When BG:EE was announced as a BD exclusive, I totally supported it because I understand the revenue issue. I proudly pre-ordered and can't wait to pre-order BG2:EE directly from you. I was OK with this exclusiveness until last night.
Last night I was reading a forum elsewhere and read a comment by someone stating how they couldn't wait for the crack, and am looking forward to further enhanced edition games and BG3. My instantaneous thought was this persons comment was an oxymoron. How can you pirate a game, but expect further titles to have funding?
I believe the most sales and most pirating of a game take place within the first few months of release. While I said I agreed with exclusiveness, due to reasons stated, I also think that in order for a PC game to be profitable in the modern era you need to put the game in front of people who are willing to pay for it. Steam, GoG, GMG, Impulse, and Amazon all offer digital download purchases. People who browse these sites for games are there because they are paying customers. Currently not a single one has BG:EE available to buy. To further muddy the issue, there are many PC gamers who are very loyal to their preferred digital distribution method. If you don't offer it on their platform, some just won't buy it and others will pirate it.
I'm not going to pretend to know the numbers being crunched, but in a worst case scenario, wouldn't you rather have a sale on Steam than that person pirate it? Also, as PC developers and gamers, does Overhaul think that exclusiveness/closed architecture on the PC works? I don't think that is the case, so why should exclusiveness apply to PC game sales? I also do not think you guys want the iPad sales to have to carry the PC game due to poor sales.
I just want whats best for the company that's making the kind of games I like, whatever direction you take.
Last night I was reading a forum elsewhere and read a comment by someone stating how they couldn't wait for the crack, and am looking forward to further enhanced edition games and BG3. My instantaneous thought was this persons comment was an oxymoron. How can you pirate a game, but expect further titles to have funding?
I believe the most sales and most pirating of a game take place within the first few months of release. While I said I agreed with exclusiveness, due to reasons stated, I also think that in order for a PC game to be profitable in the modern era you need to put the game in front of people who are willing to pay for it. Steam, GoG, GMG, Impulse, and Amazon all offer digital download purchases. People who browse these sites for games are there because they are paying customers. Currently not a single one has BG:EE available to buy. To further muddy the issue, there are many PC gamers who are very loyal to their preferred digital distribution method. If you don't offer it on their platform, some just won't buy it and others will pirate it.
I'm not going to pretend to know the numbers being crunched, but in a worst case scenario, wouldn't you rather have a sale on Steam than that person pirate it? Also, as PC developers and gamers, does Overhaul think that exclusiveness/closed architecture on the PC works? I don't think that is the case, so why should exclusiveness apply to PC game sales? I also do not think you guys want the iPad sales to have to carry the PC game due to poor sales.
I just want whats best for the company that's making the kind of games I like, whatever direction you take.