"Netflix Adds Video Game Rentals"

http://games.ign.com/articles/119/1195167p1.html




"netflix will begin offering video game rentals this fall, the company announced tonight.

In a new blog post, Co-Founder and CEO Reed Hastings announced that the company's mail delivery service will be separated from its online streaming. The new delivery service is called Quikster, and will "add a video games upgrade option, similar to our upgrade option for Blu-ray, for those who want to rent Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 games."

More here (with a roll-your-eyes video by the CEO).
http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/19/netflix-spins-dvd-by-mail-service-off-into-qwikster-says-its/

I wonder if they will be the big titles and day 1 releases like Gamefly. Blockbuster has games i there mail sub too, but the big titles don't come out for months. The thing I noticed is Netflix/Quickster is going to charge extra for games, just like they charge extra for BluRay. Blockbuster by mail is one price for all. So unless the games section can rival Gamefly, I'm not sold on there "new direction".

~mrmiller

This is odd. The main reason they raised prices was to get out of the DVD by mail business. They said the cost was too much. Now they want to try DVD (games) by mail instead? It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, and I probably won't do it. I have been thinking about Gamefly for a while and may pull the trigger there.

Another article on the subject.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Netflix-CEO-Apologizes-for-nytimes-1236689230.html?x=0&.v=1

"I messed up," Mr. Hastings said. "I owe everyone an explanation."

So what he's saying is, I thought no one would care but all my customers left. Now the board and stockholders are pissed at me...LOL

Getting the feeling someone doesn't really know what the hell they're doing over there. Instablility is another factor that will cause them to see major stock plummets.....

[quote="S7 K1ll3rKlown]
Getting the feeling someone doesn't really know what the hell they're doing over there. Instablility is another factor that will cause them to see major stock plummets.....

[/quote]

I think he knows exactly what he is doing. There is no growth potential in the DVD market, but streaming is the future. I think it was a calculated kill off of that side of the business, so the profits can increase for the streaming side without the DVD side dragging down the company.

~mrmiller