Gamefly......

[metalhead87]

Just watched episode 5 and decided to comment on Gamefly. I've had Gamefly a couple years now, and I have never had any sort of problems with them. If there is a game that comes out that shows up as short/long wait, but I want to play it bad enough and am willing to wait, then to avoid getting some other game I just keep that one game in my queue.

Actually, I always just have 1 or 2 games in my queue to prevent receiving a game I wasn't all that excited about over something like Crackdown, or whatever.

Also, I think the wait for stuff at Gamefly would be a little worse than say something like Netflix. I mean, first off the games themselves cost more than DVDs. Then, you have the fact that the games take longer for someone to finish and send back than a movie. So, popular stuff is always gonna require a little waiting(unless you get in early and are one of the first people to get it).

[masherscf]

JIf there is a game that comes out that shows up as short/long wait, but I want to play it bad enough and am willing to wait, then to avoid getting some other game I just keep that one game in my queue.


So, popular stuff is always gonna require a little waiting(unless you get in early and are one of the first people to get it).

Sounds like you're part of the problem. If more people got pissed-off at waiting, they would have upgrade their library.

Of course the real difference between Netflix and Gamefly is the number of distribution nodes. For GF, the east coast is serviced by a node in California for freeks sake.

I had Gamefly for about three months. For those three months I actually had games in the house for about 14 days total.

The transit time, for Gamefly, is just about seven business days. The turn around was two weeks, like clockwork. Netflix has a node almost next door, I mail it and it's at Netflix the next day. I get the replacement on the second day after I mailed it.

So, for Gamefly, not only were the popular title not available. After waiting for two weeks for the crappy game to arrive, if you turned it around the same day you would have to wait another 2 weeks for the next game in your queue. That means you just went one billing cycle without playing a good games.

Suppose it was a great game like COD3. After a weekend of hard playing you've finished the single player stuff and want to send the title back. Again, you've had the game for a weekend and there's that turn around again.

You literally can't play enough games to make it worth the monthly fee.

My opinion, anyone who uses Gamefly on the east coast is freekin' retarded.

I live in the NYC area, this is a huge market... What are they thinking?

[crazy_bag_man]

Yeah, my main problem with gamefly is how long it takes to actually get a game once you've sent one back regardless of wether they ship it right away or I have to wait for shipment.

[metalhead87]

I just don't have the problems you mentioned. I live on the east coast. Turnaround time is 7 days. Four for them to get one I sent back, four for me to get the next one(they normally get one, then ship the new one on the same day). It just takes some time management.....it's not really that hard. I usually try to have it set up so I receive a new game on the day that I am mailing another one back, so I always have a game.

Also, I don't get how me keeping games I want to play in my queue makes me "part of the problem." Why would I keep games I didn't want to play in my queue? Makes no sense. Right now there is nothing in my queue because I have all the games out that I can have. Once I finish one I will send it back and put a new game in my queue.

I have received at least 5 games from them this month, which would have cost me at least 40 dollars if I rented them all.....not to mention the fact that some are DS games, and I don't have a local store that rents those.

Also, why the hell are we comparing Gamefly to Netflix? I mean, I get that Netflix has more distribution centers, so you get stuff faster, but renting out games that can take like 20-100 hours to finish depending on the game isn't quite the same as renting out 2 hour long movies.

[masherscf]

I just don't have the problems you mentioned. I live on the east coast. Turnaround time is 7 days. Four for them to get one I sent back, four for me to get the next one(they normally get one, then ship the new one on the same day).

I swear, I mail the thing on Monday, they get it the following Monday. I get the replacement on the next Monday.

The "problem" is the unavailability of popular games. You admitted yourself you've experienced it.

If there is a game that comes out that shows up as short/long wait, but I want to play it bad enough and am willing to wait, then to avoid getting some other game I just keep that one game in my queue.


Because you're "willing to wait" and not complain, you're supporting an expectation that many users find problematic. That's what I meant by "You're part of the problem"

I know you love Gamefly, I understand that. However, my experience is different. I rent FPS exclusively. That is, if a game like an RPG takes at least 20 hours as you suggest.... I would have no problem buying it. Two hundred hours is a great value even at $50. However, some FPS are done in about eight hours. These games are the ones I like to rent. I finish them in about a weekend. Then I have to wait two-weeks for the next game. It wasn't a very good value for me.

