More than you probably cared to know about Blockbuster Video labels

[RH | 4,903]

I'm not going to start another discussion on NewLeaf/Game Factory cartridges (although I do have some nice, new details I've found in the past few months that I'll be sharing in my thread I started on that topic) but in doing that research, I've found some helpful information that I think fans and collectors of Blockbuster games or items might appreciate.

I'll try to organize this information, but instead of crafting a story, I'm just going to outline what I've found.

Stores, IDs and Details

• Blockbuster Video locations were each assigned 5-digit store IDs.
• In most cases, the first two digits represent the state.  E.g. 01xxx are the stores in Alabama.  02xxx stores  are those in California.
• These mentioned stores above were franchise-owned locations.  Stores beginning with a "9" were corporate owned.  The only pattern these follow is that as they were opened, they were given a new sequential ID, so these values jump all over the map when looked at in sequence.
• If you want a partial list (may 75% of all stores once in existence) see here.  This is a PDF early in the Blockbuster Video bankruptcy filing.  This document is on a law firm's website (I assume that represented BBV) and in short, this is a listing of all BBV locations (with Store IDs) as of the time of the filing, 3/26/2011.

Game Labels and Values

There's a lot to be figured out on this topic.  I exclusively looked at New Leaf titles for deeper details, but my spot-checking and research did lead to some common findings for many cartridge games for the NES, SNES and Genesis.  Most games had a label affixed to the cartridge with game details and barcodes.

• Of these games, cartridges tended to have labels with 13 or 14 digit values that were company-wide unique IDs for the games.  Most games have 14 digits.  This is the same number encoded in the barcode.
• These 14 digit codes also contain the store ID that they were first entered into the system.  My assumption is that this was so that locally the BBVs could add games and periodically these numbers were pushed up to a server.  By having a local store ID integrated into the ID number, they could use sequential numbers, but also cache data to be uploaded to the mainframe databases.  Keep in mind, BBV was started in the 1980s, so they didn't have dedicated internet connections and likely had to dial-in these details over a modem.
• To get the Store ID from the game ID, drop the first digit (which is almost always "3", but I've seen some start with "4" and take the following 5 digits.)  You can then use those details to look up the store in the above PDF and you can know where your game originated from!
• Again, I'll spare the details on Game Factory carts since that's not the point of this thread, but their labels contain an additional line at the bottom of the label that tells the cartridge ID for the Game Factory carts.  My guess this was for tracking of issues they could reference back to New Leaf.  Anyway, the last four digits of the 14 digit number are the New Leaf cartridge ID.  I'm guessing that probably the last 4 digits of all games is a specific cartridge ID, while the four digits between the Store ID and the Cartridge count ID might be some other identifier.

Other Details

• When games were sold, often in cases or boxes, another label was smacked on the box.  The details on these labels are pretty obvious.  I didn't take enough time to parse those details from the 14 digit code that these items also have, but I think the 14 digit numbers on these items are different.  Most start with "44".  The 5 digits after the 44 should be the location ID of the BBV that sold the game.
• Once you get to the N64/PS1 era, labels on the games are like the Wild West when it comes to identification.  Some games just have generic security stickers with no IDs, where I've seen some games with a printed label and a place where the store could write the store ID.  There are also some N64 games with barcodes, flanked by two separate numbers.  I've not taken the time, but if someone takes SS of one, they might be able to upload it to a barcode reader and get the numbers.  If it's a 14-digit number, I'm sure the digits after the first or second digits are the store locations.

 

I know this is a this information is a bit random, but these items all carry specific stories to there existence.  If you guys want to hunt games or cases from specific states, cities or stores this could be super helpful!

It will be very hard to search for BBV items from any store, but with enough patience and searching, I bet some of you could find games, DVDs or VHS tapes from your local Blockbusters you frequented.  Anyway, hope that helps!

 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by RH

[RH | 4,903]

Sample Labels and Details

• Reserved. Coming soon...

Edited September 8, 2022 by RH

[drxandy | 3,225]

The pdf is super useful, and I love seeing my local ones/one I grew up (rip) on there, great thread and research!!

[phart010 | 1,707]

Cool thread. Blockbuster labels on eBay today:

[Jfreakofkorn | 282]

Boy , they just love slapping those label(s) anywhere on those cart(s) , did nt they 

[RH | 4,903]

8 hours ago, Jfreakofkorn said:

Boy , they just love slapping those label(s) anywhere on those cart(s) , did nt they 

They really did.  I get a sense that they weren't given many specific instructions from HQ, either.

