What if you could go and a rent physical DVDs
this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2023
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Best date nights always started with a trip to Blockbuster.
I remember renting an N64 with Majora's mask and pulling an all-nighter so I could finish it during the two-day rental period. It was a good time to be alive.
It’s so weird how we look back on those things that were seen as inconveniences, driving to a physical store / rental time limits, as good things now.
It’ll be interesting to see if we find ways to kinda bridge those gaps.
This has been the Infinitely Unfolding Paradox of Enjoyment that we’ve been experiencing since the Industrial Revolution. And it’s only become more acute as time has gone on. Things are becoming easier to access, we have more information than ever, it’s right at our fingertips, we have endless entertainment, we expect to be enjoying 100% of endless content—but this has made us angrier than ever at content we don’t enjoy, less able to enjoy the available entertainment, always looking for something better, he information at our fingertips is making us angrier and less satisfied (also somehow more misguided and ignorant—because that information is mixed in with absurd amounts of disinformation and it’s given an equal playing field), and our ease of access comes with an endless desire to access more and more while finding less and less we actually want.
Things are technically getting better, enjoyment is becoming a pinpointed prescription…but more and better is making us lesser and worse.
We need the bad to more enjoy the good. We need the inconvenience to enjoy the convenience. We need a lack of technology to enjoy the available technology.
Really, what this all boils down to is this:
Capitalism is destroying everything. In so many words. And if anyone can’t see how everything above is linked with capitalism and its driving force of profit (and endlessly growing profit, at that), I dunno how to help you. But I assume everyone on lemmy is pretty much very, very aware of this.
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Remember when you got to choose what you watch and you had to pick up a remote and look at it on a rectangle?
-Future us, maybe
I remember when you couldn't choose what to watch except for a handful of options, and you had to show up at the right time to watch what you chose. And there was no option to avoid ads.
I didn't expect to be doing the old man routine in my mid 40s, but here we are.
Those weren’t necessarily seen as inconveniences at the time, because people had not experienced the “easier” alternatives to compare to. They were just seen as the way things were, and people made the best of them just we do with day to day activities now.
Going to the video rental place was part of the weekend routine for me, blended in with shopping etc. One of the rental places I used to go to also sold music, and tickets for local events. They also had a bunch of posters and notices up about local happenings. Customers would often bump into friends and acquaintances while browsing. The rental place also had a letter box that returns could be dropped in when the store was closed, so rentals would often be returned Monday morning on the way to school/work.
Media distribution has now changed a lot from then, and it’s become easier and more efficient. But it’s also changed how we interact with media, and with our communities, and perhaps not always for the better.
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so, how'd the date go? 😝
They also doubled as a place to get movie snacks too
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There’s also going to be an obstacle course based on ‘Squid Game.’
They could not have missed the point harder if they'd tried.
This literally reads like something out of Black Mirror.
You have to murder the other participants to claim your free netflix subscription.
"We've made the Torment Nexus, from the classic sci-fi novel Don't Build the Torment Nexus".
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I cannot imagine a customer base that's so ecstatic with Netflix's service that they're willing to give the company even more money by buying overpriced ultra-processed meals and branded coffee cups. Why people continue to sell their souls and open their wallets to these companies is beyond me.
Never met consumer whores? Not that I can talk, smack a pokemon on just about anything and I want to buy it.
That said, I don’t think Netflix has that cachet. Maybe they’ll have a section where you can vote on what show gets abruptly cancelled next!
I'm not sure that makes you a whore... more of a slut...
And there's nothing wrong with being a Pokeslut. When a hunky Pokemon trainer throws their balls my way, I'm always up for a little Squirtle in my Caterpie.
You can't? Look at Disney World or Universal Studios. Sure they have rides, but a lot of it is the experiences involving people's favorite movies/shows.
I can definitely see people interested if they get that part right.
Imagine getting a drink in a tavern from The Witcher. Or a fancy dinner in a palace setting from The Crown or the mansion from Umbrella Academy. Imagine going through a haunted house based around Hill House. Running an obstacle course from Squid Game. Themed escape rooms or live action shows based off Stranger Things or Black Mirror.
