When we reported on it last month, many seemed eager and excited for the GameStop PowerPass rental program, which allowed people to pay $60 and rent one used game at a time from a physical GameStop store for a period of six months, trading out the game as often as you would like. At the end of the subscription period, you could select one used game to keep.
Today, GameStop is temporarily putting the brakes on the service, citing “program limitations” that don’t allow them to serve their customers in the way that they feel is best. “We have elected to temporarily pause the roll out of the new PowerPass subscription service, based on a few program limitations we have identified. We feel this is the right thing to do for now to ensure we are able to provide our guests an exceptional service,” a GameStop spokesperson told Kotaku regarding the pause.
According to Kotaku, store employees have been told to remove all signage and promotional materials relating to the program, which makes it clear this isn’t just a quick pause while they fix some issues surrounding the service. This goes as far as throwing out the Holiday Guide that contains marketing for Power Pass, as well as replacing this week’s weekly ad. Some GameStop employees guess that antiquated POS (Point of Sale) systems in GameStop locations may be to blame for not supporting the demands that the PowerPass program would require. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. In my experience with point of sale systems, most often they can be described as the other POS acronym.
While the service was not scheduled to roll out until November 19, apparently some GameStop locations had already started signing customers up for the program. “For those guests who have already purchased the service, we will allow them to bring the pass, and video game they have checked-out, back to receive a full refund. In addition, we will allow them to pick out any Pre-Owned game for free.”
There is currently no timeframe for when PowerPass will be reinstated, so if that was part of your holiday gift plans, you may want to find another option for the gamer in your life. Were you looking forward to the GameStop rental program?
[Source: Kotaku]
