With more and more gamers flocking to digital storefronts, US mega-retailer GameStop is locked in a battle to remain relevant. Its latest solution? The newly leaked Power Pass: a $60 six month subscription that will give you access to an unlimited selection of pre-owned games. You’ll be able to swap games whenever you like, and when your membership ends, you’ll keep the last game you had on hire.
This actually sounds like a really good deal, though we do have concerns about the condition some of these pre-owned titles are inevitably going to end up in. Still, if you can cope with pizza encrusted cases then this actually looks like good value for money – although the small-print does note that you’ll need to be a PowerUp Rewards member to sign up. Registrations will open on 19th November – interested?
[source resetera.com]
Comments 24
This sounds like one of the better deals GameStop's conjured up in a long time.
Whoa. That actually does sound good. It’s like their summer promotion turned into a good idea - and then you get to keep the last game? Why not make the last game a super valuable one? I guess everyone might have that same thought.
This is awesome damn.
Its a good idea, but I bet the publishers won't like it. And one of the reasons digital prices have generally been so high, is because the platform holders have been prepared to preserve the physical storefront in brick and mortar shops by having similar, if not (much) higher prices on their digital storefront . Wonder if this will push them to the all digital future we know they would all love to go to...
Wow! I like it.
I've been living in Valencia, Spain for the past year and their GAME stores have a rentals system. Such a useful method as it lead to me buying many of the games I played shortly after such as Mafia 3, Lego Star Wars, Hitman and more. Jealous of the yanks getting the service
Actually sounds good for GameStop, but I'd imagine the games on selection wouldn't be the best?
Sounds good, and it should work well in practice too. It keeps people coming into and out of the stores for exchanges, and clears up shelf space of those used games just sitting there not doing anything anyway. And it gets them more Pro sign-ups. Those cashiers must be so sick of hearing how bad Pro is compared to both BB's GCU and Amazon's 20% off w/ Prime. I've been in and out of GS a lot the last few weeks, they dont' even bother to ask me any more to re-subscribe, and I use a GS credit card.
The one big obvious downside is supply. How many used copies of any game do they have? If you shop there think about it, usually 1 copy of each. Maybe 2 or 3 for a recent popular game. So dont' go in expecting to get Horizon or Nioh or anything. This thing has "bait and switch" written all over it. Of course there will always be games to be had, always something in stock, but it will be similar to the Gamefly situation, never the game you want.
This is aimed at guys like me who use Redbox, Gamefly and my library, or just wait for $5 sales or PS+, but I won't bother, it's really $75 if I need to sign up for Pro, and i don't want to.
Then let me guess all the used ones people return Gamestop will try to sell as new then.
That sounds amazing. Gamestop must be desperate for business, I guess.
I could see myself using this to catch up on a lot of older PS4 and Nintendo DS games.
Sounds good, but its very rare GameStop stock games I want, and even rarer those are labeled used.
If we get this here in Norway too, I hope they won't start pushing it like they push preorders, that would kill all my goodwill for them in the future.
WOW!! This is a hell of a deal. Gamestop is only like 5 minutes from my house. $10 a month for unlimited rentals sounds terrific. Im there day one
I agree this sounds like a pretty intriguing proposition. Especially with the fact you get to keep a game at the end. If you figure the average used game goes for about $20, then the service of unlimited rentals is more on the order of $40 for the 6 mon. That’s even better than PS Plus since you can choose your games.
But ....
I do have the same concern that has been noted in the other comments — I fear that this will result in the used section being even more “picked over” with the recent releases and small release games (Japanese games, indies, niche titles) being even more hard to find. You’ll have plenty of copies of Assassin Creed Unity and Madden 16 to choose from, but don’t expect to ever get to rent Yakuza 0 or The Last Guardian.
Color me interested. I'm not saying I'm going but this can't be looked at as anything but a good deal, especially with the keep the last game component. Which when you complete you can trade back in for more credit.
That sounds pretty good but game stop is a bit of a travel for myself so I'll probably stick with gamefly.
Once an item is pre-owned, it then becomes the property of the store, not the publishers. So GameStop can do whatever it likes with preowned products as it belongs to them at that point, i.e. selling for lower prices(even lower pre-owned prices for pro members). This is an absolutely brilliant sales tactic, and i am fully on board to support this. This harkens back to the days of Blockbuster and the such, rental storefronts. And I for one, miss those experiences very much.
Side thought, with the extra money you save from not buying new games as often, but still going into the store to seap out games, one may be tempted to buy some merch, pokemon decks, coffee mugs. This is just brilliant, truly brilliant.
I'd prefer to stop playing and start to crochet rather than step into a Gamestop.
Seems like a good deal but I’d imagine the more popular titles will be hard to get hold of, especially the newer releases. The only way I can see publishers preventing GameStop from using this practice is by going digital only or somehow prevent them re-selling their games. GameStop couldn’t copy games then sell them because of copyright laws but they can sell the games as pre-owned? Where’s the logic in that? 🤔
I use Boomerang Rentals anyway here in the UK and every new release has came either on release day or the next without fail, they are a great service, I’ve saved over £5,000 in the 3 years since joining them.
They must have been desperate to do this. It’s a great idea I have to say. the used games will be in crappier condition then they already are because of this though.
@itshoggie It's every pre-owned game in the store from the look of it, so I suppose the selection would vary by store.
I used to do this weekly with a used game when I was younger. Buy a used game and take it back after five or six days and get another. I'd rinse and repeat until I got one that I loved and couldn't bare to part with it.
These guys are treading water for a long time now... digital sales are killing them...no harm as they were always rip off merchants.... haven't bought a physical game in over two years.
I may have to do this ,, wallet has been pretty thin lately
I hate GameStop but this is actually a pretty good deal for people who aren’t collectors.
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