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Next-gen consoles to thank for GameStop's record-breaking sales year
GameStop has the new consoles to thank for the retail juggernaut's record-breaking sales year. Total global sales reached $9.04 billion, a 1.7 increase from the previous bar-setter in 2011. The company saw a profit of $354.2 million, slamming the teeter-totter back from last year's $269.7 million loss. Sales were driven by the 29.7 percent increase in new video game hardware sales from "the launches of Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4." "The launch of new consoles in 2013 marked the return of innovation to the video game category and GameStop's market share increased to an all-time high. Our emerging digital and mobile businesses, which did not exist three years ago, surpassed $1 billion of revenue," said GameStop CEO Paul Raines. In its guidance for the 2014 year, GameStop plans to increase profits, but will close approximately two percent of its stores. The company currently states it operates over 6,600 locations, which would be a reduction of around 132 stores. Update: GameStop's financial also mentions the closure of Spawn Labs, the company's streaming service that never really got flowing. [Image: Shutterstock]
GameStop streaming service to include demos, possibly extra games tailored to players' interests
GameStop acquired Spawn Labs in 2011, planning to use that company's streaming gameplay technology for its own streaming service. GameStop has recently adjusted its plans to include PCs, tablets, and smart TVs only, even after announcing the technology for a larger variety of devices. That decision is motivated, in part, by the upcoming console generation change, CEO J. Paul Raines told me."Some things are happening in the gaming business that we're now having to adjust to," Raines said. "One of those is we're moving to a new generation of consoles. So what was our old console based technology now has to change for the new generation of consoles. So that's giving us some challenges on the technology side."
GameStop's cloud streaming service shifts to PC, tablets and internet TVs only
GameStop has been talking about its plans to stream games since acquiring Spawn Labs and Impulse back in early 2011, and next summer the new service will launch. But it won't be available on consoles as originally thought."Based on consumer feedback, our success in selling mobile devices, and the imminent launch of new consoles, we have decided to move our technology to a PC-based model," GameStop president Tony Bartel said during a conference call with investors today (via Gamasutra). After running a nationwide private beta, GameStop has decided to offer the service only on PC, tablets and internet-enabled television sets.Previously, GameStop senior VP Mike Mauler proposed a scenario where users would need to own a retail copy of a particular game they wished to stream from the cloud. That's not set in stone, of course – and that's not to say GameStop won't bring the service to the next generation of consoles, but for the near-future, it appears consoles aren't getting an invite to GameStop's cloud club.
The Engadget Interview: GameStop CEO Paul Raines talks tablets, OUYA and the MVNO that never was
Looking to unload your unwanted gaming gear? You're probably on your way to GameStop. As the largest dedicated video game retailer in the world, it's hard to imagine a games enthusiast who hasn't browsed its wares a time or two. Over the last few years, however, the firm has been expanding outside of retail sales -- dipping its fingers into digital distribution, streaming and even phones and tablets. The brick-and-mortar store even seemed to be flirting with building a mobile network. With all these changes underfoot and a new console cycle just around the corner, it seemed like a good time to catch up with GameStop CEO Paul Raines to get some perspective.
GameStop's console streaming service will require retail game purchase
We don't know much about GameStop's mysterious plans to stream console games using the tech it acquired in the purchase of Spawn Labs, but the gaming retailer offered a few details to GamesIndustry.biz that help elucidate things. "So we're not looking at a service where you can just play games in the cloud," GameStop senior veep Mike Mauler told GI.biz, "you would buy the game through our loyalty programme and through a partnership with the publishers we would give them an opportunity to possibly – this is still something we're working out – to be able to play their game when they're not at home with their Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3." This would, of course, be offered as a premium service for GameStop's customers. "It would be an additional service that you would be able to purchase as you buy a copy of the game to play on your Xbox," Mauler explained, adding that the service "doesn't require any work" from publishers to make the games compatible. While there are still plenty of unanswered questions (how would save games work if you're continuing a console game on your iPad in a hotel?) the premise is certainly ambitious. But would we pay extra money for the privilege of playing a game we already own away from home? It would have to be a really enticing price point. Or maybe if they kept bugging us at checkout.
