Why doesn't Blockbuster give game instructions with rentals?
07-18-02, 09:04 PM
#1
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Why doesn't Blockbuster give game instructions with rentals?
This bothers the Hell out of me!! Some games, like driving games, you can easily figure out, but some are impossible without instructions. Why can't they be like other stores and have a scan-bar on the booklet...if you don't bring it back, you get charged a late fee.
Does anyone else hate this about Blockbuster???
Does anyone else hate this about Blockbuster???
07-18-02, 09:17 PM
#2
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I think they either get stolen right away or they save them for when they resell the game. They should at least copy the instructions and give you something to help you with the game.
07-18-02, 10:09 PM
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they get stolen, never get returned, destroyed, ripped, pissed on, crumbled, and anything else.
they never last long. plain and simple.
they never last long. plain and simple.
07-18-02, 10:13 PM
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Yeah, but some places laminate them. They also charge you if the book isn't returned. Surely Blockbustercould do something.
07-18-02, 10:28 PM
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Originally posted by dvdsteve2000
Yeah, but some places laminate them. They also charge you if the book isn't returned. Surely Blockbustercould do something.
Yeah, but some places laminate them. They also charge you if the book isn't returned. Surely Blockbustercould do something.
07-19-02, 03:03 AM
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it would still be a problem. people don't give a rats about things, scratches happen, people are just not careful.
07-19-02, 08:43 AM
#9
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www.ihateblockbuster.com I guess take it up with this guy, although he's already pissed off enough.
07-19-02, 09:01 AM
#11
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Why doesn't Blockbuster have game instructions?
Why did it take them 15 years to realize people like renting lots of games and the beefed up sections help those people?
Why does Blockbuster carry previously viewed movies above the price you can get it for new at Best Buy or somewhere online?
Why is Blockbuster's film selection so shoddy?
Why does Blockbuster employ people that don't know anything about movies?
Why is Blockbuster's account system so messed up that other people's lates fees spill over into similarly-named accounts?
Why don't they carry NC-17 films or unrated films?
Answer: Because they suck.
Why did it take them 15 years to realize people like renting lots of games and the beefed up sections help those people?
Why does Blockbuster carry previously viewed movies above the price you can get it for new at Best Buy or somewhere online?
Why is Blockbuster's film selection so shoddy?
Why does Blockbuster employ people that don't know anything about movies?
Why is Blockbuster's account system so messed up that other people's lates fees spill over into similarly-named accounts?
Why don't they carry NC-17 films or unrated films?
Answer: Because they suck.
07-19-02, 09:02 AM
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Originally posted by darkside
They should at least copy the instructions and give you something to help you with the game.
They should at least copy the instructions and give you something to help you with the game.
07-19-02, 09:47 AM
#13
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Originally posted by ctyner
There was quite a fuss in the late '80s/very early '90s for Blockbuster copying instruction manuals. Manuals are copyrighted material.
There was quite a fuss in the late '80s/very early '90s for Blockbuster copying instruction manuals. Manuals are copyrighted material.
A game company allows them to derive rental income from a single purchase of a game. Yet they will not grant license to provide instructions on how to play the game?
Why is this not a problem for the game makers?
Last edited by Brian Shannon; 07-19-02 at 10:08 AM.
07-19-02, 10:06 AM
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I worked for Blockbuster for 5 years in the 1990s as an Assistant Manager (helped me get through college). I had the time of my life arguing with customers, telling them crazy stories, making fun of them with fellow employees, and playing jokes on them from time to time. I no longer work in retail, but just that experience was great and helped me realize how stupid people can be and how stupid of a company Blockbuster was.
As for the game instructions, we used to put them in the case with the game when we prepped them for rental. 85% of the time they ended up getting lost. Blockbuster then began printing generic, basic instructions on the back of the cover boxes for most games, and I thought they were still doing that. I've only been to a blockbuster store twice since I quit 4/5 years ago, so I guess they are no longer doing that.
I don't shop/rent at BBV mainly because I know what a rip-off they are from first hand experience and how ridiculous an organization it is (at least when I was there it seemed to be).
As for the game instructions, we used to put them in the case with the game when we prepped them for rental. 85% of the time they ended up getting lost. Blockbuster then began printing generic, basic instructions on the back of the cover boxes for most games, and I thought they were still doing that. I've only been to a blockbuster store twice since I quit 4/5 years ago, so I guess they are no longer doing that.
I don't shop/rent at BBV mainly because I know what a rip-off they are from first hand experience and how ridiculous an organization it is (at least when I was there it seemed to be).
07-19-02, 11:49 AM
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Originally posted by Brian Shannon
If this is true then this is really funny.
If this is true then this is really funny.
From http://www.eidolons-inn.de/emufaq2000/AppendixB.htm :
Nintendo of America, Inc. v. Blockbuster Entertainment. (1987)
Blockbuster Video built its business upon providing surprisingly lenient terms for the rental of commercially released videotapes. When home console videogames came along in the 1980s, they rented them out to their customers, too. Nintendo, the largest manufacturer and licensor of videogames at the time, sued Blockbuster for copyright infringement. The chief complaint was that the practice of unauthorized software rentals of Nintendo videogames on the part of Blockbuster was a violation of federal law. The two parties eventually settled out of court, with Blockbuster retaining the legal right to continue the practice, but one particular aspect of the case deserves special mention. Nintendo successfully prosecuted Blockbuster for providing photocopied instruction manuals along with its rental NES carts. Blockbuster unsuccessfully argued that it was only protecting its investment in the original manuals, as it would cost more to replace the originals than it would to photocopy replacements. In this particular part of the case, the courts found in favor of Nintendo, therefore Blockbuster was required to start providing the original manuals with its rental games. After the settlement was reached, Blockbuster and other videogame rental outlets all but discontinued the practice of providing the manual with a rental game except by request - an action which went unchallenged. The practice continues to this day.
