Digital game sales have been on the rise in recent years, threatening traditional retail stores which thrive on selling physical discs and cartridges, but the latest program from GameStop could be enough to get players back in stores. “PowerPass” is a subscription service offering unlimited access to used games, and you won’t have to break the bank to sign up.
GameStop’s PowerPass is offered as a six-month subscription for $60, and allows customers to choose any pre-owned game they want to take home and play, regardless of how new or old it happens to be. When they’re done, they just have to return the game to their store and choose a new one, and at the end of the term, they keep their last game. It’s similar to the rental service GameFly, but it’s quite a bit cheaper and the free game promotion should allow players to get great deals — just choose a more expensive used game right before your subscription ends.
A leaked advertisement for the program stated that you must be a PowerUp Rewards member to qualify, but you do not need to have a paid “Pro” account. We do, however, highly recommend such an account, as it includes a free subscription to Game Informer. GameStop also recently introduced its “Elite” PowerUp Rewards program, which offers additional credit on used games and more rewards points.
A GameStop representative confirmed all of the advertisement’s information to Digital Trends, and added that customers will be able to gift a PowerPass subscription to a friend, as well. You will be able to return your games to any GameStop location, provided that you show the coupon code you used for your original rental.
GameStop’s move should make it more competitive against both Amazon and Best Buy, which each use customer loyalty programs to offer players significant discounts on new games. We’re hoping GameStop does something similar in the future, but PowerPass seems like a good first step. You might have noticed GameStop stores carrying fewer video games on shelves over the last few years, and instead reserving more space for figures and game-related shirts, but the success of PowerPass could convince the retailer to stock a larger number of games on its shelves again.
Customers can sign up for PowerPass beginning on November 19. This is just a few days after the release of Star Wars Battlefront II, so you should be able to find at least a few copies available for rental.