GameStop to bring Android-based gaming tablet to market
No surprises here. GameStop, which announced its intentions to become a technology company earlier this spring, has officially selected Google's Android OS for its upcoming tablet-based "certified gaming platform." The video game retailer's prexy Tony Bartel relayed the news to GamesIndustry.biz, and plans to sell the slate alongside offerings from industry heavyweights. The news comes on the heels of the company's spring acquisition of developer Spawn Labs and Impulse, with a pre-production model design already selected for the tab. Expect the hardware to come pre-loaded with a handful of games, and to have a focus on an OnLive-like, cloud-based gaming platform. Consumers in Dallas were the first to get a hands-on with the beta device that should sport a custom designed controller at launch. According to Bartel, "It's hard to imagine how to stream a game - let's say Modern Warfare 3 - onto a tablet and then play it with your finger." The GameStop-made tab could also see third-party exclusives head to the platform, crafted with its controller interface in mind. Bartel made no mention of a release window, but it's clear the company's adapting to the industry's digital download future. Hit up the source below for the full interview.
Gamestop launching branded Android gaming tablet next year
Gamestop has come up with a thoroughly thought-provoking method to stop losing business to the ever-expanding mobile market: By jumping into that market with arms outstretched. The company hinted at the possibility of developing a gaming tablet earlier this year; today, Gamestop president Tony Bartel explained to GamesIndustry that they're currently testing the sale and distribution of an unspecified Android tablet which will be Gamestop branded, and paired with a dedicated controller peripheral. The device will support (and, after a trip through Gamestop's refurbishment center, will be pre-loaded with) mobile apps, but the goal is to allow the tablet to stream full retail releases (assumedly using Spawn Labs' Player software). Bartel also mentioned that the company was working with developers to create titles specifically for the hardware -- though we'll probably have to wait until the device's launch next year to find out the identity of those titles, not to mention the tablet itself.
Gamestop beta testing console streaming service
Gamestop has been testing a console game streaming service and hopes to have a beta in place by year's end, according to a report from GamesIndustry.biz. Presumably, testing sessions are conducted while researchers break from formulating new, more effective ways for cashiers to ask you to pre-order something, anything. If you've been paying attention, the news shouldn't come as a total surprise. In March, the game retailer bought Spawn Labs, which offered its own console game streaming box, the Spawn HD-720, as early as 2009. This new service would be able to stream 360 and PS3 games to smart devices and dedicated hardware. GameStop is also tinkering with PC game streaming, but who isn't doing that? And that's sort of where the details dry up. We know this will be a service for members of GameStop's PowerUp Rewards program and that demos will be provided, but the rest (most importantly, the pricing) is a mystery. But take heart: GI.biz reports we can expect more details early next year, with a full roll-out by the middle of 2012.
