GameStop Buys Impulse, Further Invests in Digital Distribution

Greg Tito

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Sep 29, 2005
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GameStop Buys Impulse, Further Invests in Digital Distribution



The U.S. retail giant GameStop gobbled up one of the biggest digital distributors of PC games on the internet in Impulse.

There are only a few websites out there that garner enough digital sales of games to be relevant to the conversation. Without the each company's sales numbers available to rank them, only anecdotal evidence can say how well they do but Valve's Steam is likely #1, with Direct2Drive, GamersGate, Impulse, and Good Old Games making the shortlist. With online sales skyrocketing and the shelf space for PC games at retailers shrinking, GameStop has decided to invest heavily in what it sees is the future. By acquiring Impulse from strategy developer Stardock, in addition to digital-streaming company Spawn Labs, GameStop is poised to go beyond just brick-and-mortar storefronts.

"Our customers are gaming in many locations and on many devices, and we need to deliver the same great immersive experience that they have come to expect," said GameStop President Tony Bartel.

"With these important acquisitions, we will continue to make appropriate investments related to our multichannel strategy. GameStop is uniquely positioned to be the leader in both the physical and digital gaming space," another GameStop executive said.

The integration between Impulse and GameStop will occur over the next few months. What I'm interested in finding out is how current customers of Impulse will be affected. Will games they have purchased there still be downloadable once the merger is complete?

(Update: Stardock has contacted me to say that customers will not be affected by the transition at all. I'll let you guys know more as soon as I speak to Brad Wardell, CEO of Stardock.)

The implications of this acquisition may go beyond just PC games. While I think it's great to be able download most games to play on my computer - I can't remember the last time I bought a retail PC game box - I wonder if GameStop is positioning itself for the next generation of consoles. Will we be able to purchase console games through GameStop's marketplace on our shiny new Xbox 1492s?

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Albino Boo

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Jun 14, 2010
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Tell you what, I bet impulse will have drm on it now. Its the only way that they can persuade the big developers to use it as platform.
 

Owyn_Merrilin

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May 22, 2010
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Void(null) said:
Isn't it still a little too early for US April Fools?
This is what I was thinking. Impulse is owned by Stardock; there's no way they'd sell to Gamestop. The company is just too anti-DRM, and they'd be losing a very profitable first party distribution network. Not to mention that most of their money comes from productivity software...
 

Baresark

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Dec 19, 2010
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This is moot. Impulse may be on the top list, but Valve is still 70% of digital PC game distribution. And, I have heard of all the other digital distributors, but not Impulse. It's not too likely they will be competitive against other digital distribution houses, they are doing poorly for this reason, they do not compete.

Laughable.

"With these important acquisitions, we will continue to make appropriate investments related to our multichannel strategy. GameStop is uniquely positioned to be the leader in both the physical and digital gaming space," another GameStop executive said.
This guy is sorely mistaken. That is a statement meant to increase confidence. Good luck.
 

Albino Boo

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Void(null) said:
Isn't it still a little too early for US April Fools?
Don't think so, putting a Aprils fools joke on corporate information could run you into trouble with SEC.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=130125&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1544860&highlight=


I suspect the whole elemental failure has given them the choice of sell or go bust.


Edit

http://www.stardock.com/about/newsitem.asp?id=2558
 

winter2

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Oct 10, 2009
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Aw crap! well... I only have two games on Impulse.. well 3 if you count expansion packs. The rest of my stuff is on Steam. So it's not all bad I suppose. But I really went to digital to get AWAY from Gamestop.. .Arrrrrrrr
 

MisterShine

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Mar 9, 2010
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This is the worst april fools ever.

Please take it back.

edit: Actually no, Gamestop buying GOG would be the worst ever. This is pretty bad too though.
 

matrix3509

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Sep 24, 2008
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Welp, looks like I'm uninstalling Impulse from my computer now. Too bad, I had 5 games that I bought from them. No way in hell I will ever help that cartoonishly evil mass of bullshit that is GameShit.
 

kibayasu

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Jan 3, 2008
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I suppose this could be less "GameStop bought Impulse" and more "GameStop now owns a controlling interest in Impulse." It still bizarre to think that Stardock gave up their own platform though. Then again Steam could be getting to that point where the competitors are floundering. Impulse didn't really have anything going for it except Stardock's products and the rare better deal, it could simply be the first to see the writing on the wall.
 

Casimir_Effect

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Aug 26, 2010
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2 things Gamestop need to do with Impulse:

1. Stop all the stupid damn regional offers which mean I can never actually take advantage of the good deals they get as 'It is not available in your area'.

2. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up.
 

Fr]anc[is

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May 13, 2010
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Guess I've got something to uninstall when I get home. Does anyone know if I can still use SoaSE Entrenchment afterward?
 

Sartan0

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Apr 5, 2010
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This is sad news for me. I will keep the games I already have but I am unlikely to get any new ones. I take it that Impulse was likely the second or third biggest after steam or I doubt Game Stop would have bothered to buy out Stardock.

A sad day. A very sad one. At least we still have Good Old games. Looks like I will be using steam more now.
 

kibayasu

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Jan 3, 2008
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matrix3509 said:
Welp, looks like I'm uninstalling Impulse from my computer now. Too bad, I had 5 games that I bought from them. No way in hell I will ever help that cartoonishly evil mass of bullshit that is GameShit.
You realise that simply have something installed doesn't "help" GameStop in anyway, right? Nor does playing games you've already bought. Your logic is bizarre.
 

Void(null)

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Dec 10, 2008
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albino boo said:
Void(null) said:
Isn't it still a little too early for US April Fools?
Don't think so, putting a Aprils fools joke on corporate information could run you into trouble with SEC.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=130125&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1544860&highlight=


I suspect the whole elemental failure has given them the choice of sell or go bust.


Edit

http://www.stardock.com/about/newsitem.asp?id=2558

Well poop... and here I was hoping that it was all just a joke. Guess I am done buying games from Impulse.

Gamestop can go fuck themselves.

As a PC Gamer they have made it clear they do not want my business and I am certainly not going to give it to them now.