Ohio University students have multiple ways to save money when it comes to purchasing or renting video games of any caliber.
College students must squeeze the most out of every dollar once their summer jobs dry up.
But saving money can be tough for gamers, especially because more 100 new games, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops III and Fallout 4, are slated to be released by the end of the year.
“Games tend to be a bit too expensive,” Dallas Hickman, a sophomore studying information and telecommunication systems, said about the $60 price tags often accompanying new video games.
For that reason, many players on campus are turning to alternative methods of obtaining the newest games instead of paying retail price.
Renting
One common alternative is GameFly, a rental service that delivers games — even brand new ones — right to the gamer’s door. Austin Patrick, a freshman studying meteorology, has used GameFly in the past and praised it for being "enticing" and "balanced."
“(GameFly doesn't) have a late fee or a set date to (send) back the game, so I could rent as many games as I wanted, which definitely helped on a tight schedule,” Patrick said in an email.
With the company's current offer of three months for $9 per month for new subscribers, GameFly provides a relatively inexpensive way for gamers to try the most anticipated games of the year.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="cac2e804-55b2-11e5-b41e-172641846b80"}}
Students can also use Redbox, as the kiosks don’t just dole out movies. Games can be rented for $3 per day at the kiosks on East State Street — one is outside of Kroger and the other is inside Wal-Mart.
Redbox provides a mixed bag for students. Although the kiosks are generally stocked with new releases, the selection varies by location.
“I think it depends on the area. I am not entirely sure," Hickman said. "It seems like where I lived... they had really 'off' stuff.”
Students can download the Redbox app to check the locations of the Athens kiosks (and others) as well as their game availability without having to leave campus. The app also allows renters to reserve a game for pick-up.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="428dc2ee-526d-11e5-9b0b-4783db6234e0"}}
Buying
There are also options to help buyers save money while purchasing new games, such as Dell.com. The PC manufacturer sells games and often bundles them with $25 eGift Cards to be used on future purchases.
“I think (Dell.com is) a good idea because you get a gift card with a purchase," Andrew Johnson, a freshman studying biology pre-med, said in an email. "It’s like you are getting $25 off your purchase in a sense.”
Dell’s only stipulation is that buyers must sign up for a free membership to its Advantage Rewards program.
PC gamers can turn to discount digital game vendors like G2A.com and CDkeys.com, which offer low prices — often discounting new games from $60 to under $20 on launch day.
But these types of websites pit risk versus reward. Patrick said reputable ones, like G2A, are usually safe to purchase from, but warns that some similar, lesser-known websites often illegally obtain and sell fraudulent copies of digital games.
"There’s a gigantic black market for illegal games and (activation) keys,” he said.
Customers should buy from such websites with caution, as illegal copies can be deactivated at any time without buyer compensation.
Other options for purchasing new games at discounts include Amazon.com, which offers $10 discounts on certain pre-orders for Amazon Prime Members, and IGN.com/deals, which aggregates many other money-saving options into one location.
@GS_Matt
ms153614@ohio.edu
