Redbox, the vending machine rental system for movies and games, appears to be discontinuing the video game part of its service.Redboxhas offered video games as part of its instant rental service since 2011, roughly half as long as it has offered movie rentals. Games have been offered for every major console platform, including PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. But it seems the video game rental service isn’t what it used to be, as Redbox has now confirmed that it will no longer be renting games.
While Redbox did not make an official announcement regarding its discontinuation of video game rentals, the decision quickly became apparent to watchful Redbox users. The official Redbox website has been scrubbed of all mentions ofvideo game rentals, for example. Given that the Redbox website is a primary source for users to rent games, outside of just walking up to a machine, Redbox has clearly already gone through with its decision.
RELATED:Netflix Will Not Offer Video Game Rentals
As for the official confirmation, a Redbox user replied to a post on the service’s community subreddit saying that they talked withRedbox’s customer service to confirm the discontinuation. The customer service representative reportedly stated that Redbox will no longer rent games. However, it will continue to sell copies of games through January 2020, likely so as to get rid of as much remaining video game stock left in machines as possible.
The loss of Redbox video game rentals is certain to felt among thrifty video game players. Redbox was one of just two major video game rental services remaining, with themail-based service GameFlynow becoming the last major platform in the US. But as for local, immediate rental services with new games, there doesn’t appear to be a viable widespread alternative.
What’s still unclear is why Redbox decided to end its video game rental services. Video game rentals were available for $3/day, meaning that each disc would pay for its full $60 price in just 20 days. Redbox did seem to be dealing with an issue where renters would steal the game disc and replace it with a high-quality printing of the disc and its associated security codes. Perhaps thestolen Redbox gameswere too widespread andRedboxdecided video games weren’t profitable enough anymore. Whatever the reason, video game renters will have to find a new way to try games before they buy.
