Now I'm sure: this is definitely an action coordinated by Epic, to undo the reputation damage done by the devs and publishers speaking out against exclusivity deals.
Epic and their latest indie exclusives talk about what it gives them, and maybe us too
Epic’s expansion from developer to distributor continues apace. Having secured exclusive distribution rights to some of…www.rockpapershotgun.com
News Epic Games Store
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I mean, that RPS piece is only a bit soft and it isn't completely one sided. I'm mostly ok with it, despite not challenging the "94%!!!!!!!! marketshare" and zero mention of the fact that the economics of games are broken. and its leaving talented, dedicated people the thankless task of fighting for scraps.
Sure thing mate, you don't give a shit about benefits when you're dead.
I'm just waiting to see what these exclusivity deals do to these developers business performance in the future. Unless Epic is willing to continue paying for future exclusives, these guys very well may be trading short term stability for long term failure.
Also, I don't think it's a coincidence that we're seeing a HUGE EGS push right now when Fortnite is getting a lot of bad press for unpopular mechanic changes in the latest patch. It seems like Epic is trying to make the game more appealing to casuals to keep them playing (and spending) at the expense of the hardcore audience, which are the folk who are actually promoting their game in streams.
Yup, this is definitely coordinated propaganda. I'm expecting several more articles to hit before the day is out.
Also, I don't think it's a coincidence that we're seeing a HUGE EGS push right now when Fortnite is getting a lot of bad press for unpopular mechanic changes in the latest patch. It seems like Epic is trying to make the game more appealing to casuals to keep them playing (and spending) at the expense of the hardcore audience, which are the folk who are actually promoting their game in streams.
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Now the third, Come on Tim, at least spread them apart.Epic and their latest indie exclusives talk about what it gives them, and maybe us too
Epic’s expansion from developer to distributor continues apace. Having secured exclusive distribution rights to some of…
I wonder if his game will reach this number on EGS.
I do not know but does not EPIC creates a fake stability for the devs? Doesn't EPIC distorts the "normal" flow in the indie games sector?
What's the use of all these exclusives if you're not opening the store up to more devs? How are you changing market share by removing things from the market? Why talk about independent stores when you're preventing releases from hitting stores like GOG?
I'm glad smaller devs are getting paid upfront, but you're also removing eyeballs from their games. This hurts them long term. I'd tell Epic to figure out a better way to help devs without hurting them, but they don't have to listen to anyone thanks to Fortnite,
I'm glad smaller devs are getting paid upfront, but you're also removing eyeballs from their games. This hurts them long term. I'd tell Epic to figure out a better way to help devs without hurting them, but they don't have to listen to anyone thanks to Fortnite,
It's shitty that games like Wattam, Manifold Garden etc. are 1 year Epic exclusive, but due to the amount of good games coming out and that has already come out, I have no problem with waiting on them.
I was kinda hoping Edmund would be able to resist, but I imagine the bribes are multiplied by a bit for the 2012 Steam gang.
They are still playing the "Steam is desperately in need of curation" song, while this is exactly what many/most hardcore pc gamers don't want to happen. Personalized recommendations are much, much better than curation by the store owner.
The RPS article doesn't have anything new or interesting to say. Why was it even written? Why is the press still writing paragraph after paragraph about how a big fat check is good for an indie developer's finances. Well no shit! Thanks for the update RPS. So huh, there maybe could be a wider, more nuanced story here I think.
.... RPS has really taken a tumble down hill since they got corporate and hired on a dozen people.
.... RPS has really taken a tumble down hill since they got corporate and hired on a dozen people.
All ignored, thanks for the links!
Epic Games Store :: Manifold Garden General Discussions
Hey all, As some of you may have seen, we’ve announced that Manifold Garden will be launching initially as a 12-month timed exclusive on Epic Games Store later this year. Manifold Garden will release on Steam after the exclusivity period ends. It will include all of the bug fixes, features and...
More devs who take Epic's deal should be more like this guy and less like Ooblet's.
While the 'curation' thing is overblown, Valve specifically chooses not to stem the flood of games on their store, for reasons they've discussed. People don't like that and its FOMO on the buyers end. Valve could cut some games easily but what people really want is for valve to magically make sure that nothing that offends them makes it to the store.
It was written by a "contributor". There's your answer.
Someone get Rami talking to the media quick!
