I'm not against the Epic Store, but flipping things like this when your backers gave their money in expectation of a certain result - Steam and GOG - is really lame.
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PC Version of Phoenix Point (X-Com spiritual successor, crowdfunded game) 1 year exclusive to the Epic Game Store
- Thread starter BlueOdin
- Start date
Now that we think about it, this might potentially hurt other crowdfunding projects from other studios as well.
What's the assurance that people will get what they back for? Everything can be snagged by Epic now.
I don't believe that people will hold a grudge to that extent unless they pull this same shit twice. I can't think of a boycott that lasted over 2 years and into a dev's next game and major enough to threaten sales.
This will have to be a disclaimer on any potential crowdfunding project.
I suddenly realized that Epic is buying exclusivity using the money everyone gave them for Fortnite battle passes and cosmetic mtx
Great, but is it possible to do that without the insults and passive aggressive attitude towards others by implying everyone has a memory of a goldfish?
Neither did I nor will I.
Eh.
Epic is treating consumers like cattle. Would it be better to call people Bovines?
If they are so confident about how great they are for developers why not just let them release it on multiple storefronts? They know they'd get destroyed in sales comparisons so it's pretty clear why they buy full exclusivity.
It's definitely disappointing given the previous RPS article that took a very critical look at the situation
That is the sum total of it. But again, security is a helluva drug, fleeting around this industry in general. Can we really blame an indie dev for choosing security with conditions for the next X years? Knowing what the casualty rate of indie developers is? Your families can't eat honor and integrity, and while I'm sure they would have preferred keeping it (this may have ramifications for future crowd-funding attempts), this time the bag was really just that big.
Kind of amusing looking back on the great lootbox debates of 2017 and 2018
"Cosmetics don't harm anyone, Fortnite has a great model"
Flash forward to 2019 and Epic are singly handily worsening gaming on PC because of all those cosmetics
E3 2019 is going be a mess, we're gonna see so many EGS exclusives
I wouldn't be surprised if another writer, maybe someone on staff, writes their own take and posts it today or tomorrow. Article went down like a led balloon, article has like 250 comments on it. I'm super ready to forgive RPS if they have a "second opinion" posted on their site, as RPS will probably always have a special place in my heart.
I wonder what's the endgame for Epic here? they can't moneyhat every game forever. Seems shortsighted business-wise. They have to attract people with new games from the studio itself (like Fortnite) or fund a project from another developers. I can't see them doing this for more than a year or two imo.
I asked that very question in the Discord, but the employee there wanted me to ask David or Julian of Snapshot Games on the AMA about that. Unfortunately I will not be home when they run that, so I will miss that opportunity.
But the fact is that they have blown a hole in Fig and other crowdfunding platforms with this. Why would anyone part with a significant sum for a game, that long before release, if the devs cannot uphold the most basic promises such as release platform?
Wait, they're actually still doing the AMA?!
That's like SEEING the firing squad before you get there, having the chance to get a full pardon, and just walking up anyway
That's like SEEING the firing squad before you get there, having the chance to get a full pardon, and just walking up anyway
Integrity and honour aren't fungible, but there is a reason companies factor in goodwill in their financial statements. Building a loyal customer base provides security.
I assume they want to use moneyhats to build up a userbase, and then get a reputation as the store on PC with all the great exclusives and none of the stream of shit you find on other stores, then eventually end up with enough pull and prestige that developers are happy to go to them without a moneyhat being required
That's not to say I think that will work, but I can't think of any other way they expect this to play out
I guess it's impossible to stand up for your beliefs on your own and not think kindly of everyone who doesn't follow the same path.
The thing is that people stay loyal customers by positive reinforcement. Forcing people to go to your store by exclusivity is using the stick, not the carrot. You also have to give people reasons to stay, which they don't seem to care one bit about doing.
Without features that matches Steam, I don't think this gonna work out at all. Especially since the store is hated by almost everyone (except developers ofc).
I agree, but not everyone is an enthusiast, and if we flash forward to 2 years time and Epic have improved some features and half the best PC games of the year are only available on Epic, then there is a chance a lot of people will just buy them on the Epic store
Again, that's not to say that will 100% happen, it probably won't, but I would imagine that's what Epic will be hoping for
Them announcing this a day before the AMA just astonishes me. It's like they're actively trying to harm themselves further.
I guess they want go through the storm as soon as they can so they can leave this behind. Better face the fury upfront that let it keep dropping bit by bit for months.