[Tanooki | 4,933]

I have a sorta rarer anime movie I got months ago on eBay.  Seller didn't feel a reason to disclose it but given how cheap I got away with it, it was robbery almost, I didn't care, but hiding under the DVD cover art is the original blockbuster fold with all the data, description, codes and the rest and inside I knew it because it's a BB molded case too.

I could not track the number on that to see how it fits to that linked document, I tried, but it doesn't fit this 14 digit code thing or the rest.  I don't think I have an image handy but I can get one with a little free time.

[RH | 4,903]

10 minutes ago, Tanooki said:

I have a sorta rarer anime movie I got months ago on eBay.  Seller didn't feel a reason to disclose it but given how cheap I got away with it, it was robbery almost, I didn't care, but hiding under the DVD cover art is the original blockbuster fold with all the data, description, codes and the rest and inside I knew it because it's a BB molded case too.

I could not track the number on that to see how it fits to that linked document, I tried, but it doesn't fit this 14 digit code thing or the rest.  I don't think I have an image handy but I can get one with a little free time.

Post it and I'll see what I can do with it.  Did it have a barcode too, or is it just the price sticker?

[Tanooki | 4,933]

Oh I have it all, don't really need help with it, the address of the dead store in Clearwater FL is on there, but it's not on that PDF either because that's incomplete.

[drxandy | 3,225]

That just means the clearwater store went out of business before 2011.

[profholt82 | 60]

I feel like I'm the only person who isn't nostalgic for Blockbuster. They were basically the Wal-Mart of video stores, except they had higher prices than most of their competitors. There were so many other video stores, and I liked almost all of them much more than Blockbuster. 

[RH | 4,903]

22 hours ago, profholt82 said:

I feel like I'm the only person who isn't nostalgic for Blockbuster. They were basically the Wal-Mart of video stores, except they had higher prices than most of their competitors. There were so many other video stores, and I liked almost all of them much more than Blockbuster. 

I semi-agree.  I actually very rarely went into a Blockbuster by choice.  This is how I felt.  Instead, I agree that Mom-and-Pops were the places to go and even in the very early days of video rental, my family rented from the grocery store--Piggly Wiggle, IIRC.

However, there is one thing that Blockbuster has that others don't--they were the only major chain for years and the one that's consistently burnt into my brain.  As I grew up and family friends moved around, there were choices of where to rent from.  I remember some of these places with fine memories, but Blockbuster is the most consistent.

It's weird but what was seen as the "Wal-mart" of rentals is, however, the biggest fixture in my memory because it was always around and it was the place I most frequented vs. all of the many other options.  So, even though I love to clean my games up and take all non-factory stickers off... there's a part of me that wants a few BBV items, in BBV cases with OG stickers.  Not many, but some.  Rental stickers for other M&P places would be cool, but I'd want the ones that I grew up with, and good luck finding any of that on eBay.  Especially for shops that closed down 25 years ago, and some I don't even know the name of--just the location and what it felt like to be there.

Edited September 30, 2022 by RH

[profholt82 | 60]

Your research and everything is really cool though. I guess it's just that I've seen a lot of Blockbuster lately around the net and youtube and such. People seem to get all gushy about it, but I never had that feeling about it all. Even the other big chains like Movie Gallery, Family Video and Hollywood Video were preferable to me. Although, I agree, the local mom and pop places were where it was at. 

You know, as of a few years ago, there was still a Family Video down the street from my house. And I rented new releases there fairly regularly. And they kept stocking new games as well. And surprisingly enough perhaps, there was usually a decent crowd there on the weekends. This is as of the year or two before the chain closed up.

While I'm not sure because I've never done it so correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't new release movies on amazon, google play, microsoft store, etc, like 15-20 bucks to rent digitally? I mean, yeah, I suppose that's more convenient than driving back and forth to a shop, but damn. 

[Estil | 1,265]

Back in the 90s (when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and everything was in black and white; hee hee) my go-to video game rental place was a local place called "Video Shack".  I do wonder if there are any NES games floating around out there with their sticker on them...

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

I mean I liked Blockbuster and Hollywood, but Video Update and Video Village were my jam.