I'll add that there is a little bit of "won't you support these poor devs like we do" in Epic's recent marketing push.
Not my job. If that's a toxic gamer statement, objectivity and acknowledgement that reality is a cold bitch that we all face is lost in a lot of places.
Not my job. If that's a toxic gamer statement, objectivity and acknowledgement that reality is a cold bitch that we all face is lost in a lot of places.
Crippling the competition. That's all this is about. Don't believe Epic's nonsense about saving the poor developers.
I know one (1) adult who plays Fortnite. Don't know if he plays BL though.it happened
Oh my god, Epic is still trying to claim that they only release 2 free games because 1 is rated "M"?
1 is ok.
2 is eye-brow raising
3 in a row? yeah, you are desperate.
1 is ok.
2 is eye-brow raising
3 in a row? yeah, you are desperate.
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I'm still not sure why every week or so, members of the media, and developers/publishers, keep posting statements, giving interviews, or making opinion articles on how I should be using a certain store, how it's better for me, and that I'm this and that if I don't do so. Heck, I even had the developers of Phoenix Point, Shenmue III, and Rune 2 tell me that, after I dropped some significant amounts of money on their games (especially with Shenmue III).
Really, as a potential customer, I'm the one that decides what I buy, where I buy it (or if I buy it or not), and it's extremely patronizing that all these people think they're better than me at deciding what's best... for me.
I can decide not to buy from one store, simply because I don't like the name. Or the colour of the page. I don't need any justifications for it, it's my hard earned money that I'm spending, I'm the one calling the shots on my purchases.
And price is not even the biggest decider in my options. Countless times I bought games, not from the places where it was cheaper, but because the websites I used had better customer support.
Really, as a potential customer, I'm the one that decides what I buy, where I buy it (or if I buy it or not), and it's extremely patronizing that all these people think they're better than me at deciding what's best... for me.
I can decide not to buy from one store, simply because I don't like the name. Or the colour of the page. I don't need any justifications for it, it's my hard earned money that I'm spending, I'm the one calling the shots on my purchases.
And price is not even the biggest decider in my options. Countless times I bought games, not from the places where it was cheaper, but because the websites I used had better customer support.
I have an idea why that might be, but any time someone suggests that Epic might be guilty of greasing palms (as if buying exclusives isn't doing just that), you're accused of being either a conspiracy theorist or Gamergater.
Epic is reaching nazi levels of propaganda.
Even if you consider to buy some of this indie games after the year exclusive period, many of the studios will probably be dead by then, EGS is shaping up to be a graveyard of what could have been.
Even if you consider to buy some of this indie games after the year exclusive period, many of the studios will probably be dead by then, EGS is shaping up to be a graveyard of what could have been.
Oh man. I didn't realize Inside was free on EGS. That sure makes the 10 tier on Humble a real steal.
DO NOT RESIST CURATION.
Its because people have forgotten the debates on this pre-gamergate (because post gamergate suddenly any questioning of journalistic integrity suddenly gets an easy deflection).
Its influence peddling.
When GTA4 gets 10s across the board, and its subsequently revealed all reviews were done in a few hours at a hotel under PR supervision, thats not bribery. But its sure peddling an infliuence to get those 10/10s.
When someone from the LA Times reveals the $350+ gift bags with Master Chief cat helmets they received along with their review copy for Halo 3, and nobody in the games press even thinks to mention that because it wasn't anything even unusual to them, again, not bribery.
When Rab Florence writes about an industry event where all the attendees had a chance to win a new Playstation for tweeting about an upcoming game (just not mentioning they were up to win a free console for doing so) and then gets threatened with legal action for revealing that, and has his piece about the overall complicity between publishers and the media censors as a result... again. Not bribery.
Is it sock puppeting if you're retweeting something you, in essence, paid someone to say?
Blasphemous is around the corner.
Indivisible after that.
The new EGS lineup won't be missed.
Gotta pump your brakes with that one. We just talking about video games man. Not no-deal Brexit or how Trumpism. Chill.
Navigating these pitfalls "We'll send you PHYSICAL COPIES FOR EVERY PLATFORM" and such that places me in a precarious spot.
EGS isn't at the importance level of Brexit or Trump, obviously. I don't think anyone would argue that.
But I think it would be silly to deny that Sergey and Tim are taking some pages from the post-Trump era handbook of how to handle social media and propagandizing your cause.
