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'The Last Video Store' is a Blockbuster-inspired game coming to PSVR
The Last Video Store game coming to PlayStation VR brings back those nostalgic Blockbuster VHS vibes.
The last Blockbuster is hosting an Airbnb sleepover in September
Stay the night in a bunker of '90s nostalgia.
After Math: It's the circle of tech
While most of us now need Buzzfeed quizzes about "things only '90s kids would recognize" to remember what a Blockbuster is, the franchise's inevitable demise is still something to be commemorated -- if only by finally returning that VHS copy of Batman Forever you've been holding onto. But even as some companies fade into oblivion, others flourish in the market spaces left over. Here are a few from this week.
There are only two Blockbusters left in the world, and one is closing
And then there was one. A Blockbuster video rental store located in a suburb of Perth Australia announced that it will be closing its doors for good at the end of the month, according to local newspaper the Eastern Reporter. It was the last remaining Blockbuster on the continent. Once it ceases offering rentals at the end of March, there will only be one Blockbuster in the world remaining. The final store is located in Bend, Oregon.
Recommended Reading: The accent struggle for Alexa and Google Assistant
The accent gap Drew Harwell, The Washington Post Smart speakers (and the virtual assistants they house) offer voice control for so many connected devices it's hard to keep count. Those audio gadgets can also assist with a range of questions -- that is, if they can understand you. The Washington Post took a close look at the performance of Alexa and Google Assistant when it comes to understanding people with strong accents. The results show that while these devices are certainly handy and increasingly popular, there's still a lot of room for improvement.
Blockbuster is one store away from extinction in the US
Although it's well known that there aren't many Blockbuster stores left open, the announced closure of Alaska's remaining two outlets is a deathblow. Kevin Daymude, the General Manager of Blockbuster Alaska confirmed via a Facebook post that rental operations in Fairbanks and DeBarr Road will cease next week, before the stores reopen to sell off inventory until August's end.
This day in Engadget history: Blockbuster Video tanks in a big way
Engadget has been around for 14 years and counting, which means our archives contain a veritable treasure trove of technology history. From notable reviews and news to the more mundane or ridiculous finds from across the internet, there's a lot to explore here. "This Day in Engadget History" will take you on a historical voyage as we look at what made the headlines in years past. Join us, won't you?
ICYMI: LOCUST launchers, VR crime scenes and more
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-2").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: The US Navy shows off a UAV launcher that fires drones like an overgrown T-shirt cannon. We take a look at two uses for virtual reality -- recreating crime scenes for jurors and Netflix's digital Blockbuster -- that might actually be useful. And a paralyzed father stood on mechanical legs to walk his daughter down the aisle.
Blockbuster to make a re-licensed return to the UK
2013 saw Blockbuster UK fail to find a buyer after it went bankrupt, so the once prominent DVD and video game rental chain closed its doors in December. However, 2014 is set to see Blockbuster make an unlikely return to the UK, albeit in humbler circumstances. Dish currently owns the Blockbuster brand, and the company quietly licensed it out to Crash Entertainment Group UK at the end of January 2014. Crash is better known for Internet radio stations like Jack FM, but by late 2014 it plans to open 10 stores in the UK, and rebrand the five stores it operates in the Isle of Man. It'll also bring Blockbuster On Demand to Tivo in the country, and start a mail DVD distribution service. So, where do games feature in all this? There's no mention in Crash's initial plans, but back in December the company said should it acquire the Blockbuster license, "games, music, movies, electronics and of [course] rental will be a big part of the business." [Image: Dish]
EVE Evolved: EVE needs real colonisation now
MMOs have absolutely exploded in popularity over the past decade, with online gaming growing from a niche hobby to a global market worth billions of dollars each year. Once dominated by subscription games like EverQuest and World of Warcraft, recent years have seen free-to-play games take centre stage. Global MMO subscriptions have been reportedly shrinking since 2010, and EVE doesn't appear to be immune to this industry-wide trend. Though February 2013's figures showed EVE subscriptions have technically grown year-on-year, those numbers were published just after the Chinese server relaunch, and CCP hasn't released any new figures since. Developers have done a good job of catering to current subscribers and polishing existing gameplay with the past few expansions, but the average daily login numbers are still the same as they were over four years ago. EVE will undoubtedly hook in plenty of new and returning subscribers when its deep space colonisation gameplay with player-built stargates and new hidden solar systems is implemented, but time could be running out on these features. Hefty competition is due in the next few years from upcoming sandbox games such as Star Citizen, EverQuest Next, Camelot Unchained, and Elite: Dangerous, and CCP will have to release something big soon to bring in some fresh blood. In this week's EVE Evolved, I ask whether CCP should focus on new players and suggest plans for two relatively simple colonisation-based expansions that could get EVE a significant part of the way toward its five-year goal in just one year.
