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Does Stardock's Impulse Represent the Future of Digital Downloads?

The new thing for game downloads these days is to deliver them via 1 software application that serves as a directory, download utility, game manager, driver updater, and social network.

The first in the online game space (as far back as I can remember) to use a downloadable app to deliver software was Real Arcade to deliver casual games.  But the system that has taken digital distribution world by proverbial storm has been Steam, created by Valve Corporation in September 2003 to help fight piracy by authenticating user accounts online.  It also became the company's flagship digital distribution platform to deliver its hit games like the Half-Life and Counter-Strike series direct to its customers via the Internet.

Steam passed 20 million user accounts in early 2008 and has become the gold standard digital distribution platform, now delivering games from a number of the major software developers and publishers.

Due to Steam's success, it is no wonder that other companies are trying to find a way to compete.

Enter Impulse, the digital distribution platform by publisher/developer Stardock, known for its user friendly digital rights management systems (i.e. none on some games).

So how does Impulse stack up?

Impulse is a Nice Step Toward Competing With Steam But Has a Ways to Go

Impulse was launched by Stardock in summer of 2008 and in March 2009 announced it had 1,000,000 users.  Not bad for a newcomer.

The concept behind Impulse is similar to Steam.  Download the application, see what games you can order or download a free demo of, get game info and screenshots, and that sort of thing.

You can also participate in user forums, add friends, chat, and do all that social stuff you are probably wasting too much time on already at Facebook.  The application will also scan your computer, tell you what kind of video card you have, and help you download the latest drivers.  If you don't know what those are, you probably wouldn't be the kind of person to download and use Impulse in the first place.

What Impulse Brings to the Table

Impulse has the advantage of being a bit more broad than Steam.  You can exmplore and purchase office software (at the time of this writing only offering Corel products), tools for keeping your computer in tip top working order, and Desktop themes and icons. 

But does the broader approach really equal an advantage?

For now, Steam is staying laser focused on the game community, especially the hard core gamer although they have experimented with offering casual games.  Steam has a ton of information about its users and is constantly using that and other feedback mechanisms to offer new features all the time.

In fact, on March 29, 2009 Steam declared the often maligned DRM (digital rights management) obsolete as it now offers its Steamworks content protection system free to developers that of course integrates seamlessly with Steam.  Developers can now protect their content and offer their games through the #1 digital distribution system.

Here is what Impulse feels are its advantages (quoted from their site):

• Doesn’t need to be on-line to play single player games.
• Supports all types of PC software (games, applications, utilities, etc.).
• Hundreds of games, applications, utilities, themes, and more available to purchase or free download.
• Available free through Impulse: the Impulse Dock, which lets users organize all their programs and data together regardless of where it came from.
• Next-generation community features integrated in. Make friends and play games together on-line, start a blog, chat, and more.
• Delivers a next generation virtual platform that developers can freely use to add exciting new features to their games and apps.

Stardock's main claim to fame has been its user friendly Digital Rights Management.  Some of their games have none and its fan base appreciates that they can buy a game and not worry if they have to be connected to the Internet to play it or if they can only use it on a certain number of computers.  Gamers jaded by Steam's past limitations in this regard may opt for Impulse if all else is equal.

Impulse Impressions

So what is it like using Impulse?

To me, navigating Impulse feels a bit laggy, like running on wet ground.  You know you are getting somewhere, you just have the feeling you could be getting there faster.

The selection of games is decent.  There are some hit titles like Sins of a Solar Empire, Stardock's own Galactic Civilizations series, Company of Heroes, some of the Unreal games, the indie hit Braid and the newly released Demigod.  But compared to Steam's top notch catalogue, Impulse looks a bit anemic at this point.

And selection of top notch games is what is going to appeal to the average user.  This is where Impulse must make up ground if it wants to compete with the mighty Steam.

So in summary, Impulse is not a bad start and it is always good for the consumer to have competition in the industry, especially if one is sensitive to DRM complaints.  Apple already proved the success of customer-focused DRM with iTunes.

Here is what I'd like to see from Impulse:

• more hit games
• faster/smoother user experience
• user game reviews
• summary of professional reviews (i.e. MetaCritic scores, snippets of pro reviewer comments)
• gameplay videos
• frequent buyer discounts
• rent a game (i.e. paid trial) then apply this fee toward full version if I buy

To compete with Steam, I think any company has to stick with the basics and do them extremely well, stay in very close touch with its user base to focus on the main features users want, and find a way to compete on price for frequent buyers.

Does Impulse have a chance?  I think they do.  Stardock has already won over a large following with their user-centric DRM approach and catchy game experience of Galactic Civilazations. 

If they translate this gamer-centered philosophy into their Impulse program, they may not be able to beat Steam but in this market, #2 isn't a bad place to be.

Download Impulse for Free and Test Drive it For Yourself

(System Requirements - Win XP/Vista, IE 7, Microsoft .net framework 2.0, 512MB RAM, Athlon/Pentium III 1ghz or better, 1 GB HD space)