10 Video Game Traditions That Are Dead And Buried
7. Rentals
There was one other way to try games before you bought them and, in this particular instance, it was the full product rather than a vertical slice. Get those tissues ready and prepare to press F to mourn the passing of Blockbuster video.
It cannot be overstated how much a part of Western culture rentals became. In 1998 in particular, the rental industry in America made more money than the cinema box office by over $4.5m. Video games were just a portion of that pie but it was quite the divisive subject. Nintendo in particular were concerned about the effect it could have on their profit margins and spent years chasing Blockbuster with court orders that ultimately went nowhere.
Rentals were a chance to play the newest titles, often on release day, for a fraction of the price. For gamers that only got new titles on special occasions like birthdays and holidays, it was suddenly possible to have a taste of every possibility.
As a general concept, rentals have become a thing of the past due to the rise in streaming and digital distribution. Before this though it was the Friday night excursion to the brick and mortar store, whether that was Blockbuster or an independent, to pick up a film for the night and, if you were lucky, scope out the latest Mega Drive releases.