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Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Blockbuster have rolled them out across the US, and now video game vending machines are starting to crop up in the UK too.
POP247 kiosks are already appearing in the top 150 UK cinemas, as well as airports, railway stations, major High Street retailers, shopping centres and supermarkets.
Each machine sells physical copies of games and DVDs, and was developed by UCA – a coalition between Universal Studios and Sony Pictures.
We launched the POP vending machines in 2009 after a successful trial in a cinema chain, and the business is steadily growing,” said senior product manager Maya Jenkins.
We already have games in some machines and the range will expand over the coming months. POP vending really is about being able to offer a hassle-free retail solution that supports all types of modern entertainment and we have the flexibility to tailor-make an offering to suit a retailer’s individual needs, so the range can differ from place-to-place.
UCA funds the machines and the commission is almost all profit for the retailer and there is no outlay on stock. It’s the perfect solution for those looking to make incremental revenue from entertainment and the screens are dynamic and drive footfall.”
The POP247 machines hold almost 400 units of DVDs, Blu-rays or games, and fill a space of just 0.78 metres squared. Consumers can also download digital movies and music using a memory stick, with video games to be made available for download soon.
The download portal can already be used to download music and movies and games will be the next step along with any other downloadable content – such as ringtones,” added Jenkins.
We are looking at this at the moment and this should be available to launch in 2010.”
