Blockbuster adds video games to by-mail subscription program

Dallas Blockbuster said Tuesday it is adding video games to its DVD-by-mail and Total Access mail subscription programs in an attempt to be more competitive.

The company had announced earlier that it formed a marketing partnership with Comcast Corp. to offer its by-mail DVD subscriptions at a $3 monthly discount to cable customers.

Games are being added to all its monthly subscription programs at no additional charge, Kevin Lewis, Blockbuster’s senior VP digital entertainment, told the Dallas Business Journal. "We think it's a compelling value for households with kids."

Blockbuster has tested by-mail game rentals in Cleveland and Seattle since last year, Lewis said.

On Thursday, Blockbuster is scheduled to report second-quarter results. The company has warned that it may have to seek bankruptcy if it can't refinance its debt.