If you want the game, why not?
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I know everyone has different opinions about the EGS, especially regarding the way they've been handling things.
For example, I won't ever use their store, period. It's a matter of "grumpiness" (
) and principle. When I feel disrespected, you can throw every freebie and reward at me, you won't ever get my money. Period.
But, it's not because of the free giveaways, or discount code policy. In fact, giving away a game as big as GTAV, and on top of that giving people a $10 coupon, is a very generous, and aggressive move. I would almost label it desperate.
But, for potential customers, it's great.
I have no problem with the free games. Developers/Publishers get paid, users get free games, and Epic, in theory, gets some new potential customers. Nothing wrong with that. Obviously, it may create a problem for the developers/publishers trying to sell that same game in the future, since it devalues them in the eyes of some people (but that's their problem, and it's on them to weight in the risk/reward of that move), but it's a way to entice people, and as a potential customer, there's nothing wrong with that.
The same thing with coupons. Pretty much every store has them. Or, at least some kind of "loyalty" bonuses. For example, I just bought a game on the Gamebillet store, and I received 1% or so of my purchase in credit for a future purchase.
Again, nothing wrong with that. It's a way to entice people to spend their money, and you won't hear me complain about any of these.
If anything, I think Valve is extremely passive in terms of trying entice people to buy more stuff at their store, by using reward programs. In recent sales, they have been very shyly experimenting with that, but these were very tenuous attempts.
I buy at Humble, and I get 20% off each purchase because I'm a monthly subscriber. I buy at GamersGate, Voidu, WinGameStore, Gamebillet, and plenty more, and I get rewarded in credit, or points (that can be used in discounts or to purchase stuff).
Humble gives free games as well. GMG as well.
Again, these are ways to entice people, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Even console platforms give out occasionally some freebies.
But then, they go out, and pull crap like signing crowdfunded games, to basically piss people off, and try to "bully" non-users to start using their store.
Or, their moves regarding timed-exclusivity, in which they are basically signing games to launch everywhere, except Steam.
That, I obviously can't respect, especially since I was a backer of many of the games they signed, and that has ensured they'll never get my money.
But yeah, these freebies are, personally, a non-issue.
I don't like the EGS, and people surely have seen me voice my disapproval of many of the things they are, and what they do.
But, I won't start turning a free giveaway into something negative just because it's Epic.
I mean, if it was, say, Humble, everyone would rejoice. Considering it something bad, just because it's Epic, doesn't make much sense.
Yeah, I don't really understand why people are going apeshit over a cheap 5 year old game that goes on a heavy sale every other week and people have multiple copies of but have fun.
I have no interest in the game, especially after they decided to, once again, launch terribly late on PC, and with locked content that you would need to have played a previous generation console to unlock.
If I wanted the game, I would have bought it.
But, giving away a big title such as GTA V, no matter how old it is, it's still something potentially good for those who may have wanted the game.
Like I mentioned above, Epic deserves plenty of heat for the crap they pull, but let's not turn a giveaway, as in, getting something for free, as something negative, just because of who is doing this.
That almost makes it sound like people complain about the store for every reason, and no reason, when in fact there's plenty of good reasons to criticize it.
And, if this is such a "worthless" thing, why come Valve hasn't done so as well? I don't mean GTA V, but giving away an occasional title, at least as a reward for long-time customers.
I buy hundreds of games every year on Steam. Most of them, during the year, outside of the big sales. You know what, it would be nice to get an occasional discount code or two. Or maybe a freebie.
Instead, the last time Valve decided to reward people with points, that could be turned into a small discount voucher, it was only if one bought games on that particular sale (ironically, that meant that I didn't get a discount voucher, since I didn't have enough points, despite all the amount I spend on Steam throughout the year).
And now, they are preparing to reward people for posts they make, and social-media-like reactions. So yeah, I'm out of luck.
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EDIT: How appropriate, considering what I wrote above:
Humble has Aegis Defenders for free:
Choose from thousands of games for PC, Mac, Linux, and Android while supporting a charity of your choice. New games added every day!
www.humblebundle.com
Do get it, it's quite enjoyable, and as a freebie, it's a "no brainer".
Your move, Valve.
www.epicgames.com
epicdata.info