[metalhead87]

Yeah....I get what you are saying. If it took 2 weeks for me to get another game I would cancel too. I am in NC...guess we get stuff a little faster than some of the North-Eastern states, but my initial comments were in response to Dan's comments in Episode 5.....I don't think he mentioned his actual turnaround time, but I assumed it was 2 or 3 days.

Yeah....I have had to wait for new popular games before, but not usually. If I know a new game comes out next Tuesday, then I send one back the previous Friday. From my experience, if I have an open slot on the day a new game comes out then I have always had the new game ship on the release date.

I was willing to wait for the couple that I did have to wait for because I wanted to play them really bad, and I had other games to play while I waited for the other one. Besides.....my options were to wait a couple days, or go buy it for 60 bucks....I pick the former.

You also mentioned buying games......I buy a lot from Gamefly. Getting a game for 30 or 40 bucks instead of 50-60 just plain kicks ass.

[metalhead87]

People may know this already, or just not care, but since we got on the topic of turnaround time and distribution centers I figured I would post this. Gamefly is finally get a center on the east coast.....in Pittsburgh to be exact.

http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?p=721109

[masherscf]

People may know this already, or just not care, but since we got on the topic of turnaround time and distribution centers I figured I would post this. Gamefly is finally get a center on the east coast.....in Pittsburgh to be exact.

http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?p=721109

Why Pittsburgh? Is there a postal hub nearby?

[nroa9882]

Damn, I was all ready to use gamefly this summer to try out all the wii games that I want to try but not really buy. But after this episode, talking to my friends, and reading here...I don't think its worth it. I think blockbuster still does a gamepass where you can go to the store and exchange movies. It seems a bit more pricey and a bit of a hassle...but if they have enough wii games it might be worth it. I don't think there are any other services out there. Anyone had any luck with the blockbuster game pass?

[metalhead87]

Why Pittsburgh? Is there a postal hub nearby?

Hell if I know why Pittsburgh. I just wish they would get people added to the east coast center faster. Still getting my games from California.

To the guy that mentioned Blockbuster. I had that game pass a long time ago...don't know how/if it has changed much. All I know is it wasn't worth it to me. The games were never in stock.....was a pain in the ass trying to catch the game I wanted in. That's why I got Gamefly in the first place......that and the fact that my Blockbuster didn't even rent GC or 360 games for awhile.....they still don't have DS games.

[mapcouch]

I have the same problems with it that masherscf and dan have. I've been waiting to play oblivion since i got my 360, it's been at the top of my list since.

Mailing times for me, (in texas) vary from 6-8 days to get here, and sometimes more than that to get back.

I'm glad to hear they're getting an east coast mailing center, (blockbuster online has at least one in every state I think) but its not going to help me any. I get about 4 games a month total with my 3-games-out-a-time plan. But its around 20 bucks which is what renting 4 games from blockbuster directly would cost, so I just deal with it.

I've been hoping blockbuster online would start a games service for a long time, but no luck. frownyface

[metalhead87]

Dang....that's crazy that I get games all the way on the east coast faster than you do in Texas. That is more of a USPS problem though.....of course, if they had more distribution centers the problem wouldn't exist.

If you want Oblivion just do what I said and take everything out of your queue except Oblivion...then they HAVE to send it. You would probably have to wait a couple days for them to get one back in though, so just do it when you have 2 other games to play since you have the 3 game plan. That's what I am doing right now......playing Super Paper Mario and Shining Force EXA while Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales is sitting in my queue on "short wait" status.

[hexxagonal]

Dang....that's crazy that I get games all the way on the east coast faster than you do in Texas. That is more of a USPS problem though.....of course, if they had more distribution centers the problem wouldn't exist.

If you want Oblivion just do what I said and take everything out of your queue except Oblivion...then they HAVE to send it. You would probably have to wait a couple days for them to get one back in though, so just do it when you have 2 other games to play since you have the 3 game plan. That's what I am doing right now......playing Super Paper Mario and Shining Force EXA while Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales is sitting in my queue on "short wait" status.

i put a gamefly envelope in the mail and get one back 7 days later about. it's not bad... not like blockbuster or netflix... but oh well.

but i have to call everyone out... WTF? Crackdown? Look at your calendar... ever heard of this little beta coming out called Halo 3??? I'm surprised you could find a copy at blockbuster because everyone I know who didn't buy the game is scouring blockbusters looking for a copy to rent.

Honestly, I've had gamefly for a long time and have never had an issue with not getting games that I want. My queue is full. Maybe I'm just lucky