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Blockbuster details new Games By Mail rental system
Yesterday, we heard about beleaguered rental chain Blockbuster's attempt to yoink some of the video game rental market back from the hands of GameFly by implementing a new "Games By Mail" rental service. Today, we received more details: For an extra $7.99 plus tax on top of their standard monthly fees, Blockbuster Online subscribers will be able to rent one game at a time, which counts towards the total number of discs they're allowed to have out under their subscription plan. Fortunately, if you don't check out any games during the one-month billing period, you're not charged the extra eight bucks. For more details on the service -- which Blockbuster is currently testing in Cleveland, Ohio "with plans to expand this nationwide before the end of the year" -- check out the company's FAQ page.
TiVo to bundle Blockbuster Online?
Our buddy Dave Zatz was poking around the TiVo store last night and stumbled upon an apparent, unannounced partnership not with Netflix, but Blockbuster Online. From the look of things, you'll be able to lock yourselves into a 1 year Blockbuster Online commitment for between $13-$15 per month over the cost of TiVo's current hardware / service bundles. Sure it sounds a bit promiscuous given TiVo's history with Netflix, but with that video-on-demand service postponed indefinitely and mean ol' Netflix looking to give Blockbuster a pounding in court, why not get a little on the side, eh TiVo?
Netflix taking Blockbuster to court
Well, you know how we do in America: if ya can't beat 'em, sue 'em. Netflix is taking Blockbuster to court in California over the latter's online movie rental service, which, while suspiciously similar to Netflix, is certainly not the second DVD rental service available to consumers. We're a little perplexed as to why Netflix would only now be taking Blockbuster to court over their business methodology (i.e. their forming a company that does subscription-based online DVD rental by mail) seeking payment for damages and not, say, Wal-Mart (oh yeah, because they already took over Wal-Mart), but something tells us they're not looking for recompense so much as they're looking for Blockbuster to get the hell off their turf.