That's not even getting into merchandising. Sure, people are probably not going to flock to buy a Queen's Gambit chess set. But Castlevania or Arcane collectibles? Dragon Prince plushies? Literally anything from Netflix's sizable anime collection?
There's a lot of ways they could do it wrong. In fact it's more likely they get it wrong than right. But I'm not going to dismiss the idea right out the gate, I do see the possibilities.
If they sell cosplay customes based on popular shows, you know people will be queuing up to throw money at those made-in-china products.
Having the rights to ship out the offical crap could be a gold mine for them.
Just take Squid Game. It's a regular training suit and they already exist as costumes and they're easy to copy, but you can't find the real one because of all the copies.
Same idea as the Universal Studios parks. Just without the park, because the income is all in the souvenir shop anyway.
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"Netflix to open branded retail stores for some reason"
"...to open a number of brick-and-mortar locations to sell items based on hit shows, offer dining and provide live events."
There you go. But if you want to go deeper it's to try and make more money for investors. Yay publicly traded companies!
To be fair I would rather see them try to make money for investors this way than by cutting costs on labor and the other shady things companies do to make money. This is at least some kind of "innovation" for lack of a better term. Maybe it might be cool
Yeah, increasing profit by actually creating a product is great. Increasing profit by increasing costs to the customer or decreasing expenditures (in particular cutting pay or removing employees) sucks.
The phrase "for some reason" is used here to mean "I think it's a dumb idea"
I mean, they could have saved money by just selling merch online. This is a dumb idea.
But the article says it's more than just a retail store. They have a restaurant and different experiences you can go to. You can't do that online
I don’t get why this is so confusing. This is basically a rotating theme restaurant/theme shop. Disneyland, Universal Studios, the new Nintendo park, etc. aren’t really about the rides or food either. Will tourists buy Stranger Things tchotchkes and Bridgerton merch? Sure, we’re a hyper consumeristic society that loves pop culture doodads and experiences. I somehow get the feeling this will fail, Netflix’s brand has lost its luster recently, but I don’t think this idea is totally out there.
I think the problem is the reporting: it says "retail stores" right in the headline. Which sounds insane.
"Netflix to open themed restaurants and gift-shops" sounds... well, still insane, but less-so.
I'm not confused why they're doing it, I'm confused why they think b&m stores are the way to go. I'm sure they can subsidize any potential losses from other money making areas but why not just sell the merch online? Storefront overhead ain't cheap.
While I completely agree, there’s a bit of a draw to certain experiences around shopping. Some instances:
- FAO Schwarz in NYC
- Nintendo flagship store in NYC
- Tiffany & Co. in NYC on 5th Ave
- LEGO store in Leicester Square London
Basically look up a list of Flagship stores, even Microsoft and Samsung have ones. They’re more of an experience and bragging rights than just walking in a random Walmart to get merch. Sure, you can just order it online, but it’s not the same.
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if they sold DVDs of Netflix's shows that would actually be pretty nice, but I doubt they would be OK with allowing anyone to actually own their media.
Nail in the coffin, RIP Netflix
offer dining
I would actually love to see a restaurant that prepares dishes based on various fantasy / sci-fi worlds
Like food from the witcher in a tavern theme, or food from Star Trek in the enterprise cafeteria, etc.
Is Hannibal on netflix?
Don't worry dinner will be cancelled midway through the appetizers 😔
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They basically want more data points on people to sell to advertisers.
It's big tech. That's how big tech works.
No. Merch has direct profit that has a much larger margin than streaming. It's just a new cash flow for them. Same reason patreon was offering merch and discord too.
You have an asset in land and physical goods to sell for money. It's not complicated why they are pivoting to it.
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offer dining
Reminds me of the joke: "dinner theater is a great way to ensure that both are mediocre."
Edit: pronounced "DIN-nuh THE-uh-tuh" in your best mid-Atlantic accent.
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This is the same thing as the HBO store in NYC. It can work well if the location is right and touristy enough.
If they spend money on this, how will they afford to acquire beloved series to cancel after two seasons?
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Makes sense. They have multiple franchises and they can either sell in Walmart and water down the franchise or make an exclusive store where they control the experience and increase the value of the products. Disney also has stores like that. As for the Squid Game experience it’s the local equivalent to Disney parks. Di’s I mention it looks like they’re copying Disney?
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