GameStop porting game-streaming Spawn Player to Android devices
GameStop is wasting little time expanding the scope of Spawn Labs, its newly minted "cloud gaming division." A recent job listing for the company seeks a senior software engineer to be "responsible for the development and maintenance of our Player software on Android tablets and smartphones." (Additional job postings are for key roles in the division, which is also looking to port the Spawn Player app to Linux-based systems.) Upon announcing the acquisition of the game-streaming tech outfit late last month, GameStop laid out a clear goal: "Once the Spawn Labs integration and testing on a new consumer interface is complete, users will have immediate access to a wide selection of high-definition video games on demand on any internet-enabled device." Android phones and tablets (and Linux systems) would appear to be next on the checklist, but what about iOS devices? "Getting the audio and video onto the iPhone or iPad is not too hard," Spawn Labs' David Wilson pointed out in the community forums (some months ago). "Getting game control in a way that works for console games is hard -- but only because Apple controls both the physical and Bluetooth interfaces to the device." In response to a followup question, he added, "Yes, Android is more within our control than the iPhone." While Spawn Labs has operated as a sort of "Slingbox for gaming," with its Spawn HD-720 box providing the technology to stream your game consoles' content to a computer, GameStop appears to be angling to cast a much wider net -- not just to stream your console games on more devices, but to sell you new games to stream on more devices. The retail giant has also scooped up a digital distribution platform in Impulse, which would seem just the thing to provide that "wide selection of high-definition video games on demand" -- just as soon as Spawns Labs' "new consumer interface is complete," of course. (Muahahahahaha!) [Thanks, Gregory]
GameStop details plans for Impulse and Spawn Labs, says it's 'becoming a technology company'
Well, it looks like GameStop's plans following its acquisition of Impulse and Spawn Labs may be even grander than we had suspected. At an investor conference today, GameStop said flat out that it is "becoming a technology company," and that it does indeed plan to introduce a cloud-based gaming service similar to OnLive as a result of the Spawn Labs acquisition, while Impulse will be used to "compete fiercely" with Steam. But that's just the start of things. According to the Dallas Morning News, GameStop also plans to expand the gaming service to a variety of mobile devices, and it's apparently even entertaining the idea of a GameStop-branded tablet, saying that "if we feel like we could do a better job of making a tablet, we'll do that." Of course, some of that is still quite a ways off, but GameStop will be taking its first steps fairly soon -- it's already showed off a demo of how the service will be integrated into its website (see above, complete with a "try it now" option), and it plans to begin a public beta sometime this year before rolling out the full service early next year.
GameStop snaps up Spawn Labs, Impulse game distribution platform
We wouldn't count on its retail business going away anytime soon, but it looks like GameStop is now also betting heavily on a digitally-distributed future. To that end, the company has just announced that it's acquiring both Spawn Labs and Steam-competitor Impulse, the latter of which it's buying out from parent company Stardock Systems. While Spawn Labs may not be the most familiar name, you might remember its HD-720 set-top box -- essentially a Slingbox for your game consoles -- which we first checked out way back in 2009 and finally started shipping in early 2010. It sounds like GameStop may have some even grander ambitions for the technology than that, however, as the company's press release says that it's now testing a "new consumer interface" that will give users "immediate access to a wide selection of high-definition video games on demand on any Internet-enabled device." As our pals at Joystiq note, that sounds an awful lot like OnLive-esque cloud-based gaming service, but GameStop unfortunately isn't offering many other hints at the moment.
GameStop indulges in some Impulse buying ... no seriously, it bought Impulse (and Spawn Labs)
Love 'em or hate 'em, you can't say the people of GameStop are taking the challenge of "digital" lying down. The massive Texas-based retailer (everything's bigger in Texas) just announced the acquisition of streaming tech outfit Spawn Labs – you'll recall the HD-720 box we brought on the Engadget Show – and digital distribution portal, Impulse. Whoa, whoa, whoa ... so GameStop purchased Stardock, Impulse's owner? Nope! "GameStop has acquired Impulse, Inc.," the official Stardock FAQ on the deal reads. "Impulse is a separate business unit from Stardock Entertainment." No layoffs are anticipated, staff stays with Impulse, customer service is still handled by Impulse (for now!), and the group is actually hiring. The press release says that Impulse will offer "three specific components." First is the client, dubbed "Impulse::Client" here, which users can use to download games. Duh. Next is Impulse::Reactor, which "provides content publishers customer friendly DRM and copy protection tools. It also allows developers to enable achievements, account management, friend lists, chat, multiplayer lobbies, and cloud storage within their games." Last is Impulse::Publisher which gives pubs "real-time reporting and management tools." GameStop's interest in Impulse – one of the industry's biggest competitors to market leader Steam – is obvious. What's not so obvious is its interest in Spawn Labs. "Once the Spawn Labs integration and testing on a new consumer interface is complete, users will have immediate access to a wide selection of high-definition video games on demand on any Internet-enabled device," the press release reads. That sounds to us like GameStop is getting into the cloud-based gaming arena (ie: OnLive). We're following up with GameStop, Stardock, and all the other concerned parties and we'll let you know what we uncover.
