because its existence means the most possible damage to the product by it passing through so many hands.
Its certainly possible in a very dense area, where you know you'll have a shit ton of customers come through and can supply rentals of AAA games that you know will get constant movement like sports and CoD. But that's also the kind of location/market that is prime for being the target of black/Mexican kids getting their first foray into gangbanging and crime, stealing the games they can't afford but want badly.
What could work however, is a business similar to how the Asians have karaoke or Net Cafes. A building where you can rent a room that just has a bunch of consoles/PC set up in it with a bunch of games on it.
Imagine being able to pay to rent out a room with your boys to play Halo 2 a massive splitscreen on for the evening, with a constant stream of alcohol/food you can order delivered. While its unlikely you'll get a great selection, I think most of us have a AAA game we love and could enjoy getting wild on a Saturday night renting the experience instead of just the game itself.
Good point. I personally prefer to own.