This week’s highly informative and always entertaing GFW Radio (mp3 link) features an interview with Stardock CEO Brad Wardell. Towards the end of the podcast the crew get into the details of Stardock’s approach to digital distribution and as one of Steam’s main competitors Wardell gives his candid thoughts on Valve’s service. He says there was strong customer demand for them to put their products up on Steam but was reluctant to side with valve due to their 30% cut and his general ambivalence towards what could be become the “Wallmart of digital distribution”.
Wardell goes on to say that Stardock are attempting to produce a viable alternative to Steam so that there is more choice on the market. Stardock’s new Impulse service will support persisant worlds and newer business models than what is current available as well as providing functionality similar to Steamworks such as match making and community features. Wardell states “I don’t think you are going to see Half-Life on Impulse real soon….and probablly you won’t see Sins of a Solar Empire on Steam anytime soon.” Interesting interview.
