GameStop is buying Stardock's Impulse : Othor Games

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:37 am

Game retailer GameStop has apparently decided to buy its way into two PC game-selling technologies at once. In a single press release, the retail giant announced that it will acquire both Stardock’s Impulse download service (a competitor to Steam) and Spawn Labs‘ streaming service (a competitor to OnLive). The release indicates that Impulse will continue to function as normal, but will be fully integrated with GameStop.com within the next few months.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/03/31/breaking-gamestop-to-buy-stardocks-impulse-spawn-labs-streaming/

Just to make things clear, they are only buying Impulse, the digital distribution platform. They are not buying Stardock.

Discuss

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:26 am

As long as I can still play Gal Civ 2 the same.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:26 am

Never used Impulse, as I've got accounts with Steam, GoG, and Direct2Drive--which is too many places for me as it is. That said, my only response to GameStop is "ew," so...ew.

(Our local GameStops are universally terrible. Little to no selection in PC games, and whenever I'd walk into one the clerks would stare at me like "zomg, what's a girl doing here? Is she lost?" :rolleyes: )

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:00 pm

Well, GameStop's digital store has some decent games that not even Steam has, so I suppose if their library is integrated into Impulse then that's a good thing.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:52 pm

Let's hope this doesn't change what's so grand about Impulse. It being a constantly offline Steam equivalent, that is.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:05 pm

Sounds horrible as I have a 3 games through impulse.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:43 pm

Looks like we'll have to bid farewell to having good deals on Impulse. Gamestop, in it's retail stores at least, prices games like it has absolutely no concept of the passage of time. I wouldn't be surprised if Gamestop's execs looked at some of the deals on Impulse from the past few weeks and projectile vomited all over their solid gold keyboards.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:30 pm

Meh. I only use Steam so not a huge deal. Should be interesting to see what changes take place.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:50 pm

Check date. Might not be coincedence.
Edit: Although the press release was dated March 31st and... actually exists. Nevermind, I suppose.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 8:47 am

Let's hope this doesn't change what's so grand about Impulse. It being a constantly offline Steam equivalent, that is.

I agree. If this stops, I will stop using Impulse then. What is the use then having it? All I hope is this will be an alternative to Steam and games will not be Stema exclusive anymore and we can buy DLC from Impulse and not Steam.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:04 am

My biggest problem is what Antibody said, I can see it now, "Trade in 6 brand new xbox games and get $10 towards your Impulse account!" :rolleyes:

I am almost exclusively with steam but impulse does have some pretty good deals at times, and it being offline is very nice.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:04 am

Maybe this means Impulse will finally start selling stuff to non-americans too

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:33 am

Maybe this means Impulse will finally start selling stuff to non-americans too

Hopefully.

I find Impulse to be a very good service for the 6 or so games I own on it, but the weekly emails informing me about deals on games they won't sell to me really get on my nerves.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:13 am

Hopefully.

I find Impulse to be a very good service for the 6 or so games I own on it, but the weekly emails informing me about deals on games they won't sell to me really get on my nerves.

I am rather sure there is a way to opt out of their mailing list. Anyway would rather have a quick and easy to delete email than having to go to the site everyday to see what they have going on. :shrug:

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:08 am

I don't mind getting emails in general. I get plenty of emails from similar services that I delete without more than a cursory glance in the majority of cases. It's just the fact that 90% of the time the emails from Impulse are completely useless even if I was interested in the products featured since I won't be able to get them. It comes across more as teasing than a promotion, "Look at the great deal we're giving our other customers". As a marketing tool it seems pretty badly thought out since all it does is associate Impulse in my mind with annoyance.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:22 am

I never get emails from them.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:19 am

Maybe this means Impulse will finally start selling stuff to non-americans too

:huh: uh... I live in Iceland and I've bought 3 products on Impulse so far.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:42 am

:huh: uh... I live in Iceland and I've bought 3 products on Impulse so far.

Depends on the publisher. Some publisher's games are only available in the americas trough Impulse. EA for example.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:56 am

Doesn't bother me. I only use Steam for digital distribution. I was in Gamestop the other day to buy the keyboard for Rock Band 3. The cashier kept calling me "guy" and pestering me to preorder. If he hadn't called me "guy" like 10 times in our short conversation, maybe I would have, but...I'm a dude, not a "guy". I have a feeling that now Impulse will start calling everyone guy and pestering them.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:03 pm

Maybe this means Impulse will finally start selling stuff to non-americans too

I am Canadian, and I can buy stuff on Impulse. So Non Americans can buy stuff from Impulse.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:49 am

I am Canadian, and I can buy stuff on Impulse. So Non Americans can buy stuff from Impulse.

LOL...

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 8:36 am

I have Impulse for one thing only. Sins of a Solar Empire, if that wasn't there it's good odds I wouldn't be either.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:48 pm

Steam and GOG only for digital distribution.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:49 am

I thought this was an April Fools joke...