Rent or buy video games?
My boyfriend and I plan to get a PS4 after the holidays. We will split the cost together.
We both are the sort to finish games and not pick them up again when done. Except for a few games with a lot of replay value, like GTA or Call of Duty, well, most don’t get played a ton when done.
What are your thoughts on using a game rental service? For about $20/month, we could have 2 games out at a time through Game fly. I have used that service before and it’s fast and good where I live.
Or is it better to buy games and then sell or trade in? Or rent and then if I really, really, really like a game, I can buy it?
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16 Answers
Well, that’s up to you…if the rental system works for your gaming habits, stick with that. Not much point in buying a game full price if you might not play it much after.
Rent the ones you haven’t played before and if you find out that you want to keep it buy it. I would’nt invest a lot of money on any product that I’m not a 100% sure is a keeper.
Why make it either/or? Some you might want to keep, and others you will want to buy. As @JimTurner says, rent first and buy later.
Agreeing with @JimTurner. Rent before you buy. If you decide that a certain game should be a keeper, and that you’ll use it often and over the long term, it’s never too late to purchase it.
I do the same thing with books. Unless I have a very compelling reason to buy something, I just borrow it from the library and then return it. I save money, and I don’t have bookcases full of things that’ll sit there for posterity.
I say start with renting the first month and see how it goes. Renting is cheaper (least that is the case here) and you will be able to form a decent gaming schedule and define your gaming habits/tastes better before investing.
@YARNLADY & @SadieMartinPaul I use to buy movies until I was introduced to Netflex. Now I rent just about everything I watch.
@JimTurner I’m guessing that you watched each movie just once? Then, you’re stuck owning and storing something that you’ll likely never see again. That is, until you get fed up and have a yard sale or donate a big boxful to a charity.
It makes sense to buy a movie if you really love it and know that you’ll watch it repeatedly. Otherwise…
@SadieMartinPaul Yes at first that is how it was then Netflex came along and Blockbuster Video and I learned if I paid a small monthly fee I could rent every movie that I thought I might like.
In the end I saved a bundle.
Great Question! My answer is simple. Rent it and if you like it than buy it! Over the years I’ve bought many crappy games because I didn’t take that advice. Just start off renting. After a few hours you’ll know if you will like it or not.
@DWW25921 took my answer, rent if first then if you don’t like it you haven’t wasted a bunch of money on a game you will never play.
Thanks guys. I think we’ll be getting Gamefly then for 2 games out at a time. I looked at the prices and it’s actually cheaper to buy through Gamefly too because they give you pretty good discounts. $40—$45 to keep a game that you are currently renting. That’s not bad considering most new games are $60.
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I too agree with others. It’s always a good way to try something out before you buy it whenever possible. This way you get to look at a game and decide whether you want to buy it or not.
Just to update, after a lot of talking, my boyfriend and I decided to get a ps3. We got one for really, really cheap. In the end, we just wanted to save money and have a wide variety of games to play.
I did get Gamefly too. What a great service!
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