GameStop Acquires Impulse, Spawn Labs

April 1, 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.

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Comments

Re: GameStop Acquires Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by MonkeyPeaches on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 17:22.

Please say April Fools'.

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by thatblack1 on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 08:36.

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

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by saregos on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 07:18.

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 - 17:35.

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 Thu, 03/31/2011 - 23:55.

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 - 14:22.

"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 - 05:59.

By gouging consumers on second hand game sales.

Re: GameStop Acquires, Impulse, Spawn Labs

Submitted by Seanovan on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 13:22.

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 - 08:32.

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 - 09:49.

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 - 17:30.

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 - 11:18.

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 - 13:50.

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

PHX Corp: http://www.gamezone.com/news/2013/05/20/violent-video-games-are-bad-for-your-body Most rediclous Study about violent video games ever05/20/2013 - 10:13am

Cecil475: @PHX Corp - The dude's a moron who wouldn't know crap if it came up and kicked him.05/19/2013 - 6:36am

PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/ea-sports-developer-calls-wii-u-crap-and-nintendo-wa-508481261 EA Sports Canada Moron calls Wii U 'Crap' and Nintendo 'Walking Dead'05/18/2013 - 11:42am

E. Zachary Knight: If the videos are of sufficient quality that people subscribe and watch regularly, then those let's players are providing a service that people want. That is the heart of capitalism. That is not something that should be shamed.05/17/2013 - 8:06am

E. Zachary Knight: I have no idea who either of those people are. However, I still don't see why making a business out of creating let's play videos is somehow evil or wrong.05/17/2013 - 8:04am

MaskedPixelante: It sure is if you're just doing it for the money. See Tobuscus and/or Pewdiepie for what happens when people get into it just for the money.05/17/2013 - 7:30am

E. Zachary Knight: Why is it wrong to make money doing LPs? Why should that be something that should be shamed?05/17/2013 - 6:20am

MaskedPixelante: https://twitter.com/PsychedelicSA/status/335183893214924801 Now here's an interesting, glass half full thought about the Nintendo LP thing. It outs the people who are just doing LPs to make money.05/17/2013 - 5:56am

E. Zachary Knight: I responded in writing to all this "let's play" stuff Nintendo Started. No need for my permission, I won't give it. It's not mine to give. http://divineknightgaming.com/?p=29205/16/2013 - 2:21pm

E. Zachary Knight: Lars Doucet of Levelup Labs has a Reddit going on game companies that allow monetization of Let's Play videos. http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1egayn/lets_build_a_list_of_game_studios_that_allow/05/16/2013 - 1:04pm

Sleaker: @Imautobot - yah I wouldn't use an emulator as a good first run test of how stable the console is, haha.05/16/2013 - 11:47am

E. Zachary Knight: The 50th person to jump off a bridge is just as dumb if not dumber than the 1st.05/16/2013 - 10:03am

MaskedPixelante: Yeah, let's all jump on Nintendo for doing this, even though they're hardly the first company to do this...05/16/2013 - 9:47am

E. Zachary Knight: Wow Nintendo, this is wrong. http://kotaku.com/nintendo-forcing-ads-on-some-youtube-lets-play-video-50709238305/16/2013 - 8:44am

Imautobot: @Sleaker, further gameplay has revealed that the controller button do stick under the faceplate. Also, The NES emulator (Emuya)keeps crashing on me, though I think a bad ROM is causing it.05/16/2013 - 7:10am

Papa Midnight: AE: I wonder if any other publishers will follow suit.05/15/2013 - 8:12pm

Andrew Eisen: EA is ditching Online Pass. http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/15/ea-kills-its-controversial-online-pass-program/05/15/2013 - 7:20pm

Avalongod: @Zach and quicnkold...I've read the bill and the intent of it is to fear-monger. It's not a balanced message. I don't recall the ESRB being mentioned at all. It's more "keeps your kids away from these movies/games or they'll become violent"05/15/2013 - 4:35pm

E. Zachary Knight: quiknkold, The big problem with that legislation is the amount of misinformation out there. Who is going to ensure that the information in the pamphlet is accurate?05/15/2013 - 3:25pm

quiknkold: REBeardogg : I'm on the fence about this. on one side, I want parents to be aware of the ESRB, and even Movie Ratings. On the other hand, I feel this will be used for nothing but Propaganda. The ESRB does a good job.05/15/2013 - 3:07pm

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