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Gamefly Starts Using Protection, Ignores Abstinence Propaganda
Conrad Zimmerman | 7:44 PM on 02.11.2008 11 comments


When I picked up my mail this afternoon, there was an incoming salvo from Gamefly and I immediately noticed that the envelope appeared thicker than usual. Now, it's been a long time since Gamefly sent me a new title. I've been extremely lazy and that copy of Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles that I wasn't even all that fond of has wound up costing me more than had I just bought it.

Tearing open the envelope presented a welcome surprise:





The games are now coming with their standard paper sleeve wrapped inside a stiff cardboard cover. How long has this practice been going on? I have no idea (and it's probably old news to most of you by now) but it's nice to see.

Sure, it's all about protecting their investment and ensuring that the same disc can be rented more times, but I'd like to view it also as a customer service. I can't count how many DVDs I've received from Netflix that had a massive crack running from the center out. With this new sleeve, that possibility will greatly diminish.

Yet another reason to stop going to Blockbuster.



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9 comments | showing # 1 to 9
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Little Burro's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/11/2008 19:50
Little Burro
After this I might consider getting Gamefly for those titles I don't wanna shell out $60 for.
topgeargorilla's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/11/2008 19:58
topgeargorilla
Blockbuster gave me aids on my left butt cheek.

true story.
Technophile's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/11/2008 20:04
Technophile
Gamefly used to use the cardboard for every title you rented. I assume that got expensive, because they stopped doing it for disc games. Only stuff like DS/PSP/GBA use the cardboard anymore.
Conrad Zimmerman's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/11/2008 20:08
Conrad Zimmerman
@Technophile -
Well, I hadn't seen it before on any rentals from them, but I only ever got disc-based games anyway. Maybe the expense of scratched up discs got to be greater than shipping the cardboard because this looks brand new.
StriderS's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/11/2008 21:43
StriderS
God, I miss Gamefly. I loved opening up that wonderful package after waiting.
HawtPawkitHero's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/11/2008 22:18
HawtPawkitHero
Today I got DMC4 and I noticed the cardboard sleeves. This is the first time I noticed they used the cardboard on a disc game. I have received PSP and DS games in cardboard and paper sleeves though, much prior to today.
B-Radicate's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/11/2008 22:19
B-Radicate
My copy of Stranglehold had one of these when I rented it a week ago. It was the first game from GameFly I had gotten with one since my first rental of Tomb Raider. This isn't new, but I'm glad to see they are using them more often than not. Sucks to get a scratched disc.
broonor's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/11/2008 22:27
broonor
years ago i remember they did that change. I've since cancelled, since i can't rationalize the money for the paltry number of games i actually want to play. It went from no sleeve to cardboard sleeve back to no cardboard within a year. That cardboard looks the same as it did back then. Wonder if they only do it on certain titles now or what the deal is.
smellyelite's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/11/2008 23:00
smellyelite
I got the same piece of cardboard about a week ago when I rented Virtua Fighter 5 from Gamefly. It was a pleasant surprise. Too bad Harvey Birdman (which came with VF5) did not have any protection. I guess you got to be worth a certain amount to receive it. Oh well...
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