Arts Entertainments

Online video game rental: how do they work?

Tired of going to the video store with the kids to rent those popular video games? Many new services have emerged in recent years that make this parenting ritual, and the late fees that accompany it, a thing of the past.

Going online to rent a video game is a great way to clear another errand and keep the kids happy. You never have to go beyond your mailbox, and you can keep games until the kids get tired of them or win them (whichever comes first).

Various services such as Gamefly, Numbthumb, and RentZero have started serving this lucrative market, and the number of companies joining them is growing on a monthly basis. The concept is simple and convenient.

The services work more like a subscription than a video rental store. Select multiple games (up to 50 on Gamefly) that you would like to rent in the future. These are placed in a lineup or queue that you will receive. Then you will consult the children and see how many they want to receive at a time. With this information, you will choose the subscription plan you want. You can choose to receive one, two, or three games at a time, with monthly rates depending on the number selected. Most range from around $ 15.00 per month to $ 35.00 per month.

Your service will send you the game (s) along with prepaid envelopes for your return. They will arrive at your mailbox and you will need to take them home. That’s! No discussions in the video store, no chasing kids down the aisles, no “burnout” issues.

Once the kids (or your partner) have enjoyed the game, simply drop it in the postage-paid envelope and put it in a mailbox. When the company receives it, it ships the next game on the list. You keep the game as long as you want.

The tail is also flexible. Game selection can be updated online and changes to the list are applied immediately. Children can make as many modifications as they want.

All plans have options to buy a game that kids can’t seem to get enough of, and most charge prices for pre-played games. However, most people seem to enjoy trying as many games as possible each month, and you can always re-queue a game that you love.

Response time is a factor, so consider where the game rental company is located. The closer you are to the mail center, the sooner they will receive your returns and you will get your new games. Most plans average 6-7 days from the time you mail your game until the new one is received, but that means you can try 4 games a month for every subscription you get.

If you don’t like spending hundreds of dollars on games you haven’t tried, or if you’re too lazy to hit the video store every week, online video game rental services may be for you.

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