Game Rental... brainstorming...

[doctorclu]

Have you ever wondered what it would take to run a netflicks-like service for Atari games?

 

It is interesting to me how Netflicks works... they send original movies, and you can keep the movie, paying the monthly fee, and you get another movie when you return the movie.

 

So what happens when you don't return a movie? Do they charge the worth of the movie to your credit card eventually?

 

I think most Atari users are truthworthy, but just thinking good friendly business here.

[doctorclu]

I see there is no interest in a Atari rental service. Cool enough.

 

Thanks for those that at least read this.

[busterm]

Have you ever wondered what it would take to run a netflicks-like service for Atari games?

 

It is interesting to me how Netflicks works... they send original movies, and you can keep the movie, paying the monthly fee, and you get another movie when you return the movie.

 

So what happens when you don't return a movie? Do they charge the worth of the movie to your credit card eventually?

 

I think most Atari users are truthworthy, but just thinking good friendly business here.

 

The way netflix works is you can keep the movie as long as you pay your montly dues. Once you cancel your membership you have 30 days to return the movie, at least thats what it was last year when I canceled and went with blockbuster as the instore trade in program was more convinenet with combination mail delivery. If you didnt return the movie by the 31st day the charged your credit card the full purchase price of the movie.

 

Gamefly works the same way Ive been with them about a year but they are so slow sometimes I have to wiat a week for my next game to be sent out. This could be beause I always request new games. Now that Hollywood video is doing unlimited game rentals a month for $19 I'll probably cancel gamefly.

[busterm]

I see there is no interest in a Atari rental service. Cool enough.

 

Thanks for those that at least read this.

 

 

I would be interested in the service if the cost was resonable. You would def have to sign up for the bulk mail discount with the USPS so you can get discount on shipping. Though Im not sure you would get the required volume unless you were more expanded with the likes of Nintendo, Intelivision, Coleco, SMS, SNES, Gen and so on .

[phaxda]

Most of the vintage games are so relatively cheap to buy that the overhead of such a service for such old games would negate any real profits. Plus it's just such a small niche market. I don't think there's any way it works. It's especially difficult considering the options now available for playing games on real hardware without actually having to get the physical copies of the games. I mean, if you want to play a rare Atari 2600 game are you really going to pay a fee, deal with the shipping and signup process and who knows what else, or are you just going to download the BIN and put it on your Harmony/Cuttle cart?

 

The audience you would be catering to here is collectors, who are the only ones who really give a damn about physical hardware... and you're not going to sell them on any sort of "rental" scheme. Plus they are the ones who have the "play BINS on real hardware" options available. I am personally not interested and I honestly don't know who would be. The people who want to play these old games have tons of other cheaper and well-proven options.

[Goochman]

Id like to rent Battlesphere Gold, Battlesphere Classic, Gorf CD, and Mad Bodies my first month - then cancel my membership

[Gorf]

Any one that rents Gorf CD will feel my wrath, unreservedly. You'll wish you tried to whore it on e-whore.

[+remowilliams]

Id like to rent Battlesphere Gold, Battlesphere Classic, Gorf CD, and Mad Bodies my first month - then cancel my membership

I'll take the second set of rental copies of those, enclosed find my $10 deposit.

[doctorclu]

Id like to rent Battlesphere Gold, Battlesphere Classic, Gorf CD, and Mad Bodies my first month - then cancel my membership

 

LOL awesome.

 

Any one that rents Gorf CD will feel my wrath, unreservedly. You'll wish you tried to whore it on e-whore.

 

Amazing. (shakes head)

 

At any rate, I had more or less decided against the idea. Was not playing the games but figured make them available for others whose timing in getting these games were not as fortunate as myself. But I think most have tried all these titles or will just outright buy them.

 

So that in mind, so others can enjoy these games as I did, be happy to sell most of my collection outright for a reasonable price.

 

Thanks for the comments and ideas for the brainstorming on this everyone.

[Pete5125]

Not a bad buiness idea, the only problem, is that you would need, to have several copies of Songbird, Telegames, and the newer games to make it work...most of theses games are $60 to $100+ (20 to 30 games x 2 or 3 copies) the you would want most of the original Jag games $5 to $30 (about 60 or so games 2 or 3 copies)

 

So just the purchasing of the games if you can get them all at around 2 to 3 copies of every game would be a starting price of around 10grand or so, just to get started, then shipping cost that you cover, also a hope that the renter takes good care of the game(granted you could write the contract so that if you did not recieve it back in same condition then they are charged a make good fee)

 

so you would need to get about 100 customers a month w/ a hope of averaging the same amount of customers for at least a year...at that point you would be at break even then profit from that moment on...but these are very optimistic #'s for a buisness, keep in mind you would be going after AtariAge customers and if you don't offer top notch customer service then they will turn on you look at SS4U post etc.

[Robocop2]

The major problem I see with a service like this at least with relation to classic games; is that most people who are into classic gaming want to own the game not just play it a few times and send it back. I think its a decent idea other than that just may want to expand your scope to encompass more recent games as well.