EB Games transforms its used game stocks into a massive lending library

Enlarge / Why choose just one to buy when you can just borrow any used title for a low monthly fee? (credit: The Grey Backpack)

With direct downloads and other digital purchases growing in popularity even among console gamers, brick-and-mortar game retailers are looking for new ways to stay relevant well into the future. To that end, GameStop-owned EB Games Australia is conducting an interesting experiment that essentially turns its shelves full of used games into a massive lending library for a flat, monthly fee.

As Press Start reports, EB Games has opened up the "Swap 'n' Play" program for testing in South Australia for AUS$19.95 a month (about $16). The program lets you take out any used game you want, one at a time, then return it in exchange for another when you're done. Players can cancel any time after an initial two-month commitment.

While the program was originally limited to used games that sell for under $50, that limit has since been dropped. That means even relatively new releases can be rented out as long as a used copy is available in the store, which often happens just a few days after the "initial release.