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People can feel free to call me a whatever they want. I don't give a #$!%, excuse my language.
Yes, it's pretty clear Epic has been paying these websites. People keep thinking of streamers when they mentioned their plans of having "influencers" as a marketing tool for their store. Clearly, it doesn't stop there.
When all this started, when visiting PCGamer, or VG247, I kept getting banners on the top/left/right/bottom (and even pop-up videos!) promoting the store. Call it selling ad space. Tell me the ridiculous articles they posted then, that read like PR statements, all featuring the same bullet-points, weren't influenced, at all, by the paid ads. I, naturally, don't buy it.
I even watched an hilarious thing: I saw a promoted video/ad on facebook from PCGamesN, that was actually one of Epic's trailers showcasing some of their exclusives. Think about this for a minute: a news website paid facebook, to promote a video, that was actually PR material from a store (one who was, obviously by coincidence, also purchasing ads on their website).
They can keep purchasing all these ads, using "influencers", buying exclusives, "stealing" crowdfunding games, and giving all the freebies they want, I'm still never buying anything from the EGS.
I buy from Steam (and the countless stores that legally sell Steam keys), GOG, itch.io, other launchers, and I even purchase direct downloads from developers' own websites. I don't feel I have any sort of "allegiance" to a store, despite having a platform of preference.
After what Epic has been doing, especially after what happened (first) with Phoenix Point (where I was a backer of the game, who had been playing early versions on a DRM free download, and then suddenly, despite what I was repeatedly assured of, and after I had dropped a decent amount of money on this game, and this developer, I'm told I'm not getting the promised Steam keys, and I'm not even going to be offered a download, like the one I had been playing; it's EGS, or I have to wait a year to play it), they will never get me as a customer. They could even offer me an account with free games for life, I still wouldn't touch it. I'm as grumpy as that.
I'll not even claim their free games (and heck, I even claimed free games on Twitch, despite never downloading any).
I vote with my wallet. Obviously a single person doesn't matter much in the big picture, and I have no illusions my actions will, but whenever I don't like something, I don't support it. It's as simple as that.
I know some of you are rushing to buy these games as soon as they get on Steam and GOG. I certainly won't. I don't believe in rewarding people who think that allowing me the "honour" of buying a game a year later is some sort of good deed.
Historically, I kept buying "indie" games on day one, to support their efforts. And I still do. And, I backed hundreds of games on crowdfunding campaigns, or early access programs.
Things are hard for the developers taking these deals? Well, things are hard for me to. I certainly don't feel I owe them anything, especially when they don't care about my interests, or preferences. Support is a two way street.
So yeah, call me whatever you want if I'm not bothered about what happens with these games, or with these developers.
I'm approaching 40, I have a PC library of thousands of games (just on Steam), I'm good for the rest of my days, without a spending a single additional cent, so I really can't be arsed if a certain game doesn't launch on a platform I use.
It's their loss, since they aren't getting my money, it's certainly not mine.
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No.
Tim is outright bribing media like PC Gamer and RPS to stan for EGS. Let alone companies like Ubisoft and indies like Supergiant Games.
Trump is distorting people's perceptions and receptions of plain facts while radicalizing people to commit heinous crimes in the name of white supremacy.
Not one person has died indirectly, or directly as a result of EGS. So stop it.
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Yeah, I have to agree with you there.
Timmy-boy has been doing some shitty things, but at the end of the day, it's still... videogames.
It's an hobby.
Sadly, the effects of the decisions of several of the madmen we currently have running some countries are having drastic, and long-lasting effects.
One is not the same as the other, surely.
I know we are passionate about this hobby, but we have to place things in perspective.
I know. But honestly it is tiring to see my favorite hobby shit on by trolls and suits
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I fully understand.
It's easy to get carried away, and be negative, when you are surrounded by negativity (and some good old stupidity).
But, videogames is supposed to be a hobby, and... fun.
Instead of concentrating on the handful of games that aren't launching on Steam/GOG, enjoy the games you already have in your backlog (you probably have far better games unplayed; I know I do, countless), or the countless great games that keep getting released every month (just check Tizoc 's upcoming monthly recommendations thread, I can assure you you won't have time nor money for all the good games listed within
).Or, drop by Meta's co-op thread, and play a few games, just for fun, with fellow Meta members.
