[Megathread] Humble Bundle & Other Digital Sales

[Aeula]

SOMA is free on GOG.

https://www.gog.com/game/soma?pp=ea4...ace35e373be70a

[Skizzit]

SOMA is free on GOG.

https://www.gog.com/game/soma?pp=ea4...ace35e373be70a

Really great game if anyone has yet to play it.

[BigAssBoy]

Super Meat Boy is free on the Epic Store

[Acidbaron]

The Steam queue hasn't recommended me hentai games, which might be strange given my preferences for JRPGs. Instead,

My queue is full of anime nudity games, while i don't own any but do have quite a few JRPG's. It's rather odd..

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Super Meat Boy is free on the Epic Store

Epic is doing a good job with their free game every 2 weeks, while i can't say i like the idea of two game collection platforms if it breaks steam monopoly it might end up a good thing for us consumers.

[icedwarrior]

if it breaks steam monopoly it might end up a good thing for us consumers.

While more competition is indeed good for consumers, Steam isn't a monopoly - uPlay, Origin, GOG, etc exist. The only complaint I have against the Epic storefront at the moment (other than talk about it not conforming to the GDPR (I haven't looked into it to say one way or another, just something I've heard so take that with a grain of salt)) is that it's snagging exclusives. If you want to compete with Steam, cool... but do it by innovation, features and such, not by hostage. Hades and Journey are two games I was very much looking forward to, only to see that they're listed in Epic, and not listed under Steam. Lame.

[Xath]

While more competition is indeed good for consumers, Steam isn't a monopoly - uPlay, Origin, GOG, etc exist. The only complaint I have against the Epic storefront at the moment (other than talk about it not conforming to the GDPR (I haven't looked into it to say one way or another, just something I've heard so take that with a grain of salt)) is that it's snagging exclusives. If you want to compete with Steam, cool... but do it by innovation, features and such, not by hostage. Hades and Journey are two games I was very much looking forward to, only to see that they're listed in Epic, and not listed under Steam. Lame.

It's not hostage it's called Devs are getting a significantly larger amount of the sale than steam gives so they put it on epic.

[Acidbaron]

While more competition is indeed good for consumers, Steam isn't a monopoly - uPlay, Origin, GOG, etc exist. The only complaint I have against the Epic storefront at the moment (other than talk about it not conforming to the GDPR (I haven't looked into it to say one way or another, just something I've heard so take that with a grain of salt)) is that it's snagging exclusives. If you want to compete with Steam, cool... but do it by innovation, features and such, not by hostage. Hades and Journey are two games I was very much looking forward to, only to see that they're listed in Epic, and not listed under Steam. Lame.

Exclusives are bad, but isn't it also bad that steam takes such a large cut as simply the distributor? Have we really seen that money going back into the community? Back into more games from steam?

And for that reason i don't really mind, have yet to look into their store also. Now i do enjoy steam especially the big picture mode and having to swap between those formats will be annoying.

[icedwarrior]

It's not hostage it's called Devs are getting a significantly larger amount of the sale than steam gives so they put it on epic.

I'm aware that Epic gives the developers a bigger cut than Steam. Awesome! I'm all for that. However, I don't see how that benefits the average consumer, and I don't think that that should be a reason that you only list your game to be available to be sold through one platform.

[Edge-]

If you want to compete with Steam, cool... but do it by innovation, features and such, not by hostage.

But like...they aren't. There's no gun to their head, they're being financially compensated either directly or through co-marketing deals that they felt were valuable enough to make them the exclusive storefront for. That's it, unless I'm missing something. I know they have some better deals for devs using their engine, but I don't ever remember reading anything about even devs using their engine being required to use the store exclusively.

This is the digital storefront version of platform exclusives, more or less. It's a big way in how you draw in new audiences beyond offering different features. If you're just a bit better than Steam feature-wise but other than that you've got the same games and deals for the most part...why would anyone who is already established on Steam ever want to bother with your store?

Same as EA did with Origin in taking their games there exclusively and then building out their third party library. Origin isn't the best ever, but it's a solid storefront and platform. Not perfect, but functional and pretty slick. Epic launcher can be too, if it isn't already (haven't check it yet).

[icedwarrior]

But like...they aren't. There's no gun to their head, they're being financially compensated either directly or through co-marketing deals that they felt were valuable enough to make them the exclusive storefront for. That's it, unless I'm missing something. I know they have some better deals for devs using their engine, but I don't ever remember reading anything about even devs using their engine being required to use the store exclusively.

No, you're correct. "Hostage" wasn't a great word choice on my part, my meaning meant to be that it only appears on one platform. I'm against exclusives, full stop.

This is the digital storefront version of platform exclusives, more or less. It's a big way in how you draw in new audiences beyond offering different features. If you're just a bit better than Steam feature-wise but other than that you've got the same games and deals for the most part...why would anyone ever want to bother with your store who is already established on Steam?

I remember Origin implementing a rather impressive refund policy in a time where these types of things didn't exist (at least, I wasn't aware of such a feature that was similar). While Steam technically had the option, the general consensus at the time was that you get one refund per account, and that was contingent upon you having a good reason. Doing a quick Google, Origin implemented this five years ago, and Steam changed their refund policy in June 3, 2015. To me, when Origin did that, well...that's a solid reason to at the very least consider using Origin, even if my library was all Steam.

[bbr]

No, you're correct. "Hostage" wasn't a great word choice on my part, my meaning meant to be that it only appears on one platform. I'm against exclusives, full stop.

