A console without games isn’t useful.

And a printer without ink doesn’t print. Yet we all continue to fall for this initial low price bait.

In 1985 the NES launched in the US at $179.99 and didn’t include a game. So while I’m sure somebody came home with a useless object, in general people where forced to but at least one.

In 1996 the first hit became free.

Video rental was huge. It's the only way I could afford to play games.

In 1985? That didn’t take off where I was until PS1 days.

Oh yea, 1985-1987 is when a lot of the VHS places started stocking video games.

It’s the only way I was able to play. My best friend across the street had the console and I didn’t (I had Atari 2600). So I would rent and we would play together. I eventually got my own in maybe 1987-1988.

PS1 kicked off in 1995 and we had rentals for a long time by that point. I never owned a PS1 but same friend did. I ended up going from NES, SNES, N64 before switching mostly to PC games and eventually went to college where video games took a back seat for a number of years

Mostly play Xbox now (short while I had PSP)

Interesting, of the 3 rental places near me only one started carrying video games in 1994 with the others soon following.

This is in Florida too and not a major metropolitan area. I just assumed it was everywhere