ONOFF Stores Acquired

JULY 20, 2011 • Thirty of the 67 locations of bankrupt Swedish electronics retailer ONOFF are being acquired by the Norwegian competitor Expert International GmbH. The latter has a 9% market share currently, which will then increase to 12%-13% following the acquisition. Impact: ONOFF has been around since 1982 but the Swedish home electronics market has been brutal in recent years. Stiff comp.....

GameStop Tests Spawn Labs Service

MAY 19, 2011 • GameStop is beta testing a cloud-based distribution service fulfilled through game streaming startup Spawn Labs that was acquired by the retailer last March. The internal testing is available to GameStop employees only. Impact: GameStop has made it clear that they are going on a dual-pronged approach where they remain a leader in physical distribution while also capitalizing on .....

GameFly Buys Direct2Drive

MAY 4, 2011 • Digital distributor Direct2Drive launched a fully localized portal in Germany. On May 26, Direct2Drive itself was acquired from IGN by video game rental service GameFly. Terms were not disclosed. IGN gains a minority equity stake in GameFly without actively pa.....

Alibris Adds Games

APRIL 27, 2011 • Alibris, best known as an online marketplace for independent book sellers, is adding a dedicated section for the sale of used and new video games. Alibris will support common search topics such as title, platform and genre. .....

Wal-Mart Acquires Kosmix

APRIL 18, 2011 • Wal-Mart Stores Inc. acquired Mountain View, Calif.-based social media company Kosmix for an undisclosed sum. Kosmix’s founders and staff will now operate as @WalmartLabs, a new group at the retailer that will create technologies and businesses to supp.....

IGDA Warns Against Amazon

APRIL 15, 2011 • The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) warned its membership in a letter to be wary of contracting with Amazon’s digital Appstore, which reserves the right to pay developers, “the greater of 70% of the purchase price or 20% of the List Price.” While noting many retailers exert control over the price of products, the IGDA said it was not aware of any other retailer having a formal policy of paying a supplier just 2.....

Best Buy Adds Video Game Staff

APRIL 14, 2011 • During its 2012 fiscal year Best Buy will add dedicated sales staff to its in-store video game sections. The employees will man their own special gaming desks where  preorders and DLC can be ordered. The plan is to create a more effective gaming destination within each location. Impact: Unlike a chain such as GameStop, Best Buy has limited customer support for selling video g.....