Blockbuster to shutter all of its remaining UK stores
Blockbuster's fate may already be sealed in the US, but there was hope that its UK brand might lead itself out of the darkness. Today, administrators in control of the movie rental chain dealt it a killer blow, announcing the closure of its remaining 91 UK stores by December 16th, resulting in the loss of 808 jobs. Having already shuttered its online business following increased competition from streaming services like Netflix and Amazon's Lovefilm, Blockbuster's UK administrators hoped to find a buyer before reaching the decision to close the remaining stores. Remaining stock will be reduced by up to 90 percent in an attempt to sell it all before December 15th, so do head to your nearest (open) store, indulge in a bit of nostalgia and grab yourself a bargain before Blockbuster closes its doors for the final time.
The end draws near for Blockbuster UK, 62 more stores closed
Blockbuster UK is likely to follow in the footsteps of the recently defunct US arm, after administrators announced 62 further store closures, with 427 employees laid off as a result. The DVD and game rental chain entered administration (a.k.a. bankruptcy) again earlier this year, and insolvency specialist Moorfields Corporate Recovery is struggling to find a buyer for what's left of the once major presence on the UK high street. "Unfortunately we have still not received any acceptable offers," reads Moorfields' statement. "So as a result we may be forced to close the remaining 91 stores affecting 808 employees." Blockbuster UK's tumultuous year, which has seen the company go into administration twice, over 400 stores close, and thousands of employees lose their jobs, will likely end with it finally being laid to rest. The store's demise leaves the country's high street games retail in a perilous state, with major players GAME and HMV still recovering from their own financial struggles from the year before.
Blockbuster UK cuts 72 stores as search for buyer continues
Blockbuster UK faces 452 layoffs and 72 store closures, after company administrators announced "necessary" measures for the once-again bankrupt retail chain. Moorfield Corporate Recovery, the company tasked with finding another buyer for the struggling outlet, said it wasn't an easy decision to make ahead of the Christmas season. "We must reiterate that, as part of our attempts to turnaround the business, today's decision is necessary if parts of Blockbuster are to be saved and a buyer found," Moorfield said in a statement provided to Sky News. The cuts represent around a quarter of Blockbuster's employees and stores, removing another chunk of gaming's presence on the UK high street. Between them, GAME and HMV closed hundreds of stores and laid off thousands of employees after their own forays into administration last year. The news follows the announcement that Blockbuster's US arm will close all 300 stores and end its retail and mail DVD operations in the country by January 2014.
Blockbuster to close stores, end US retail and mail DVD operations
Blockbuster LLC will conclude its US retail and mail DVD efforts "by early-January 2014," a press release from parent company Dish Network Corporation announced this week. Folding Blockbuster's retail operations will involve closing "approximately 300 remaining US-based retail stores, as well as its distribution centers." "Consumer demand is clearly moving to digital distribution of video entertainment," Dish President and CEO Joseph Clayton said in the press release. "We continue to see value in the Blockbuster brand, and we expect to leverage that brand as we continue to expand our digital offerings." Those digital offerings include the Blockbuster @Home service for Dish customers and the general access, individual transaction-based Blockbuster On Demand. Dish will also retain Blockbuster's "key assets, including the company's significant video library." This week's announcement follows the closure of 300 other US retail locations earlier this year, as well as its UK doppelganger's declaration of bankruptcy in October.
Sony, Microsoft to honor Blockbuster UK next-gen console pre-orders
Last month, Blockbuster UK announced it was entering administration – the UK equivalent of bankruptcy – and that the store wouldn't honor pre-orders of next-generation consoles. In a post on Facebook, Blockbuster reversed its decision and said both Sony and Microsoft have set aside consoles for those who have pre-ordered through the retailer. In order to receive your Xbox One or PS4, you must complete this form prior to midnight on Thursday, November 7. After verifying the pre-order, Blockbuster will then pass along your details to Sony or Microsoft to secure payment and shipping details for your new console. Failing to meet the submission form deadline means you won't be guaranteed a console. Those who wish to receive a refund from Blockbuster for their pre-order down payment need simply contact the retailer, though Blockbuster still encourages all who have pre-ordered to complete the submission form – even if they've already filed for a refund.