For example, blindrhythm is getting several of us together later today, once again, to play Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and it should be a lot of fun. It's just playing games to spend some time, and have fun, not particularly caring about the results (and without the toxicity that plagues many online games).
Check the thread below, and do show up if you can.
Community - MetaCouncil Co-op Corner
The idea for this thread is to give folks a place to come and find others to play with or find some help if they run into a tough spot in a game that offers multiplayer. However, if you're just looking for a new multiplayer game to pick up with some friends that's great too! Ideally it will be...
metacouncil.com
You both have a point. Pc gaming is a very important part of our lives, and Epic is taking this part in a direction we strongly dislike.
But I don't think it's right to compare anything that happens to gaming to what Trump is doing or other real-world issues that ruin people's lives. We need to keep putting things in perspective here.
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To repeat what I said above, if you want to forget about all this EGS crap for an hour or two, and just have fun with fellow Meta members, do check blindrhythm's Co-Op thread, and show up to one of our "sessions".
You will find it's a lot of fun just playing games for the fun of it.
Tonight, we're back for another round of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.
The last time, 5 minutes before the games were supposed to be starting, I was reading the instructions because it had been so long, I forgot about the controls.
You will find it's a lot of fun just playing games for the fun of it.
Tonight, we're back for another round of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.
The last time, 5 minutes before the games were supposed to be starting, I was reading the instructions because it had been so long, I forgot about the controls.
I too love gaming, but I'm not as completely locked in to JUST pc gaming as was maybe six or seven years ago. We all survived the 'GFWL Terror' of the 2006-2012 era, PC gaming can brush this off np. Epic is making a ton of noise and generating buzz in enthusiast circles but its on the ground effect hasn't been crippling by any means.
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I honestly don't know if "a buzz in enthusiast circles" is the right description for it. Most of the enthusiasts are squarely against what Epic is doing. It's the non-PC gamers and more casual folk who don't care and are fine with it. And developers who have already gotten a moneybag, or are sucking on Sweeny's wang hoping for one.
True, but they don't have a dog in this fight. So any arguments they have for Epic is basically them fostering the console war, which they are wont to do.
Thanks for the mention! Like Funktion just said if folks like playing co-op or even competitive games with others you're more than welcome to check out the thread or join us on Discord. A week ago we held our first community event and have already made plans for more in the future. That doesn't mean it's only for community events. There's folks getting together on Discord almost everyday to get some sessions going in one game or another.To repeat what I said above, if you want to forget about all this EGS crap for an hour or two, and just have fun with fellow Meta members, do check blindrhythm's Co-Op thread, and show up to one of our "sessions".
You will find it's a lot of fun just playing games for the fun of it.
Tonight, we're back for another round of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.
The last time, 5 minutes before the games were supposed to be starting, I was reading the instructions because it had been so long, I forgot about the controls.
Even if it's only for a brief moment to help get your mind off of Epic or whatever else, it's always a great time. I've got far too many games, co-op or otherwise, to play that I never have to worry about Tim's garbage practices and being able to hang out with a lot of you folks while playing some games only makes it that much easier.
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I'll check this thread out. I just got done with L4D2 for the first time because I couldn't find 4 ppl to play with for years.
I fully understand.
It's easy to get carried away, and be negative, when you are surrounded by negativity (and some good old stupidity).
But, videogames is supposed to be a hobby, and... fun.
Instead of concentrating on the handful of games that aren't launching on Steam/GOG, enjoy the games you already have in your backlog (you probably have far better games unplayed; I know I do, countless), or the countless great games that keep getting released every month (just check Tizoc 's upcoming monthly recommendations thread, I can assure you you won't have time nor money for all the good games listed within
Or, drop by Meta's co-op thread, and play a few games, just for fun, with fellow Meta members.
For example, blindrhythm is getting several of us together later today, once again, to play Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and it should be a lot of fun. It's just playing games to spend some time, and have fun, not particularly caring about the results (and without the toxicity that plagues many online games).
Check the thread below, and do show up if you can.
Community - MetaCouncil Co-op Corner
The idea for this thread is to give folks a place to come and find others to play with or find some help if they run into a tough spot in a game that offers multiplayer. However, if you're just looking for a new multiplayer game to pick up with some friends that's great too! Ideally it will be...
I'll check this thread out. I just got done with L4D2 for the first time because I couldn't find 4 ppl to play with for years.
Please somebody tell me I wasn't the only one thinking this during the scene in the trailer.
