GameStop: Tablets the next gaming "explosion"

Following a flurry of recent activity in the market, with acquisitions of both Spawn Labs and Impulse - as well a move into Facebook retail - US specialist GameStop has claimed that it could set itself up as a manufacturer of tablet devices in order to ensure the platform has a compelling environment for games.

Speaking to Gamasutra, company president Tony Bartel hailed the portable devices as the "next explosion" to hit the video games sector, noting the retailer's commitment to be a player there.

"If we can work with our partners and the OEMs and they come up with a great tablet that is enabled with a great gaming experience and coupled with a bluetooth controller, then there's no need to go out and develop our own," he said. "But if we can't find one that's great for gaming, then we will create our own."

The retailer, which is the biggest specialist brand in the US market, has embarked on a series of initiatives in order to ready itself for a future in which boxed product sales take less of a share, and digital sales more.

As well as finding a foothold in cloud gaming and digital distribution, setting itself up as a competitor to the likes of OnLive and Steam, any moves into the hardware space will increase the list of rivals to include other significant players such as Apple and Samsung.

Since the announcement of the Spawn and Impulse acquisitions, GameStop stock has risen by nearly 6 per cent to close yesterday at $23.90.