New web retailer shares pre-owned revenue with publishers

An internet rental specialist has promised to share its used game profits with publishers.

OnePlayS offers a video game rental subscription service similar to LoveFilm. The difference is it lets users buy the game they’ve rented – second-hand – if they like it. Then it shares the money with the publisher.

OnePlayS is a rental firm set up by LoveFilm co-founder Lasse Jensen in Denmark in 2008. This year the company has expanded across Europe.

Our Revenue Share agreement gives each party – retailer and publisher – a benefit,” said founder Lasse Jensen. OnePlayS pays the production cost of the disc, and then charges a fee for each rental. This means we buy more copies to fulfill demand faster and we’ll have used copies that won’t be rented. They will then be sold, generating additional income for both parties.

We are focusing on ‘Rent it, Like it, Buy it’, which gives the user the option to keep the game they rented. We always share all revenue generated. The publisher will also generate revenue on the used sale, where they currently make zero.

Our Revenue Share agreements are a partnership, where both parties share the success in a game."