To the younger generations of the world, the name Blockbuster is that of myths and legends. Gone are the days of renting VHS tapes every Friday evening. Even DVDs have become a thing of the past. However, something has been stirring behind the scenes of a nearly forgotten legendary company. Blockbuster Video’s website is active once again, and it seems to be rising from the ashes the streaming world left behind. Could this mean they are making their come-back?
Blockbuster Could Be Returning
For many of the older generations, Friday nights were made fun, not because of the clubs and DJs playing hit tracks to shake your booty to. People think back to the family trips to a Blockbuster retailer in their neighborhoods where they could rent their favorite movies and video games. These memories stir nostalgia in many folks of today, but only because they didn’t manage to survive the shift into the streaming world. Or, so we thought…
In 2014, Blockbuster had to shut down its website and ceased most business dealings. Those who grew up in the 80s and 90s were sad to see them go, but there is some hope on the horizon for the beloved company. Earlier this month, Blockbuster made a Tweet that was intended as a joke. “New business idea: We’re going to come back as a bank and use VHS and DVDs as currency. Time to go visit your mom” read the Tweet.
New business idea: We're going to come back as a bank and use VHS and DVDs as currency. Time to go visit your mom.
— Blockbuster (@blockbuster) March 15, 2023
The Tweet was read by many, but the excitement truly started brewing when Twitter users realized their website was active again. Could this mean the movie rental business, whose name has become a part of our vocabulary, could be returning? If you click on their website, it takes you to a page that reads, “We are working on rewinding your movie.”
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Blockbuster Became Rewind
In 2011, Blockbuster was bought by DISH, a satellite TV company, for $32 million. They created a stand-alone app called Blockbuster On Demand, which contained a list of movies available to DISH clients. However, a Blockbuster DAO, or Decentralized Autonomous Organization, was created and later renamed Rewind. They intended to acquire Blockbuster from DISH. They work with cryptocurrencies, as most DAOs do.
“The Blockbuster brand is not only nostalgic, but it’s a historic landmark in the history of film,” read a tweet by the DAO in 2021. “Despite its 1/1 brand recognition, the company was destroyed by terrible leadership with an inability to pivot and make dynamic business decisions.”
Reactions From Fans
Many of the fans from the good old days were excited to see the website up and running again. Memories flashed through their minds, and some took to Twitter to express their eagerness for them to return. One fan Tweeted: “Seeing the Blockbuster chain back would bring memories, from the past. Friday night after middle school, my cousins and I would make a run for the store, rent movies, and video games @SEGA and that would be our weekend party!!”
More and more people started joining the Blockbuster Tweet train. Another person asked excitedly: “The blockbuster website is alive?? if they make a comeback in ANY way I will cry.”
Another fan tweeted: “So I just randomly typed in @blockbuster website and it’s actually active does this mean we’re gonna be time traveling back to the 90s where Friday nights were lit?” And, a fourth echoed their sentiments: “Could this be true? Is @blockbuster coming back? Unless it’s just another streaming service, Friday evenings will be lit. Something about going to a brick and mortar on a weekend evening browsing their film selection.”
Keep Reading: Millennials Share 31 Things Generation Z Doesn’t Know About, And It Will Make You Feel Old
Sources
- “The Blockbuster website is active and fans are speculating about a comeback. What is the status of the company?” CBS News. Caitlin O’Kaine. March 23, 2023
- “Something’s going on with Blockbuster Video.” FOX4 News. Alexa Mae Asperin. March 21, 2023.
