Batman: Arkham City is days away from being released, but there is still time to get some pre-orders in. Several retailers are offering special add-ons and other incentives to get you through the door. One of those places is Blockbuster. Blockbuster is honoring all $5 pre-orders of Batman: Arkham City with a free month of movie and game rentals. Depending on how often you rent games, this could end up being of great value in the end.

Let’s face it, some people are real hard to shop for. Or it’s just that certain people (like me) want gifts that cost way more than you can afford. Or this holiday season you may just be too exhausted (or lazy) to actually look around for things. If any of the above is true, then your best bet is to grab a few gift cards. The question is, where to get your gift cards from.

Which is where this guide comes in. Here is a guide of the 10 of the best stores that sell gift cards gamers want. Read through it to find the best gift cards for your gaming family and friends…

We are entering the end of an era. The age where going to the video store to rent movies or games is steadily coming to an end. You’ve heard the news of Blockbuster filing bankruptcy earlier this week. Last month marked the closing of all Movie Gallery properties including Hollywood Video and Game Crazy. Like it or not, video stores are dying. Before the bell tolls for the last ones standing, I will look back on what impact video stores had on my life.

The long-expected Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Blockbuster Video will happen in September 2010.

Viacom Inc. purchased Blockbuster for $8.4 billion in 1994, the company’s current value is estimated to be $24 million. In July 2010, the New York Stock Exchange delisted Blockbuster’s stock which closed at 11 cents August 26, 2010. Times said Blockbuster informed Hollywood’s studio heads of the impending bankruptcy hoping it can keep their support during this difficult time. Those partnerships are key as Blockbuster reportedly seeks a “pre-planned” bankruptcy, meaning many of its creditors would work with them.

CNET News reported on Blockbuster’s new potential ploy to regain the spot it had achieved in the rental business before GameFly and Netflix opened. Now, because the company hasn’t been able to compete with the prices, supply and methods of Netflix, Blockbuster is making a move in the the video game mail service game.

With Blockbuster’s revised “by Mail/Total Access” service, you’ll be able to either or buy both DVDs and games. If it works, it could make Blockbuster a competitive force against GameFly, which in turn could make it a valid competitor against Netflix as well.

Gamers that have been trading in games to GameStop, Blockbuster and similar stores will be pleasantly surprised at some of the deals Toys ‘R’ Us is offering in its rookie year of game trading.

A $60 game purchase commonly garners between $20 and 25 in trade credit if one were to take it back the following day to most stores. Toys R’ Us is offering a whopping $41.50 in trade for the PlayStation 3 version of recently released racer Dirt 2. The mega hit Batman: Arkham Asylum will net you $43.50 on PS3.

The Associated Press is reporting that Blockbuster has announced that it will begin a test program beginning Q2 2009 to allow Total Access subscribers to rent video games.

From the article: “Customers of Blockbuster’s Total Access can rent DVDs online and exchange them in Blockbuster stores as well as by mail. The plans start at $10 a month and the company says its $20 plan is the most popular. Renting games will cost an extra 5 dollars a month, but people will only be charged if they…

No doubt following in the footsteps of Netflix, Blockbuster has also decided to bring movies to other media outlets as well.

The movies offered will be a combination of Blockbuster and CinemaNow movies, which Sonic acquired last year. The company is hoping to be able to stream videos through the Xbox 360 like Netflix.

Will video games be next? Blockbuster offers the rental of video games at their stores and through the mail, so it would only make since to include these in their new package deals…

Sony has been quite adamant about not dropping the price of any PS3 model in response to Microsoft’s recent price cut. It’s up for debate whether or not this is a smart move on Sony’s part but for now we can rest easy that Blockbuster will in fact be implementing a price drop of its own effective this Sunday (September 28, 2008).

According to a leaked memo on Kotaku, the 40GB PS3 will sell for $360 along with a $400 bundle that includes an HDMI cable, Spider-Man on Blu-ray, and Transformers: The Game.

This drop in price is probably due to Blockbuster wanting to…

The Playstation Network (PSN) has been offering downloadable games ever since it launched a couple years ago. Unlike its console competitors, however, there was no way to purchase games and services without using a credit or debit card.

Japan has been using PSN cards for a while now and people in North America have been waiting with zen-like patience for the cards to find their way across the ocean. Even though you may find PSN cards scattered about the country in the strangest places, Sony has announced that major chains including Blockbuster, 7-Eleven and…