Wasteland 2 on Steam Early Access... $60

Drithius

Magic & Loss
Joined
November 10, 2008
Messages
5,979
Location
Florida, USA
Say what!?

I'm no fan of Steam Early Access, much less $60 early access for an isometric turn-based game. And I'm a backer.

What the heck was Fargo smoking? If he didn't want the less serious casual crowd playing the game quite yet, just keep the beta confined to Backers - don't create negative PR a few months before launch by using and inflated pricepoint as an artificial boundary.
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
5,979
Location
Florida, USA
Hmm only $55 I have seen a few cost as much as $100. As grewolf00 said it's to make it fair for all backers. Whether a person should spend that much I leave that up to the buyer to decide.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
36,185
Location
Spudlandia
Backers should be aware of the difference between a pre-order and a pledge. I still firmly believe it to be a ridiculous pricing model for an isometric game. InXile isn't going to win over too many new sales like that, at least not before the typical Steam Sales come to affect the game.
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
5,979
Location
Florida, USA
I agree with Drithius, backing up or 'donating' is not the same as pre-ordering. I did not pledge for Wasteland 2 but was happy to see it on Steam early access but did not get it for its high cost.

The game was available on inXile web site few months ago for $25, so $60 (or £34.95 which is even more expensive than CoD and any recently released AAA title) is just not realistic or practical in any sense.

They are either short of cash or just greedy. I don't believe the excuse about paying more than kickstarter backers.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Messages
2,818
Location
United Kingdom
It's a Catch 22 really. If they price it too low some backers get pissed. If they price it too high maybe they chase people off, though considering how many sales there are, and how often, people can just wait it out. I'm almost positive they've already said $60 won't be the release price.

Not to mention, I've seen tons of people who buy early access games and then complain nonstop about the game's state. By pricing early access high, I'm sure it discourages a lot of impulse buys preventing potentially negative buzz about the game before it's finished. While most informed gamers would take early access reviews with a grain of salt, product image can be really hard to repair once damaged.
 
Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
831
Location
North Carolina, US
I'm pretty sure it was said that this is price is for the Early Access only. When the time comes for the final version, it would be more like $30, I think. So this is not a pre-order. It's a privilege to try out the game right now, maybe weigh in on it's state and stuff, with a chance of being one which backers paid a similar price for.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2009
Messages
264
II don't believe the excuse about paying more than kickstarter backers.
I sorta do. Fargo would rather avoid a PR disaster and upsetting the people who very likely already funded 2 of his company's games. I also expect the actual price to be around 30$ when it's released.
 
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Messages
1,718
Location
Dear Green Place
Kickstarter backers had to pay $55 to get beta access to the game, so it would not be fair to them to charge less for Steam early access, as the early-adopters on Kickstarter should be rewarded for their contribution. I am sure that the price of the final game will be significantly less. That being said, you can get early access to UnderRail for about $10.
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
266
Location
USA
No, Kickstarter backers had to pay nothing. They chose to support the game and get it off the ground because they supposedly believed in the project… and got an added beta access reward at $55.

To make decisions based on lumping together backers and other buyers is a disservice to both groups. But if the average backer has the mindset of a teenager that, first and foremost, does anything based on what they can get out of it in the short term, I can certainly see why InXile would do this bullheaded move.

Better to not release it on Early Access at all if it's priced at $60. Unless you're relying on PirateBay to market your product.
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
5,979
Location
Florida, USA
Unfortunately, most people DO expect special treatment when they've laid down money to support something. So, I can understand this reasoning.

Personally, I don't think it's a problem if they lower the price near release - but then they'll face bitching there instead.

So, I can't really see this as anything but opportunism for early cash. But I doubt very much they'll lose money doing this.

I really don't give a shit, though. If the game is good - I'll buy it, and I don't much care if it's 30 or 60. Just as long as it doesn't exceed 60, because that's about my limit for games unless they're utterly fantastic.
 
