GameStop has been intent on expanding into different areas of the business for some time now, from having purchased flash game site Kongregate last year to offering downloadable content in stores. The company’s surprising series of moves today sets it up to be a much more direct competitor to services like Steam and OnLive.
Two separate acquisitions were announced today, with the first being of Spawn Labs, a company that focuses on streaming technology. It brings “patented technology” and will work with GameStop’s research & development group to “develop GameStop’s growing suite of digital game products and services.”
The other move was to acquire Impulse, Inc. from Stardock. Impulse is a digital distribution platform (primarily for games) first launched in 2008 that has expanded to include features like matchmaking, friends lists, chatting, Achievements, and more. It’s a direct competitor to Valve’s Steam; with GameStop’s influence behind it, it could prove to be a much bigger player in the digital distribution space. It will continue to run as usual, with GameStop.com integration expected in “the next few months.”
