Hollywood Video DC Rental Rules and Regulations

SegaNet finally has all the details of what needs to be done, and the money you really need to rent the console:

Starting the fifteenth of July, you’ll be able to rent a Dreamcast console and certain games from selected outlets of the nationwide video rental chain. It’s an opportunity to play before anyone else on the block, but it comes at a rather stiff price.

The console and a single game will be twenty dollars for a two-day rental. No renewals or extensions will be allowed, so as to give as many customers as possible a chance to rent the system. Additional games can be rented for another five dollars, but in the early days of the promotion, Sonic Adventure will be the only game you can get. Hollywood Video promises more available games in the future, but hasn’t released any specifics yet. Along with the twenty-dollar fee, you’ll have to plunk down a $350 security deposit. Sega seems quite serious about not letting any consoles get out of their hands.

The point of the promotion is of course to build interest in the console’s September 9 retail launch. Sega will be adding a few incentives to the deal in order to encourage renters to own the system for good. When you rent the system, you’ll get a coupon good for ten dollars off a Dreamcast at Electronics Boutique. EB will then reciprocate by offering a coupon for a free Dreamcast game rental at Hollywood (with rental of another game) to pre-purchasers of Dreamcast consoles.

Not every Hollywood Video franchise will have consoles on hand to rent. The chain will announce which stores will be participating in the promotion on July 14. That information should be available at that time on their website, www.hollywoodvideo.com.

These are very strict rules, and the $350 security deposit and the lack of games (although SA is a very good choice :-] ) doesn’t make it any better. I’ve already reserved my DC; I’ll think I’ll wait another two months.

This post was originally posted on TSSZ News.