It’s been a few years since GameFly became the Netflix of video games rentals, but there hasn’t been a Redbox for gaming. That will all change in June when Redbox themselves will begin offering game rentals along with their movie selection.
For those of you unfamiliar with the service, a Redbox is essentially a vending machine for movie rentals. As opposed to other physical retail rental chains, such as the recently bankrupt Blockbuster, Redbox locations can be anywhere from a gas station to a fast food restaurant. When you’re finished, you just return the disc to any Redbox location. Rentals for films are a dollar a day on DVD, or for 50 cents more you can get a Blu-Ray. According to Redbox, games will be a little more at $2 a day.
Games have actually been in test markets for the last couple
years, in about 5,000 of their locations, however by June there will be a total
of 21,000 units that will offer up titles for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. No
specifics have been released on what types of titles they’ll carry, only saying
“top releases to popular family and kids titles.”