Exclusives go hand in hand with piracy - it's not good for the market in the end,. no matter how much they advocate against it.
If you make poeple use a specific platform they dont want to use,. or subscribe to something they don't want - because they already have something THAT WORKS,. and is convenient to them. People don't like jumping through hoops to get their needs filled,. they want easy access - anywhere, everywhere.

Piracy has always been the easy alternative.

Sadly that's not an option when it comes to hardware (like the current VR glasses debacle), but at least with software and movies/series it does.
And the consumer's wallets will speak loudly in this case. The last few years game of thrones has been one of the most downloaded series - because everyone is finally using netflix, and they don't want to use HBO "as well", just for 1 series.
I'm on the same mind with steam, origin, epic, etc etc. Just make all games available,. work out amongst each other however they do their pricing, as long as it doesn't inconvenience the consumer.

[Xath]

I'm aware that Epic gives the developers a bigger cut than Steam. Awesome! I'm all for that. However, I don't see how that benefits the average consumer, and I don't think that that should be a reason that you only list your game to be available to be sold through one platform.

I don't think they really care what you think if you want to play their game download epic not a big deal they get way more money from a single sale on that platform than they do for 2 plus sales on steam.

It's not like a console exclusive where you just can't play it on the pc.

[Rogalicus]

I don't think they really care what you think if you want to play their game download epic not a big deal they get way more money from a single sale on that platform than they do for 2 plus sales on steam.

It's not like a console exclusive where you just can't play it on the pc.

They get 88% cut vs 70%, that's 25% increase, not 100+% as you imply.

[endersblade]

I'm aware that Epic gives the developers a bigger cut than Steam. Awesome! I'm all for that. However, I don't see how that benefits the average consumer, and I don't think that that should be a reason that you only list your game to be available to be sold through one platform.

Agreed. Had Epic come along about ten years earlier they would've had a platform to stand on. But now we have so many Steam-like programs and websites that people aren't looking to have to bite into another one. I want all of my games easily accessible in one place, and if that means that I have to pirate the ones that don't release on that platform, then so be it. I'd much prefer supporting the developer, especially in the case of indies, but if they basically want to give the middle finger to customers, then I'll do it right back with torrents.

I get it, they want more money. But what's going to get them more, selling 1,000 copies on Epic and getting a marginal increase in income, or selling 100,000 copies on Steam at a lower income? I've read the Facebook comments on all of the Epic adverts. NOBODY wants to use it. People always ask for a Steam release, or say what I've said here. It's bad enough most of us are already dealing with Origin and UPlay. Adding another to the list is just a big nope.

[Edge-]

I get it, they want more money. But what's going to get them more, selling 1,000 copies on Epic and getting a marginal increase in income, or selling 100,000 copies on Steam at a lower income?

That's not why games go exclusive to the Epic store. Beyond the cut, Epic is either outright buying exclusivity from them (paying them a lump sum) or they're offering them a huge amount of free marketing through their platform/channels that with a pretty big ad value.

The devs are definitely not getting the short end of the stick here.

[sibut]

I don't mind a "good" mature game so and then but it's getting a trend,. and the quality seems poor at best.

That's my issue too. I enjoy games like HuniePop and Mirror-both of which had adult content and a fun puzzle system-but a lot of the stuff I've seen has been hentai puzzle games or RPG maker with some light nude-ish content that the creator obviously hopes people will buy based on the pr0nz. Steam's system of pretty much allowing anything and everything on its platform now is pretty ridiculous.

[Arrashi]

Honestly seeing how epic store is basically proxy of tencent i don't see bright future for it. Especially given more and more censorship towards games (and well everything) in china.

[BarelyLegalBear]

Honestly seeing how epic store is basically proxy of tencent i don't see bright future for it. Especially given more and more censorship towards games (and well everything) in china.

That's honestly the only reason I don't use it, but
https://www.dualshockers.com/epic-ga...-data-tencent/

I don't think we need to worry too much right now, but companies do lie so i'm still a little skeptic.

[Xath]

They get 88% cut vs 70%, that's 25% increase, not 100+% as you imply.

Ah true my bad however it's a very significant difference especially for smaller publishers

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Agreed. Had Epic come along about ten years earlier they would've had a platform to stand on. But now we have so many Steam-like programs and websites that people aren't looking to have to bite into another one. I want all of my games easily accessible in one place, and if that means that I have to pirate the ones that don't release on that platform, then so be it. I'd much prefer supporting the developer, especially in the case of indies, but if they basically want to give the middle finger to customers, then I'll do it right back with torrents.

I get it, they want more money. But what's going to get them more, selling 1,000 copies on Epic and getting a marginal increase in income, or selling 100,000 copies on Steam at a lower income? I've read the Facebook comments on all of the Epic adverts. NOBODY wants to use it. People always ask for a Steam release, or say what I've said here. It's bad enough most of us are already dealing with Origin and UPlay. Adding another to the list is just a big nope.

Lol complaining about games being on a different launcher is hilarious and doesn't justify pirating. The only thing that even semi justifies pirating is console exclusives and you usually need a beast of a machine to emulate current gen consoles.

[Arrashi]

I get the schtick now. You’re basically saying that you’re too stupid to deal with owning games from more than 3 sources. Good luck with that.

Or perhaps he just doesn't want to have any more launchers. Because soon we will have one launcher for every 2 games we own.