Turner to sell GameTap, Time Warner reveals [update]

by James Ransom-Wiley { Aug 6th 2008 at 11:30AM }

Time Warner released its second-quarter 2008 financial report this morning, which included a brief mention of an $18 million write-off attributed to a "noncash impairment of GameTap." Say what? The report claims the write-off is based on "Turner's decision to sell its online video game business," leaving it at that. Say what!

We've put a call into GameTap for ~~more~~ any information. Stay tuned.

Update: A Turner spokesperson tells us, "There is considerable marketplace interest in the GameTap business and brand. We are considering various strategic options but have reached no final agreement as yet. When there is a resolution, we will announce it."

[Via Gamasutra]

Tags: breakingnews, gametap, time-warner, turner

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Marty @ Aug 6th 2008 11:34AM

Better get those GameTap exclusives into the Steam lifeboats!

samfish @ Aug 6th 2008 11:36AM

What SHOULD happen is Apple should buy them and use them for AppleTV in particular...try and get that thing going again.
Not many people like playing games infront of their PC in general, especially games that are mostly console ports, since I don't think THAT many people overall own a PC gamepad.

Shagittarius @ Aug 6th 2008 12:02PM

My Pc monitor is my TV and I own a wireless gamepad.

PC RULES FOOLS!

js @ Aug 6th 2008 5:45PM

That's a great idea, but the windows arm might piss people off.

ie: it's like running itunes, but with extremely limited features for macs.

Shadsy @ Aug 6th 2008 11:39AM

Aaargh. This comes the weekend after I reinstalled GameTap to give it another try. Guess I better finish Deus Ex pretty fast.

Duke @ Aug 6th 2008 11:53AM

Its shocking how businesses continue to frown upon divisions that make no money.

Shagittarius @ Aug 6th 2008 12:01PM

You can buy all the games from amazon or ebay as fast as you can finish them online for the same cost.

GameTap Blows.

MagikOvenMit @ Aug 6th 2008 12:12PM

Does this mean that GameTap is shutting down? I'm not too good with all this business talk... If so, at least we'll still have GOG.

AwesomeTown @ Aug 6th 2008 12:51PM

Wow, just checked out gog.com. It looks pretty damn awesome. I can't wait to see it when it launches. I hope some companies take a look at it, wake up and do something with their old games. (I'm looking at you Lucasarts)

But anyway, I've liked the Gametap free client. Played through some good stuff with it, but I never got around to paying for gold.

Duke @ Aug 6th 2008 12:55PM

It seems they want to sell the business, not shut it down.

cbroz91 @ Aug 6th 2008 1:02PM

While I'm in favor of selling gametap if it means that the service will go on to bigger and better things, what scares me that that other companies may not be so willing to give some of their content away for free.

Alzheimers @ Aug 6th 2008 1:17PM

Gamefly should buy them and make them their "Instant Rent" feature a-la Netflix. I know I'd certainly like more value for my subscription fee.

metroidprimegmr @ Aug 6th 2008 1:27PM

We should have seen this coming back when they laid-off the Game Tap editorial staff. I hope they don't kick off Sam & Max!

Gavin @ Aug 6th 2008 1:47PM

I tired the service for a few months earlier this year and the thing is NOT worth it. There was so much filler in the catalogue and many of the higher end stuff was buggy as hell. Things would lock up and/or crash on you. I tried playing the free Grimm episode but the performance was horrible and controls were laggy, so I lowered the settings to see if that improved matters and it ended looking like something the Nintendo 64 crapped out. I completely unistalled the Gametap client and said goodbye to the horribly annoying ads that blare like a wailing banshee. Never again....never again.

metroidprimegmr @ Aug 6th 2008 10:17PM

Some of the games don't work well unless you've set the download manager to download the full game instead of just the bare minimum. An example: Riven. When I tried to play Riven with the minimum game data, the game was practically UNFUNCTIONAL; once I had downloaded the data that GameTap deemed 'unnecessary' (facepalm.jpg), the game was running like clockwork!

Also, you DO know there's a mute button on the top-right corner of the home screen, right?

ScottG13 @ Aug 6th 2008 3:10PM

I hope Gamefly stays afloat. A great service with no real competition paying developers/publishers for having a great catalog.

I bought my mom a subscription for Christmas and she loved it.

AnthonyGalindoX @ Aug 6th 2008 3:42PM

So this means they're getting bought by Valve, right? ;)

Rocko @ Aug 6th 2008 4:02PM

I remember reading on Gamespot.com that Turner was going to start an online video game retailing application ala Steam & Netflix, and I thought to myself "Turner doesn't have a clue what they're doing, that's why they do film and television, not video games. They won't last a month."

well, they proved me wrong.