Spawn Labs starts shipping HD-720, your video games now ready to be slung
Hey, remember Spawn Labs? Look, we know last September was a long, long time ago, but how could you ever forget the box that essentially acts as the Slingbox for your video game consoles? The HD-720, which arrives with the ability to pass along either Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 signals to a web-connected PC for remote playback, is now available to order for $199.95, while additional adapters can also be purchased for $39.95. Of course, you should make sure you have a pretty robust Windows-based laptop and a solid internet connection before getting your hopes up too high here, but if those are well taken care of, your portable gaming dreams are now just a credit card indention away. [Thanks, Ryan]
Hands-on: Spawn HD-720 brings your games to you
Now that's it's The Future, we've grown increasingly intolerant of being tied down to any specific location, even when it comes to console gaming. When you can talk on your phone and watch movies on the go, who wants to be tethered to their couches as they explore a post-apocalyptic wasteland? Nobody, that's who. The Spawn HD-720 from Spawn Labs is designed to fulfill that promise of futuristic mobility by taking console video games and (in technical terms) squishing them inside your computer. We recently went hands-on with "Slingbox for games" to see if the future had truly arrived. %Gallery-72776%
Video: Spawn Labs HD-720 aims to be the Slingbox to your game console, we go hands-on
Sure, your heart may be aflutter with thoughts of gaming cloud services like OnLive and OTOY, but quietly making its debut this week is Spawn Labs with its "Bring Your Own console" HD-720 video game streamer, due out this November for $199.95. In a nutshell, the device works as a Slingbox for your Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PS2, or GameCube and lets you play those consoles over the internet on your Windows PC (a Mac client is said to be in the works). The AV cables -- component or composite, no HDMI at this point -- are connected and can be then passed through to a TV as normal. A USB connection is used to sync up the controller, and there's also an IR signal for turning the connected system(s) on and off. On the computer, you can log the Spawn Labs website and play either your own system or jump onto one of your friends' systems for some faux-local co-op or to be a spectator. We had a chance to take a look at the streamer and talk with some of the minds behind it at TechCrunch 50 to fill in some of the missing details. In a fairly controlled environment -- the device hooked up via ethernet to a private router on the show floor -- we were able to competently play Soul Calibur IV with what we were told was around 100ms audio / video and 5ms controller lag. Under ideal situations, it streams 720p / 30 frames per second in H.264 video with AAC-LC audio, but that can automatically downscale when the connection slows -- should we decide we're too lazy to make it from our bedroom to the couch to play Halo (an all too frequent scenario), it'll clearly work fine over a local network, but it's gonna be how well it works across that internet that's the real deal-breaker, and we weren't able to test that. Cross-continent play isn't recommended, but you can have spectators from all over the world and it won't at all affect your latency. Any PC controller can work and be custom-mapped, including just keyboard and mouse, although if you're wanting to use a PS3 pad you'll have to find the drivers for it yourself. The game window itself has buttons along the bottom for pulling up the system's specific guide menu or recording the video for upload to YouTube. What's impressive to us is that it's said to work with any computer that can handle a 720p video stream, and so far in the labs they've apparently got it working well on an ION-based netbook -- but we didn't get to see that for ourselves, so we'll hold applause until we can put it through its paces ourselves. See a video demonstration for yourself after the break.
Spawn Labs HD-720 enables streaming of console games
At the TechCrunch 50 conference, a company called Spawn Labs has revealed its HD-720 box, a device that allows users to stream games from their PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, or Gamecube anywhere in the world, at 30 frames per second in resolutions up to 720p. Basically, it's the Slingbox for your games, or a sort of OnLive that uses your own consoles as the server. Once you've plugged your console into the box, if the thing works like it's supposed to, you can then play your games from anywhere that has broadband access. The really crazy part is that Spawn Labs advertises the ability to allow other people to connect to your console and play games with you while you play at home, or watch your gameplay. Just like that, couch co-op becomes online play. The HD-720 costs $199.99, and requires a $30 controller adapter for each variety of console controller you wish to connect -- all of which seems a bit pricey for something that makes it a little more convenient to play the games you already have. %Gallery-72776% [Via TechCrunch]
