GameStop Acquires Impulse, Spawn Labs

March 31, 2011

GameStop is up to something big. The company announced that it has acquired a streaming technology company and a popular digital distribution platform. The company announced that it has acquired Spawn Labs, a streaming technology company and has entered into an agreement with Stardock systems to purchase Impulse. The Impulse acquisition is subject to closing conditions and is expected to be complete in May 2011.

Spawn Labs becomes part of the GameStop network, and will bring its game streaming technology to GameStop's suite of digital game products and services. Once the Spawn Labs integration and testing on a new consumer interface is complete, users will gain access to a wide selection of high-definition video games on demand.

Impulse is a digital distribution platform that allows users to download and manage games. The Impulse suite is comprised of a client, Reactor technology for DRM, and publishing tools.

You can read the entire announcement here.

Posted in Digital Distribution Gabe Newell GameStop

Comments

Re: GameStop Acquires Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by MonkeyPeaches on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 18:22.

Please say April Fools'.

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by thatblack1 on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 09:36.

April fools?.....right?....right?...please..

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by saregos on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 08:18.

Well, there goes me buying anything from Impulse. Damn...

Hmm, I wonder if that means my commitment to buying Sins: Rebellion is now going to be paying Gamestop. I really hope not, they annoy me.

-- Sometimes the truth is arrived at by adding all the little lies together and deducting them from the totality of what is known

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by Grif on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 18:35.

A) You DO know that next to nothing will change because of Gamestop buying Impulse, right? It's just like when they bought Kongregate, all that happened was Kongregate got an ass-ton more advertisement.

B) How does Gamestop annoy you so much that you're debating on whether or not to buy something from one of their subsidiaries?

"Power means nothing without honor and pride."

http://grifsgamereviews.blogspot.com My video game review site.

Atlanta Video Games Examiner for examiner.com

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by Grif on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 00:55.

My question is: If so many gamers hate Gamestop, how the hell are they getting this kind of money to buy out everything?

"Power means nothing without honor and pride."

http://grifsgamereviews.blogspot.com My video game review site.

Atlanta Video Games Examiner for examiner.com

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by Thad on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 15:22.

"My question is: If so many gamers hate Gamestop, how the hell are they getting this kind of money to buy out everything?"

That's sort of silly reasoning, isn't it?

More people hate Wal-Mart than hate GameStop. Apple and Microsoft have a whole lot of detractors too. It's not just possible for a company to be both hated and successful, it's COMMON.

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by kurifu on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 06:59.

By gouging consumers on second hand game sales.

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by Seanovan on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 14:22.

It's not that easy to make money on used games. Even when they're priced for double what gamestop bought them for, gamestop still has to sell half their inventory just to break even.

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by Speeder on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 09:32.

Really? Instead of paying 60 USD for a 5 hour SP game, you can pay 55 and sell for 25. (and thus actually save 30).

If that is gouging, I imagine what is not gouging...

---

Maurício Gomes
twitter.com/agfgames

--- Maurício Gomes twitter.com/agfgames

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by killatia on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 10:49.

That would only work if the guy sell the game right away. Not everyone that gets used games does that.

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by Grif on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 18:30.

OR you can take it back within 7 days and get ALL your money back. Or get something else. Your call.

"Power means nothing without honor and pride."

http://grifsgamereviews.blogspot.com My video game review site.

Atlanta Video Games Examiner for examiner.com

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by killatia on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 12:18.

If you make a habit out of that Gamestop can ban you from there stores.

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by Grif on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 14:50.

They won't ban you. They just won't allow you to return games. They'll still let you come in and spend more money. Just don't be an idiot and make it a habit, that's all. It's still better than Blockbuster.

"Power means nothing without honor and pride."

http://grifsgamereviews.blogspot.com My video game review site.

Atlanta Video Games Examiner for examiner.com

Shout box

E. Zachary Knight: Gamasutra explores the failure of Streetfighter X Tekken and has one of the best arguments against on-disk DLC I have ever read: http://tinyurl.com/d399ylu05/25/2012 - 1:46pm

ddrfr33k: about the xbox live hacks from last year, now we know: http://kotaku.com/5913228/report-how-scammers-are-stealing-xbox-live-accounts-and-what-they-do-with-them05/25/2012 - 12:31pm

tallimar: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57440902-94/microsoft-legal-win-over-google-may-signal-ceasefire/05/24/2012 - 10:17pm

ZippyDSMlee: TIme or an operation!05/24/2012 - 6:43pm

ZippyDSMlee: PC parts are in wish me luck or hell!!05/24/2012 - 6:43pm

MaskedPixelante: 38 Studios and Big Huge Games are pretty much dead now. http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/24/38-studios-and-big-huge-games-lay-off-entire-staffs05/24/2012 - 4:39pm

DorthLous: Actually, nop, I did miss the emoticon for some reason (getting used to pics?) and I didn't know you changed it since (since I posted previous to my shout and it was still there.) Anyhow, thanks for taking it out!05/23/2012 - 6:01pm

james_fudge: Well we were just testing it. but it is still on the submission to fight $pam.05/23/2012 - 5:48pm

E. Zachary Knight: James, No I don't have it. I was just wondering who does and why. More curiosity than anything.05/23/2012 - 5:38pm

james_fudge: Did you not see the emoticon and did you not see that it has already been changed back?05/23/2012 - 5:10pm

james_fudge: LOL05/23/2012 - 5:07pm

DorthLous: Why? Not shocked that people are barking to an additional hoop to jump through when posting from their already logged in account or just mentionning this to try to paint me as one always complaining?05/23/2012 - 4:45pm

james_fudge: big shock there ;)05/23/2012 - 4:30pm

DorthLous: I'll add my voice to those wanting it gone :S I'm already logged in, I don't need a captch'a. That's for those registering.05/23/2012 - 3:54pm

james_fudge: Et tu EZK?!?05/23/2012 - 3:51pm

Craig R.: I'm a One Man Quorum! And it's working for me now, thanks. :)05/23/2012 - 3:48pm

E. Zachary Knight: How do we determine who get's the game/captcha thingy? Is there a certain posting threshhold users have to meet before it is turned off?05/23/2012 - 2:25pm

james_fudge: Give it a chance, we're still adjusting it ;)05/23/2012 - 11:20am

james_fudge: One does not a Quorum make Craig.05/23/2012 - 11:16am

Craig R.: If I complete the stupid game, and it just deletes my comment, what's the point?05/23/2012 - 11:15am

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