Actually, I do think that the early backers deserve special treatment in this case. It was not advertised, at the time, that the game would end up on Steam early access, so to charge $55 for beta access on the kickstarter, and then to charge less when it to other people when the game goes to beta, would be a bit unfair. As for it being opportunism for extra cash, I say more power to them. Games cost money to make, and nobody is being forced to pay the $60 for the beta access, the final game will likely be cheaper than that.
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
266
Location
USA
I do agree with DArt and Drithius a bit, that this is something that could have a negative effect since most peolpe don't know about the kickstarter and just see 60$ for a non AAA game, aswell as the fact that the price is problably going to be lower on release, so if you are not interested in the beta and helping them develop the game, wait until release.

That being said, I am fully behind the idea that if you kickstart something you should get it cheaper than people who do not. So to me it wouldn't work for them to make an Early Access be cheaper than the kickstarter tier that gives the same thing. They could just have chosen not to do an Early Access but thats up to them and in the end I only see it hurting them and not me as a backer so I hope they know what they are doing.
 
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
207
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
Well, if you are buying a game on early access on steam, especially in such an early stage as Wasteland 2, you also do that to support the game. I checked W2 out right when it was released and found it hardly playable as it still was such an early stage.
Personally I backed it on kickstarter. I am not a fan of playing Early Access games myself.
But I can fully understand why they made it as expensive as it was and really, I don't see any reason against it. The current version is only there for people to support the company, by paying money and giving feedback. It's not there "to be enjoyed" (and that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy it nevertheless).
I don't see any reason to rant about it. If you want to actually play the game, wait till release and buy it for 30$ or whatever it will cost then.
 
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
4,691
Yeah, I guess the real reason that I'm not bothered by the $60 price tag is that I never would have played it in that state anyway. I've never been big on betas, and I prefer to wait for the final, finished, product.
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
266
Location
USA
I pledged $100, I have access to the beta. And I still think this is a nimrod decision.

Better to not offer an Early Release at all and build some excitement amongst potential buyers. Instead, you turn people away from the getgo with this pricepoint.. People that will move on and probably only notice the game again when its price gets slashed by 75%.

Potential customers don't give a rat's ass what a backer paid to get the same early access. So you annoy future customers to appease [some] of your past customers.

It's just an idiotic business decision. And I care - why? Because I want inXile to thrive and not simply be relegated to piecemeal Kickstarter projects.
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
5,979
Location
Florida, USA
I pledged $100, I have access to the beta. And I still think this is a nimrod decision.

Better to not offer an Early Release at all and build some excitement amongst potential buyers. Instead, you turn people away from the getgo with this pricepoint.. People that will move on and probably only notice the game again when its price gets slashed by 75%.

Potential customers don't give a rat's ass what a backer paid to get the same early access. So you annoy future customers to appease [some] of your past customers.

It's just an idiotic business decision. And I care - why? Because I want inXile to thrive and not simply be relegated to piecemeal Kickstarter projects.

What makes you think people won't buy it upon release at a lower price? What makes this game unattractive to people who'd buy this kind of game at release (and not wait for sales)?

I don't follow.

People who really crave early access can do so now if they want to pay for it. Otherwise they can wait a few months.

I really don't see why it's a bad business decision.
 
Also since a couple of months Steam Early Access isn't promoted on the steam front page anymore. If you don't search for it you won't know about it anyways. And if you find it reading reports about it - you should know what it is about.

That said, it's similar with other recent betas.
The Elite Dangerous Beta also went live some weeks ago - but only for those who paid 200 British Pounds.
Planetary Annihilation Beta launched in September on Steam. At Alpha it was 90$, at Beta 60$
 
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
4,691
With inXile seemingly wanting to fund all games from Kickstarter they have to appease backers, especially if Kickstarter's growth stalls a bit. Alienating people who put them in a position to make the games they want to make for people who might never back a project on KS is a very risky decision, one I wouldn't advocate. If they put out a quality game, previous backers will back again while you have no idea what the conversion rate of Steam buyers to future backers is going to be.
 
Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
831
Location
North Carolina, US
It goes toward one of my earlier comment about exclusivity/non exclusivity situation as provided by video game KS projects.

Steam Early Access changed the deal.
 
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Messages
6,265
Back
Top Bottom