Because some of us think it's too much trouble just to save a few euros/dollars. Not that we're rich, just too lazy to enter than rental-plugging-unplugging-returning cycle.

If it's a one time thing, it's a good idea though.

Well, my friends chruch rents 360 for LAN parties when they can't get enough people to bring theirs.

I rented a PS2 after launch when I didn't preorder.  Then I was 5 minutes late returning it and they wanted to keep the deposit (which was cash back then) plus charge my card for the cost of the system. BS.

I work at a hotel, guests rent'em some times.

There's probably a bunch more reasons, I don't want to make up hypotheticals.

Edit: Hey Tiger, where do you live, because the Blockbust in Winter Park, FL charges 40-50 (Last time I checked)

I've never seen or heard of renting consoles, and most of my friends are opposed to me borrowing stuff. They think I'm a moocher or something.

I've considered renting a PS3 for MGS4, but I'm having a lot of trouble finding any place that rents PS3s (or, for that matter, consoles at all). The local Blockbusters and Hollywoods have all stopped, as have the indie rental places.

The common reason I've heard for stopping is that people would break their own consoles and pull bait-and-switch scams: rent a working console, keeping it, and returning the broken one in its place.

When I bought my ps3 and wii they were for single player but I have recently enjoyed some multiplayer gaming. I mostly buy my consoles for single player and I only play two games online with regularity with that being cod4 and warhawk. For myself multiplayer is a bonus after a good single player experience. Its not that I don't like multiplayer I just prefer a good single player experience. I also bought a used 360 just for mass effect and sold it after I finshed the game. I'll probably buy a new 360 soon.

You can rent consoles at Rent a Center. About 2 or 3 times a year, they have some special deal going on. You can rent stuff for free for a month. If you return it within the deadline, you don't have to pay a fee. If you do return it, they charge you the usual stuff. I'll probably do that with the 360 and Infinite Undiscovery.

Could be a more common practice in the US if the economic downturn reaches all the way to the bottom. Even then, it's not written anywhere that gaming is only enjoyed on the most current platforms. Last gen consoles can be picked up cheap, the libraries are multiple times larger, just about all of which are available used at cheap prices, not even taking into account all the best hits and discounted new titles.

Traditionally, video gaming has been one of the cheapest forms of entertainment in terms of dollars per hour.

As for borrowing consoles, so long as you have buddies who don't mind parting with their gear, that's fine. Of course why bother buying any consoles or games period if all you want to do is wait for someone else to buy it so you can borrow it?

Renting a console makes the most sense if it's a try before buying situation and partial sense if you just want to play one game and have no objections to being on a strict time table. It's kind of throwing money away once you've returned the gear though. Probably better off just buying it in a few years when it's much cheaper if you have any patience.

I bought multiple platforms this generation because they all have plenty to offer, which has once again made gaming my primary form of entertainment, and also because it's a relatively cheap hobby.

See how far the price of a Wii, PS3, 360 and gaming PC will get you if your hobby is tuning cars by comparison. Answer: not very unless your idea of tuning has nothing to do with actual improved performance.

Renting consoles is a huge pain, it's also bad not owning many consoles if you have a large game collection like myself.

console renting wtf? also i have all 3 consoles, i use single player games on all 3.

I tell you - different folks do it for different reasons. It's all about games for me. However, I do know a few folks who buy all 3 consoles just to show off. Not me. I spend my hard-earned on systems with games I wanna play - OR - because of other circumstances. As well known, I bought a Wii to flip it - I bought my PS3 to review games. Both consoles are in my arsenal now even though I wanted to sell my Wii initially and I haven't reviewed games at my new job yet.

Rent-a-center. Thanks a million. I coulda used that a month ago.