I think that's fine, honestly. They should probably offer a refund for those who want it, though, since they're getting money from Epic anyway.
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Outer Wilds confirmed EpicStore timed exclusive after luring crowdfundees with a steamrelease. [see EGS guidelines]
- Thread starter Hektor
- Start date
You should educate yourself before posting next time
The Steam page went live over a year ago.
Also, by the virtue of releasing on Linux, the Steam release was 100% going to happen, but then EGS happened and no Linux version for the first 12 months.
Fig is primarily an investment platform, isn't it? In Outer Wild's case roughly 60% of the collected money are investments instead of mere pledges. As long as the money they got by Epic is factored into the investors' revenue share, I don't see much of a problem with this. I'd almost go as far as saying that it's their responsibility to get as much of a return on their investors' money as possible. If they think this'll be achieved by taking the EGS road, so be it.
It's funny that Microsoft's relationship with Steam seems to be improving (bringing MCC day one) but because it's a 2k Private Division published game this winds up being removed from Steam. I have to imagine the Windows Store release was some kind of negotiated thing or perhaps even Epic or 2k deciding that good relations with Microsoft was more valuable than the lost sales from [insert very small number] of people who buy games on the Win 10 store.
Yo, why does this game look like a first month Unity project coupled with a few Gimp doodles?
What happened to the EGS policy of not accepting low-quality games, let alone doing exclusivity deals for them...
What happened to the EGS policy of not accepting low-quality games, let alone doing exclusivity deals for them...
This is the first time I'm seeing this game, by the way, is it essentially No Man's Sky but with actua level design? Pretty cool if so.
This argument is so dumb.
you're right people should drool all over themselves and hand money to every developer upon being asked without question or expectation
give me a break
The most fascinating part of the Fig games making these deals is the ability to get moderately accurate estimations for how much money they're receiving up front for the deal.
People need to learn what kickstarting a game means. They are not promised anything and putting money into a campaign is not preordering it. Trying to characterize this as anti-consumer misses the point.
Actually that's how to not do a crowfounding, but keep going. You are selling an idea, not smoke and mirror and call it a day. In this case they are selling a game on whatever platform they've announced before, with a Mac/Linux port of said game.
I don't understand what point you are trying to make. They planned a Steam release a year ago, they don't now. The point of the poster you quoted wasn't that they never planned a Steam release, but simply that plans change.
Crowdfunded games adding and removing platforms happens all the time. It would be great for the developers to offer refunds to those affected, especially Mac and Linux users.
brb opening a kickstarter and not promising anything to backers.
It also requires you to put your trust in the developers/publishers. Lying is the last thing they should be doing, as it not only affects their projects but future crowdfunded games.
I agree with the sentiment, but offering a refund when platform plans change is only fair, imo. Especially when there's money involved, and they won't be harmed in any way for the small amount of people who will request a refund.
Like everything EGS-related, it's all last-second deals and no planning. Just throw money at things and deal with the details later.
This is no different from all the "They're within their rights, bro! It's not illegal!" crap. Yes, what you say is technically true; just as it's true that people have a right to be upset (and demand refunds) when they pay for one thing and are told "ha ha, suckers! you're getting something else instead!"
I hate the EGS deal but this is silly. The game looks and - based on the playable alpha from 5 years ago - is fantastic.
Maybe developers should be proactive, instead waiting until somebody raises a stink?
This wasn't some unforseen event, they specifically chose this path.
Exactly, and so far they have honored Steam released pre-prders on other games.
Fig investors are a separate group from Fig backers, for whom the service acts as a completely normal kickstarter analogue. Investors I'm sure are very happy, backers, not necessarily so much.
Except they could have predicted this.
Or they could have said, "we made a commitment, we're going to stick to it".
They chose moneysacks over their previous commitments, now they have to deal with it. Additionally, as I said above, they could have been proactive and specifically notified their backers. As far as I know, they have done no such thing, nor made any offers of refunds.
Good heavens, these people feeling so entitled to something they were promised in exchange for their money!
If they had wanted to be able to hold out for a better deal they shouldn't have made one with their backers.
Yes, indeed that's not what crowdfunding is. When you have a project you want to see funded by backers, you tell them what you expect the game to be and how it might be released. But there was nothing binding about mentioning it could've been released through Steam.
Y'all leave me wondering how 2013 went so poorly for Microsoft.
I'm just about done with this cavalcade of bootlickers
I'm just about done with this cavalcade of bootlickers
If they say this on the page....
"We are going to get it to as many people's hands as possible.
Currently, we're planning to release Outer Wilds on PC, Mac, and Linux through Steam next year. But our dream is to bring it to new platforms in as many languages as possible, and we need everyone's help to make that happen! "
...I don't think it's an unreasonable assumption for a backer to have, especially as this locks out chinese and linux players for a year.
Obviously circumstances can change so backers should be prepared for things like this, but I wouldn't blame them for being annoyed if it occurs purely because the developer decides to do it instead of being forced by something out of their control.
words are cheap
the people shrugging and saying 'eh whatever, they can do what they want' never buy this stuff and it has no effect on them, that's why don't care
They also made a commitment to themselves/their team/their families. Why not take a guaranteed payday (exclusivity bonus) for a two or three year old concept that might completely flop because it isn't twitch-friendly enough or whatever? I thought we were supposed to be cognizant of the folk making video games these days?
If they still give steam keys to backers who demand them in a timely fashion then I don't care. Plans change. I backed bloodstained for the Vita version. I am now going to redeem the Switch version. The extra week will suck, but so be it (to be fair, the game might suck...)
And if they can't guarantee those timely keys (or just feel like going above and beyond), offer refunds like Phoenix Point did. If people genuinely have so many applications installed that they can't just type "Epi-enter" and launch EGS then so be it.
If only this was answered in all of the other 3000 Epic Threads
How many V-Bucks you got?
Yeah, they should also cancel the Xbox version for now since they only get 70% on that platform.
User Warned: Thread-Whining
I concur, the funding was to help create their vision in a game, not to determine where to sell the game.
These Epic exclusivity threads are out of hand now. If y'all dont want to support the developers or their games, you're entitled too, but we dont need a million threads on them.
These idiots aren't interested in reasons. They want to troll, that is their singular purpose.
Sad lives, they must lead.
Must be nice to skip potentially good games because of the platform
Unless they changed it recently (which hopefully Fig doesn't allow), the 20$ tier says:
You get a digital copy of Outer Wilds and added to our development newsletter!
REWARDS
It doesn't say the copy would be on Steam, so they're technically not breaking any promises. Well, other than the release date, by three years. :)
You get a digital copy of Outer Wilds and added to our development newsletter!
REWARDS
- Outer Wilds Digital Copy
It doesn't say the copy would be on Steam, so they're technically not breaking any promises. Well, other than the release date, by three years. :)
The developers of Phoenix Point and now The Outer Wilds are poisoning the well for future crowdfunding campaigns for all developers.