Man, that Tim Sweeney is a bit of a hypocrite..
"Well, I should be very clear," Sweeney said. "The thing that I feel is incredibly important for the future of the industry is that the PC platform remains open, so that any user without any friction can install applications from any developer, and ensure that no company, Microsoft or anybody else, can insert themselves by force as the universal middleman, and force developers to sell through them instead of selling directly to customers."
Tim is just being misquoted I'm sure
"Well, I should be very clear," Sweeney said. "The thing that I feel is incredibly important for the future of the industry is that the PC platform remains open, so that any user without any friction can install applications from any developer, and ensure that no company, Microsoft or anybody else, can insert themselves by force as the universal middleman, and force developers to sell through them instead of selling directly to customers."
Tim is just being misquoted I'm sure
I just googled Tim Sweeney and found this
What in the world? He's richer than Gabe
What in the world? He's richer than Gabe
Stolen from reddit
On the one hand, this is refreshingly honest
On the other hand "We knew our supporters would hate it, but we did it anyways because $$$" is a very encapsulating statement of why I shouldn't give a shit about indiedevs well being.
People portray developers as starving in the streets. They care more for the developers than the developers care for them.
That is exactly what EGS is doing. Complete hypocrite that Sweeney is.
They better hope Epic cuts a new shitty deal then, otherwise theyll be the punching bags for a while.
Paths? Why would you think kindly of others who support anti-consumerism? We are all consumers, why side with anti-consumer corporations?
Epic has clearly state that pushing for developers ahead of consumers is their way to reach the top.
Screenshot by one of the devs, about the conversation they had about providing Steam/GOG keys after the exclusivity has ended.
They hadn't even checked this before the announcement, and went ahead believing that they would not provide keys for Steam/GOG at all.
"We can probably do that" is a quote I will associate this game with from now on.
Yeah they will struggle to get through another crowdfunding campaign at least, for future projects. That's a door they have closed with this.
They hadn't even checked this before the announcement, and went ahead believing that they would not provide keys for Steam/GOG at all.
"We can probably do that" is a quote I will associate this game with from now on.
Yeah they will struggle to get through another crowdfunding campaign at least, for future projects. That's a door they have closed with this.
Screenshot by one of the devs, about the conversation they had about providing Steam/GOG keys after the exclusivity has ended.
They hadn't even checked this before the announcement, and went ahead believing that they would not provide keys for Steam/GOG at all.
"We can probably do that" is a quote I will associate this game with from now on.
Yeah they will struggle to get through another crowdfunding campaign at least, for future projects. That's a door they have closed with this.
I think it's really obvious how some devs are just jumping at epics money without thinking 5 minutes ahead.
These are the kinda questions you clear up BEFORE you sign an agreement, not after, ideally with the help of a lawyer.
Epic here making games profitable without selling any copies, guess no one should feel bad about requesting refunds thenStolen from reddit
On the one hand, this is refreshingly honest
On the other hand "We knew our supporters would hate it, but we did it anyways because $$$" is a very encapsulating statement of why I shouldn't give a shit about indiedevs well being.
And yet there are people claiming that Epic Store is actually a solution to Steams problems.
It isn't. It's a bandage for a selected few, nothing else.
Like did they thoroughly read the deal. That's very concerning if they didn't even know what they can or can't do.
It's fair to say that, at this point, the only difference between your average starving indie dev and multinational publishers are a couple of billions in the bank account. Not that I blame them, I like money too and would love to get more, but they can miss me with their sob stories.
We all know how it went.
Epic: We will give you a big beautiful fat check so you release your game on our store exclusively for one year.
Snapshot Games: How much?
Epic: *insert amount of money here*.
Snapshot Games: DEAL!
Epic: Oh, and also...
Snapshot Games: Shut up and give us our money.
It's pretty ironic that we are expected to support a shitty service because of the poor widdle devs while those same devs tell us to eat shit.
And there is also the fact that the game wouldn't exist to get moneyhatted if snapshot didn't basically get interest free loans from their fans. And that they basically see their fanbase in that way.
Stolen from reddit
On the one hand, this is refreshingly honest
On the other hand "We knew our supporters would hate it, but we did it anyways because $$$" is a very encapsulating statement of why I shouldn't give a shit about indiedevs well being.
Hey fuck the people who made this game happen, it's happened. We don't need them any more.