I contest this as an illegitimate complaint:
"Requires people to get updates through a specific source (Steam, Impulse, publisher secure website, etc.). This is one of our biggest pet peeves. If a game ships and there’s some bug found that materially affects gameplay, then sure, put out a patch wherever. However, we’ve had users complain loudly that Sins of a Solar Empire v1.1 (essentially a free expansion pack) requires Impulse to download. Publishers have every right to make sure the people downloading updates are legitimate customers."
As much as I love Impulse, it's self evident that buying 15 different games and installing 15 different program loaders is an annoyance. I'm getting more than a little tired of putting single-use junk on my computer.
Also, the response was predictable. If 1.1 was a free expansion pack, you sure hid it well inside the industry standard patching regime. You should've expected the complaints and expected far fewer if you had marketed it with a name and an offer: "Download Impulse and you get the new wxyz add-on for free!"
Goodwill solution: provide alternate browser based authentication for people who are getting tired of program loaders.
Fanciful wish: Stardock spins off Impulse and sells to Microsoft; it becomes part of the GfW initiative and a de-facto industry standard.
