Robert C. |
While it's true that Impuse started in 2008, I think it should be noted that it is essentially a rebranding of their previously existing digital distribution service (Stardock Central/Totalgaming.net/Drengin Netork). I believe it actually predates Steam by a couple years. You make it sound like Stardock is new to the digital distribution scene, when that's far from the case.
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Derek Smart |
Those numbers are way off and with no basis in reality whatsoever.
Direct2Drive is far - FAR - larger than Impulse on any day of the week and by all accounts (I have several industry friends with games on Impulse and several other services) Impulse is lumped in with all the others. Just because you have a game in a store, doesn't mean that it is going to sell. So no matter how many games you have on Steam, Impulse, D2D etc doesn't mean they're selling. Just like any store with goods - they're just there. Most of the revenue generated on Impulse are from Stardock's own games; not unlike the earlier situation with Steam. In my article below, I gave some some numbers http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/DerekSmart/20091108/3503/ESD_Publi shers_Boycott_Valves_Steam_Service_Seriously.php Someone else in the industry actually posted their own estimation further down in the thread as in 1. Steam 75% 2. Direct2Drive 10% 3. Metaboli 5% 4. Real 5% 5. Digital River 3% 6. Everyone else you listed combined 2% And on any one system (even on Amazon, Yahoo etc), a game that is #1 for the week could sell as few as 100 copies. Regardless, unless ESD sites start posting actual sales numbers, none of these numbers are going to be accurate and so every ESD site is going to be posting incorrect and self-serving numbers. @ Robert Even though Stardock's previous efforts predate Steam, they were restricted to only Stardock's own published games. They tried to branch out with Totalgaming to sell other games and that failed. Then they rebooted it with Impulse. |
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Kris Graft |
Hi Robert,
That's a good point that should probably be clearer. I've made a note of Stardock's previous DD efforts. |
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Urs Schaub |
Think global.
After that you can cut a big junk away from D2D. |
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Derek Smart |
Yah, I did say those numbers (and claims) were rubbish. At best.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26292/Direct2Drive_Recent_Digi tal_Distribution_Market_Estimates_Misinformation_At_Best.php |
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