Bluestacks wants its new console system, the Android-based GamePop, to be "Netflix for games." Pre-orders have launched for the device, which won't cost consumers more than a monthly commitment to sign up to its games services and to pay around $10 for shipping and handling. For a $6.99 monthly fee, customers get access to a library of over 500 Android-based games, the GamePop console, a controller, the power supply and HDMI cable.

Signifi Solutions has launched a new video game vending kiosk called the 'Gamer Spot Shop' that allows consumers to rent and purchase video games, going head-to-head with other companies that provide similar services such as Redbox.

Signifi says that most retailers spend a lot of resources to sell video games, but with its kiosk solution retailers can automate the process, have better control over inventory and reduce manpower.

Back when OnLive was launched in 2010, cloud gaming was seen as a leviathan rising from the deep. On paper, the concept was not only pretty watertight, but it was a strong contender to traditional gaming models (especially the console market).

Cloud gaming was going to happen. It was just a question of logistics.

GameFly, the leader in video game rentals by-mail and on-demand through PC has laid off a number of its staff today as part of a restructuring plan, Joystiq reports. In a prepared statement to Joystiq GameFly CEO Dave Hodess said that these layoffs are part of the company's business aligning itself better to existing console and digital games markets.

Dish Network announced that it plans to close hundreds of Blockbuster stores in the next couple of weeks and expects to cut thousands of jobs as a result. The video and videogame rental company was bought by Dish in 2010 after the company went bankrupt. CNN Money reports that 300 stores will be closed in the United states and 3,000 jobs will be lost.

Square Enix announced today that it is launching a new web-based gaming service that will allow consumers to play console quality, high definition games in their browser. The service is called CoreOnline, and will feature a micro transaction-based system.

The first titles released are Hitman: Blood Money and Mini Ninjas, with other games such as Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Tomb Raider: Underworld, and others to follow at a later date to be determined.

Five months ago kiosk video game and movie rental company Redbox announced a deal with Verizon to create a service to compete with Netflix. Today we learn a little bit more about the service via a freshly launched website. The name of the new service is "Redbox Instant by Verizon," and it will be headed by Shawn Strickland, who served as an executive for Verizon’s FiOS Pay TV service.

According to a new report (Q1 2012 Games Market Dynamics: U.S.) from research firm NPD Group, estimated total consumer spending on used and rental game content in the first quarter of 2012 reached $525 million, and content in digital format (full game and add-on content downloads, subscriptions, mobile games and social network games) generated $1.38 billion. This is in addition to the $1.5 billion spent in the U.S. by consumers on new physical video and PC game software.

VentureBeat offers an exclusive infographic it put together based on data given to the publication by video rental kiosk leader Redbox. The data in question relates to video game rentals, a market that the company owned by Coinstar decided to jump into last year (if you want to see what games Redbox offers, check out the Games Section of its web site).

Blockbuster UK has launched a rewards program specifically for gamers called "Blockbuster VIP Gamer" and just by signing up members receive 2,500 points. The idea of the program is to earn these points that can then be used for a variety of perks including discounts on purchases, free rentals, free software, and - if you can amass a large amount of points - free hardware.

If you are a parent who has no idea about technology, games or the dark places of the Internet, then you might be interested in learning more about "The Modern Parent’s Guide" series of free books. Written by games journalist Scott Steinberg, the first title in the series, "The Modern Parent’s Guide to Kids and Video Games," is available now as a free download at www.videogamesandkids.com. 

If you were hoping that Netflix was still considering renting video games like it does with disc-based movies, let that hope die tonight. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said today on a call to discuss the latest quarter’s earnings, that the idea was dead and laying in a shallow grave right next to the one about renaming its disc-based rental service to "Quikster."

Kiosk-based rental firm RedBox has announced the top ten most rented games in 2011, revealing that the Xbox 360 was the platform of choice based on the games rented. The most popular game was Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox 360, followed by Just Dance 3 for Wii, Dead Island for Xbox 360, Cars 2 for Wii, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 on PlayStation 3. Clearly the big winner in the list was Modern Warfare 3. Game rentals have been available at the company's kiosks nationwide since June.

Some publishers and developers think that the practice of buying a used game is like committing an act of software piracy, so it comes as no surprise that a company like Blockbuster - who rents them to consumers and gives a portion of that revenue to game makers - has support for many in the game industry. Blockbuster believes that what it does is a way to reduce used game sales too. By offering what they consider reasonable game rental terms.

Video rental company Redbox said that game sales are proving lucrative for the company, and that Wii games in particular are popular among its customers. The kiosk-based rental company issued a statement Monday saying that it had seen over 4 million sales for 2011 and that around 5,000 new kiosks have been deployed throughout the country. At the present time, 27,000 machines offer game rentals.

Online video game and movie trading community Goozex will offer free trading to all its existing PlayStation 3 trading members through May 31. Goozex will waive the usual $1.99 trade free needed to receive items on the site for any member that has sent or received at least one PlayStation 3 video game or Blu-ray movie prior to May 9. Goozex says that, while it is a small gesture of appreciation for its thousands of PS3 owners, the company feels that it is an important one given what PS3 users are going through.

Video game rental-by-mail firm GameFly has won a legal battle against the United States Postal Service. Filed in April of last year with the Postal Regulatory Commission, GameFly alleged that the USPS had discriminated against the company while giving preferential treatment to similar businesses such as Netflix and Blockbuster.

After a year of legal wrangling, court proceedings and a flurry of motions, the Postal Regulatory Commission has ruled in favor of GameFly and has ordered the USPS to remedy the situation in short order. The Postal Regulatory Commission is an independent federal agency that provides regulatory oversight over the U.S. Postal Service. It has the power to force the Postal Service into compliance on various complaints.

Direct2Drive, IGN's digital distribution channel for PC games, quietly launch a rental scheme for its line-up of games. For $5, users can try out select games from the site's catalog for five hours. If they like the game and want to buy it, they can simply pay the asking price and have $5 taken off the top of the purchase price.

Right now the selection of games that support this feature include Divinity II - Ego Draconis, F.E.A.R., Race Driver: Grid and Silent Hill: Homecoming. While the selection of games available during this early phase of testing is sparse, D2D promises that games supporting this function will “grow in time."

It is an interesting idea because it allows you to get a good taste of a game without committing to the full purchase price. Of course, it is all about balance and pricing: five hours in game priced at $15 seems like a waste, but $5 for that time in a $50 title might be worth it.

Video game rental service Redbox announced that it is testing video game rentals through its in-store kiosks in Bakersfield, California. Bakersfield-area Redbox users can rent a variety of video games from such platforms as PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii for $2 a night plus tax. The addition of video games in the Bakersfield area is a test designed to gauge consumer interest in video game rentals. Redbox will offer video game rentals through more than 70 area kiosks.

Redbox offers DVD and Blu-ray movie rentals through its kiosks nationwide. Adding games into the mix will allow the company to compete with competitors like Blockbuster and online video game rental services like GameFly.

You can learn more about Redbox, or find a kiosk near you, by checking out Redbox.com

Source: Bakersfield.com

Video rental company Redbox is testing videogame rentals in three test cities. The company, which makes use of video rental kiosks around the country, began testing videogame rentals last week in Austin, Texas, Reno, Nevada and Wilmington, North Carolina. The rentals cost $2 a day per titles. The initiative has been rolled out to 150 kiosks units in those regions, according to analysts familiar with the company.

Eric Wold, analyst with Merriman Curhan Ford in New York conducted a survey of kiosk in the target region; he said that the data showed an average of 2.8 video game titles and 3 video game SKUs (platforms) per kiosk.