Blockbuster to shutter remaining US retail stores, accept the inevitable
It wasn't hard to see the writing on the wall for Blockbuster's rapidly declining disc-based movie services, and it's now clear that the end is at hand. The Dish-owned company says it will close its remaining 300 directly controlled American stores (down from 9,000 in its heyday) by early January, along with their matching distribution centers. Blockbuster By Mail rentals will also disappear by mid-December. While franchised stores will survive, Blockbuster is effectively becoming an internet-only brand in the US; you'll likely have to use Blockbuster @Home or Blockbuster On Demand to see that blue-and-yellow logo. We're not lamenting the death of the retail business when online services are much more convenient, but we won't blame you if you feel slightly nostalgic -- it's the end of an era. [Image credit: Josh Smith, Flickr]
Blockbuster UK bankrupt again, can't honor next-gen pre-orders
Blockbuster UK is entering administration again, this time under investment company Gordon Brothers Europe. This means Xbox One and PS4 pre-orders through Blockbuster UK will not be fulfilled, the company says in a tweet. Blockbuster UK advises those who pre-ordered a next-gen system in-store to visit that location for help, and those who ordered online to write (a real-life letter) to BLOCKBUSTER, Harefield Place, The Drive Uxbridge UB10 8AQ. Blockbuster UK entered administration in January and was purchased by Gordon Brothers Europe in March, saving a reported 2,000 jobs and keeping open 264 stores. Gordon Brothers Europe attempted to restructure Blockbuster UK and develop a digital platform, but Blockbuster's US parent company wouldn't allow it, the company told BBC in a statement. The remaining 264 stores will remain in business while Gordon Brothers Europe seeks a buyer, though this move gets rid of 32 jobs at Blockbuster UK headquarters, the site says.
Blockbuster 2.0 rebuilt with physical media rentals in mind
The new Blockbuster 2.0 iOS app (free, universal) is a throwback to the days of old. Specifically, the app is targeted to Blockbuster by Mail users, which allows people to rent DVDs and Blu-rays by post. When introducing the app in a press release, the company said, "Millions of movie watchers prefer the DVD and Blu-ray experience, and now Blockbuster customers can use their mobile device for added convenience and control over their entertainment experience." The resulting app lets those users browse Blockbuster's 100,000-plus physical titles from the comfort of their smartphone, prioritize and organize those titles in their queue, view trailers and manage their Blockbuster in-store membership. And so you don't think Blockbuster is entirely holding on to the past, the company this month released another app, Blockbuster On Demand, that allows users to stream movies right to their iOS device. Blockbuster is a free download. [via Engadget]
Blockbuster 2.0 for iOS arrives, manages the disc rentals we no longer use
Blockbuster started the month by launching an On Demand app for iOS and embracing the streaming video era. For the end of the month, it's going retro: following a quiet App Store launch earlier in May, the company has formally announced a free Blockbuster 2.0 iOS app that covers everything but streaming. The release is built almost exclusively for traditionalists, letting them manage their Blockbuster By Mail rental queues, scan membership cards and check the stock at those stores that remain open. About the only concessions to modernity are the built-in movie trailers. While the app does give some needed love to disc-based viewers, it's an acute reminder that much of Blockbuster's original audience has moved on.
Blockbuster on Demand app now available
Blockbuster's been going through a bit of a reinvention over the last few years. It's retail stores are closing in staggering numbers as the company refocuses on becoming a streaming rental service with Blockbuster on Demand. Today that quest becomes a little easier with the service's debut on iOS devices, via a free app. The Blockbuster on Demand service allows you to stream from a library of thousands of HD movies, including new releases. While the app is free, the service requires you to pay by the film and lacks an a la carte option like those found on Hulu or Netflix. When the service's mobile app launched for Android, it lacked HD video support for mobile devices, but that shortcoming has been fixed in the iOS version. You can find the app in the iTunes store now.