The implications from this are obvious - any copy of the original instruction manual for a piece of computer software that has not been authorized by the original vendor or developer is illegal. This has also been extended in later cases to cover documentation for any and all computer-based systems.
Blockbuster Video built its business upon providing surprisingly lenient terms for the rental of commercially released videotapes. When home console videogames came along in the 1980s, they rented them out to their customers, too. Nintendo, the largest manufacturer and licensor of videogames at the time, sued Blockbuster for copyright infringement. The chief complaint was that the practice of unauthorized software rentals of Nintendo videogames on the part of Blockbuster was a violation of federal law. The two parties eventually settled out of court, with Blockbuster retaining the legal right to continue the practice, but one particular aspect of the case deserves special mention. Nintendo successfully prosecuted Blockbuster for providing photocopied instruction manuals along with its rental NES carts. Blockbuster unsuccessfully argued that it was only protecting its investment in the original manuals, as it would cost more to replace the originals than it would to photocopy replacements. In this particular part of the case, the courts found in favor of Nintendo, therefore Blockbuster was required to start providing the original manuals with its rental games. After the settlement was reached, Blockbuster and other videogame rental outlets all but discontinued the practice of providing the manual with a rental game except by request - an action which went unchallenged. The practice continues to this day.
The implications from this are obvious - any copy of the original instruction manual for a piece of computer software that has not been authorized by the original vendor or developer is illegal. This has also been extended in later cases to cover documentation for any and all computer-based systems.
07-19-02, 01:08 PM
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Jack Skeleton has it right.
I worked at a video store in high school, and the instructions never lasted long, particularly if the game was difficult (requiring multiple readings of the manuals).
Sure, you could charge for the manuals, but there wasn't a real easy way to replace them once they were gone. We used to photocopy, which worked well, but we were served a cease and desist letter and had to stop.
Fact of the matter is, the manuals aren't very durable. They aren't intended to be read 100 times, and they don't hold up well to water, dogs, children, drunken idiots, or any other 100 miscelleaneous things that could happen to them. Generally, they'd slowly come back in worse and worse shape, missing a page here and there, and it was hard to say "you must pay for this", when one person's "reasonable wear and tear" was another's "unrentable damage". You really had no idea how the manual originally went out -- or if there was even a manual to begin with. Eventually, the manual would get so damaged we'd have to throw it out, or it just wouldn't come back at all.
If it's that big of a problem, try checking out gamefaqs.com. Usually, they have all the instructions you'll ever need.
I worked at a video store in high school, and the instructions never lasted long, particularly if the game was difficult (requiring multiple readings of the manuals).
Sure, you could charge for the manuals, but there wasn't a real easy way to replace them once they were gone. We used to photocopy, which worked well, but we were served a cease and desist letter and had to stop.
Fact of the matter is, the manuals aren't very durable. They aren't intended to be read 100 times, and they don't hold up well to water, dogs, children, drunken idiots, or any other 100 miscelleaneous things that could happen to them. Generally, they'd slowly come back in worse and worse shape, missing a page here and there, and it was hard to say "you must pay for this", when one person's "reasonable wear and tear" was another's "unrentable damage". You really had no idea how the manual originally went out -- or if there was even a manual to begin with. Eventually, the manual would get so damaged we'd have to throw it out, or it just wouldn't come back at all.
If it's that big of a problem, try checking out gamefaqs.com. Usually, they have all the instructions you'll ever need.
07-19-02, 01:25 PM
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Originally posted by GizmoDVD
They don't even include the manuals half the time when you buy used games!
They don't even include the manuals half the time when you buy used games!
Your lucky the game works.
I used to work there. and man, looking for game instructions in the back filing cabenit was a mess. No wonder they don't. it's a good hour find just to find some instructions if they are there.
07-19-02, 02:10 PM
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Believe it or not my local Blockbuster does give out the manual, but I've only rented from them twice because they are way too expensive....$6!! I only rent there when I'm desperate to get a game, there's a really nice regional chain that has new games for $3.25 for 4 days but sometimes they don't have every game. When I rented Lost Kingdoms I was surprised it actually came with the original color book! I'm guessing I was the first to rent it and it hadn't been stolen yet.
But when I rent games and really to know the buttons (that aren't told in the game) I usually check out Gamefaqs.com. Most FAQ writer's put an Instructions section in the first section of their FAQ.
But when I rent games and really to know the buttons (that aren't told in the game) I usually check out Gamefaqs.com. Most FAQ writer's put an Instructions section in the first section of their FAQ.
07-19-02, 09:13 PM
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A store here does something that's odd, once a game no longer has a manual, they stop renting it. My brother was told by one of the employees that the store didn't have the right to rent the game without instructions??? I found that odd... someone steals the instructions, so they stop renting it out and sell it as used, it's probably just a store policy though.
