GameStop Purchases Online Gaming Portal Kongregate

[Doctor Setebos]

GameStop has been fairly vocal about how heavily it relies on a physical product in order to make a profit as a game retailer. But could that soon be a thing of the past? It was revealed today that GameStop has purchased the popular browser-based gaming site Kongregate for an undisclosed sum.

Said GameStop CEO J. Paul Raines, "Kongregate advances GameStop's digital strategy by providing a gaming platform for casual, mobile and browser games that can be promoted and played by our existing gamers. We welcome the Kongregate team to the GameStop family."

As a part of the deal, Kongregate will become a wholly-owned GameStop subsidiary. What that means for the future of game retail for the company remains unclear.

Source - GamesIndustry

[Karmakin]

Ewwww. I have a bad feeling about that.

[CappinCanuck]

Yeah, ew for me as well. Get going on a digital distribution platform and offer me more sales... not browser games :P

[Spigot]

I have a REALLY bad feeling about this too. At least as far as Kongregate continuing to do what it's been doing.

[Hawkzombie]

Originally Posted by Spigot

I have a REALLY bad feeling about this too. At least as far as Kongregate continuing to do what it's been doing.

Yep. I expect to see a lot more 'demos' on Kongregate that require you to purchase the 'kreds' to unlock things. Just call it a feeling. I doubt this will have any effect on Gamestop whatsoever, though.

[Adam Blue]

I don't think anything will change. Gamestop already has a ton of flash games available to play, this just helps them keep relevant - another way to market.

[MagGnome]

Originally Posted by CappinCanuck

Yeah, ew for me as well. Get going on a digital distribution platform and offer me more sales... not browser games :P

Would you actually buy games from a Gamestop DD platform? I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.

I'm just glad they didn't buy Valve.

[Alkanos]

Fuuuuck, I really liked Kongregate. Guess I'll have to find another place to play flash games.

[ElektroDragon]

This is as ill conceived as Time Warner buying AOL.

[Lekon]

Originally Posted by Alkanos

Fuuuuck, I really liked Kongregate. Guess I'll have to find another place to play flash games.

Newgrounds?


Also, wonder what the trade in value on Kongregate was...

Wait... could the Kongregate people have traded in the company for... Starcraft 2 CE? The timing is suspect!

[Commissar Rob]

Originally Posted by Lekon

Newgrounds?


Also, wonder what the trade in value on Kongregate was...

Wait... could the Kongregate people have traded in the company for... Starcraft 2 CE? The timing is suspect!

I think they should've held out for the strategy guide too...

[LongStepMantis]

Man, I just signed up at Kongregate yesterday. I was intrigued by the system they use for overarching game achievements on a flash game portal. I just hope GameStop doesn't fuck with them too much...shit.

I generally used Armor Games for my flash game fix. Guess I can always go back. They have a lot of the same titles, just no cross-game achievement system.

[Hawkzombie]

Originally Posted by Adam Blue

I don't think anything will change. Gamestop already has a ton of flash games available to play, this just helps them keep relevant - another way to market.

I honestly had no idea they had a site like Kongregate already with flash games on it. Or is it just crappy 'knock-offs'?

I dunno...this just seems odd to me.

[Spigot]

I remember seeing stuff in some of the Gamestop newsletters recently pimping free flash games on their site. This move isn't wholly unprecedented, but it's kind of sad to see a site like Kongregate fall under their spell.