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WhyBuyGames to add Blu-ray stock

7 April 2008 15:00 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 5 comments

WhyBuyGames.com,, the large European online rental company has announced that it will be adding Blu-ray movies to its current stock of video games.

The company secured external capital investment to fund the expansion, has said the decision was made due to the growth in Blu-ray player sales. The company also noted that sales "jumped sevenfold since the collapse of Toshiba's HD-DVD format."

Co-founder Aaron Barrett says he hopes that Blu-ray will account for as much as 20 percent of the company's profits in the future but that Xbox 360 games are the most popular at the moment. PlayStation 3 games were gaining popularity however.

"There has been a significant rise in PS3 game rentals this year," he said. "Due to the increase in PS3 game rentals we decided to expand our services to offer Blu-ray films and have noticed that customers are increasingly adding these into there rental queues."

"The videogame rental market has had significant growth over the last five years and is forecast to increase further but at a steadier rate," he noted. "With the cost of game development for next-gen consoles rising, the RRP has to be adjusted to reflect this - which puts game purchases for a lot of people at a low priority.

"Game rental will therefore become a far more attractive option as time goes on," he added.

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Blu-ray Players

Sony BDP-S550
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LG BH200
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Panasonic DMP-BD30K

Sony BDP-S500

Permalink to this article | Topics: Blu-ray HD DVD

Paramount maps Blu-ray roadmap (30 April 2008)

Shuttle introduces new HTPC with Blu-ray/HD DVD hybrid drive (12 April 2008)

Blockbuster will expand Blu-ray rentals and sales (12 April 2008)

GTA IV PlayStation 3 bundle coming (10 April 2008)

Wiimote-like controller coming for Xbox 360? (8 April 2008)

Sony wants 50 percent market share for Blu-ray products this year (7 April 2008)

CyberLink launched PowerDVD 8 (6 April 2008)

Japan: Wii outsells PS3, PSP outsells DS in March (4 April 2008)

US has most Blu-ray awareness (3 April 2008)

New Denon Blu-ray player is DivX Certified (3 April 2008)

Update: Microsoft again denies Blu-ray rumors (2 April 2008)

Blu-ray drive coming to Xbox 360 later this year? (1 April 2008)

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Discuss this article!
ikari (Newbie) 7 April 2008 17:58
Makes sense now that a format has been decided. Can see more and more rental places doing the samething. Curious to see if they provide any actuals on rental stats at the end of the year for Blu-Ray. *Quote:* "The videogame rental market has had significant growth over the last five years and is forecast to increase further but at a steadier rate," he noted. "With the cost of game development for next-gen consoles rising, the RRP has to be adjusted to reflect this - which puts game purchases for a lot of people at a low priority. "Game rental will therefore become a far more attractive option as time goes on," he added. I think the "next-next-gen" game consoles will need to figure out a way to reduce development costs. The idea of having a "next-next-gen" game cost more than the current next-gen prices might turn more casual gamers off buying a console. Lets hope MS, Sony, Nintendo, and possible other competition realize and address this. [ + quote]
i1der (Junior Member) 7 April 2008 18:44
Why does wii games cost so much? When they use last gen technology to develop games.... Don't even fock argue with me about that! If you want a prove just play any game on wii and the same game on on PS2 or even PSP (i did play manhunt 2 on wii and psp and look exactly the same) Since when adding new controllers is New gen.... People are so Stupid about this... If so, sony just developed a new new-gen now its has a Rumble and Sixaxe on same controller lol... And for what i heard its been super easy to develop games to Xbox360, witch makes me think that we are getting ripped off when games for these console still costing the same as the PS3(i know $50 for most of wii but some still $60, 50 bucks for old gen with new controllers still expensive) As the developers say "is focking hard to develop for PS3" would be the only one to make sense to cost more... My 2 cents. Obs: PSP is the best system ever made! [ + quote]
TBandit (Member) 7 April 2008 19:02
Its obvious why renting has grown so much, the prices of games have jumped too high for many to consider buying new. Why buy new when most of the games you get for the next gen you can complete by just renting it for a week or so. Must be super easy to develop 360 games seeing as how short most of the damn games are. They now have to depend on online play now. [ + quote]
i1der (Junior Member) 7 April 2008 19:03
*Originally posted by i1der:* Obs: PSP is the best system ever made! just something to better finish that sentence... PSP is like wii on the go lol... Just a rant no hating plz, i have all the systems i comment about... I wouldn't talk about something i don't know... Personal opinion, personal experience! [ + quote]
Hunt720 (Junior Member) 7 April 2008 20:52
I'd say that a large part of the 360 titles being the "top" renter is due to the online acheivements that can be gained. If PS3 HOME actually has the "acccomplishments" (wtf.. seriously?) then maybe the renting will pick up. I don't rent any titles for games... I do however have a netflix account that I LOVE getting Blu-Ray movies with before I decide to buy. [ + quote]