[RH | 4,903]

38 minutes ago, profholt82 said:

You know, as of a few years ago, there was still a Family Video down the street from my house. And I rented new releases there fairly regularly. And they kept stocking new games as well. And surprisingly enough perhaps, there was usually a decent crowd there on the weekends. This is as of the year or two before the chain closed up.

Same around here, actually.  A town that's about 15 minutes away from me (Lincolnton, NC) had a Family Video.  I think it was the last surviving chain (at least in the South East) that was doing movie rentals and they added CBD oil sales to their shops.  I think COVID finally killed the chain.

[profholt82 | 60]

About 10 or so years back, there was a guy on nintendoage who had a Mega Man 1 for sale with a Churchills Grocery Store sticker on it. And it was the address of the one that was close to my house that I rented from all the time. I had literally rented and played that exact Mega Man cart numerous times as a kid. I still remember their deal for Tuesdays. 2 games, 2 nights for the price of one. So as long as I kept my grades up, my parents would let me rent NES games every week. 

Anyway, I probably saw the guy's listing a day or two after it posted, and someone had already beaten me to the punch. I was so disappointed. There are a few games I regret not grabbing over the years here or there, mostly because they're stupid expensive now, but missing out on that Mega Man cart was a gut punch that still haunts me.

Edited September 29, 2022 by profholt82

[RH | 4,903]

8 minutes ago, profholt82 said:

About 10 or so years back, there was a guy on nintendoage who had a Mega Man 1 for sale with a Churchills Grocery Store sticker on it. And it was the address of the one that was close to my house that I rented from all the time. I had literally rented and played that exact Mega Man cart numerous times as a kid. I still remember their deal for Tuesdays. 2 games, 2 nights for the price of one. So as long as I kept my grades up, my parents would let me rent NES games every week. 

Anyway, I probably saw the guy's listing a day or two after it posted, and someone had already beaten me to the punch. I was so disappointed. There are a few games I regret not grabbing over the years here or there, mostly because they're stupid expensive now, but missing out on that Mega Man cart was a gut punch that still haunts me.

I get this.  The whole reason why I started this thread is because these New Leaf/Game Factory carts were carts I actually rented.  It's a small chance, but there's a possibility that of the 4 I owned, I actually rented these as a kid.

I get the pull.  If definitively found a Sonic 2 from a local Blockbuster Rental to Columbia, SC in my Dad's neighborhood, I'd pay a premium for it, compared to the going price.  There's a chance I played that copy because 90% of the time, that was the game my brother and I wanted to play.

[Link | 2,712]

2 hours ago, profholt82 said:

I feel like I'm the only person who isn't nostalgic for Blockbuster. They were basically the Wal-Mart of video stores, except they had higher prices than most of their competitors. There were so many other video stores, and I liked almost all of them much more than Blockbuster. 

I don't like them either.

I guess just like we connect over Nintendo, people connect over Blockbuster. Being a national chain means they're a name and atmosphere that people have in common. I also feel like a lot of Blockbuster fans are maybe a bit younger than i am and didn't get to experience independent stores before they were widely driven out of business. 

[Tanooki | 4,933]

I did Block Buster out west but around here until it folded sometime in the late 00s I liked Hollywood Video.  You could get this bundle with 2 DVDs, 2 bottles of coke (line) of drinks and a tub of popcorn for $10 which was a solid deal.  It was just a few minutes away so it was easy to make the drive.  Yet I value that (or BB) more than what we have now, we're spoiled and it's watered down.  Click and go, nothing really inspiring there until I guess you see the date when they'll delist it.  Your physical rental had to be back in 3 days or you ended up eating a fine, so you had to make the time, make and enjoy the experience, and then get it back -- or else.  I enjoyed movies far more then than I do now, unless I find some nice second hand deal on a dvd/blu ray because effort, it goes before streaming.

[drxandy | 3,225]

I loved blockbuster because they brought more videogame supply to my small town growing up. Was it my favorite experience at a rental place? hell naw. It was like making a deal with the devil, and the devil has a pokemon snap station! They were always the most expensive. If you wanted to get down on the newest games they would have them on release and the local places would maybe not get them at all? Justifying a $5 game rental vs the full price of the game blah blah blah. Blockbuster was the spot for new movie/game that was more likely gonna be in stock. The other local places were the first choice, and you ended up at blockbuster if they were out. 

Honestly I think I like them now more in words than I ever did when they were around haha, there were other rental places that would cut up your blockbuster card for a free rental with them hahah.

[Link | 2,712]

This seems relevant to the tangent