So the game is only $19.79 on Steam today

[Mas Tnega]

Do you know just long you have to listen to some daft sod with some daft voice to get to the part in the trailer where they explain it's an unfinished game on sale? Too bloody long.
I guess if you squint hard enough or watch the second video, you'll see it's still in alpha state and after you listen to Chris talk about Slipknot's incomprehensible lyrics, you can learn about the approximate state of the game...

Of course, the real issue is that being on sale runs contrary to why it was at its price in the first place ("It's the full game you're getting" wasn't exactly the whole story).

[shovat]

Sales is what makes STEAM STEAM, if they didn't offer sales for anything and everything I think they would have an existential crisis.

It just sucks to see the response - I think that 'Sales is what makes STEAM STEAM' has led steam gamers to expect sales that are extremely cheap, and thats not a good attitude to have - then if you have a game that doesn't go on sale, or isn't 'sale enough' everyone throws a fit over it. I can't imagine that is a good place for a game dev to be, because now you have to think, 'If i put this on Steam I'm going to have to factor in sales of 75% off otherwise everyone will get upset'.

It's not a matter of people getting upset, it's more a favorable technique of all involved for milking money out of the customers that really don't want to pay full price and don't pirate (or those who do pirate and don't mind going legit on the cheap). People won't get upset if there isn't a sale they just won't buy the game unless it is something they really really want. It's more of a 'If I put this on steam after the initial purchases are finished I will get a secondary income boost from when there are sales' the scenario you seem to paint makes earning additional unexpected income somehow a burden. It broadens the customer base plain and simple.

[jztemple]

It broadens the customer base plain and simple.

Excellent point and well put. Inversion needs to make money to keep in business and if they think this is the way to do it, more power to them. If people don't want to play the price Inversion requests, then they are free to not buy it. And if people buy it at one price and then Inversion offers it at a lower price later on, well, that's the way the world works.

[Jackdapantyrip]

If you look at the sales numbers of Pa since its been on sale they aren't too impressive compared to the support throughout development..

I think its a good thing just to get a few more people on board but I am interested to know if it hurts sales after due to the psychology of seeing it on sale.. Participation in an 'alpha' game is it's own sales pitch..

[lonewolf40000]

For me its more...I and several others spent a lot of time and effort defending the price of the game based on the interview regarding the price as a filter for a smaller more engaged alpha group.

Now its gone on sale at a price that is probably close to what the release price will be someday in the future.

So those of us who were defending it are basically sitting here looking like idiots while tons of new users can shit all over us, and there's not much we can say about it.

Selfish? Maybe. But it still sucks that the game is getting trashed so hard for what should be a good thing.

[paktsardines]

I wonder how much influence Introversion, or any other company, really has over steam pricing. There must be enormous pressures involved. I mean, what company in their right mind would agree to discount their product by 80%, as some have?

[scoutmasterdave]

I wonder how much influence Introversion, or any other company, really has over steam pricing. There must be enormous pressures involved. I mean, what company in their right mind would agree to discount their product by 80%, as some have?

Or as much as 96 percent as is the case with Just Cause which is now 27 cents. Yes I bought it, and yes I will play it once I play through the multiplayer games I bought with a friend.

[lonewolf40000]

I wonder how much influence Introversion, or any other company, really has over steam pricing. There must be enormous pressures involved. I mean, what company in their right mind would agree to discount their product by 80%, as some have?

That's a good point as well, and one that would be good to be more public, so that companies looking to take advantage of Steam's platform are well aware of what might happen during sales...

[Leto2626]

What about this : I had never heard of Prison Architect before, while I'm really into these type of games. I immediately bought the most expensive pack there to support this game, what else should I have done, waited until the sale was over and then but it? According to some here that's actually what I should have done. People always feel screwed when something they've bought suddenly goes for a lower price, there is nothing you can do about it. I don't like injustice as well but orignally the word 'sales' is a capitalistic term invented to screw people over so it's a bit silly to use the word 'unfair' and 'sales' in the same sentence and whine about it on forums.

[MAdMaN]

orignally the word 'sales' is a capitalistic term invented to screw people over

It was originally used for changing the price of an item to get rid of stock that wasn't selling, not "to screw people over".

[dirofblue]

I only talk from what I can see. They said the high price is because they want only 'committed paying customers' to play the game and report any bugs/problem they might find. As strange as it seems I can live with that so I waited. But then they drop the price on summer sale!? The action speaks for itself.

[laser50]

Oh shit, they managed to drop the price a mere 34%..


For reals, you see gigantic, finished games by big companied with 50, 75 to even 80% off. I get that this game is in development and all, but jeez. Could've done better than 34%..

[MAdMaN]

Oh shit, they managed to drop the price a mere 34%..


For reals, you see gigantic, finished games by big companied with 50, 75 to even 80% off. I get that this game is in development and all, but jeez. Could've done better than 34%..

The reason for the price has been explained countless times. A smaller discount is in keeping with that reason.

[Leto2626]

orignally the word 'sales' is a capitalistic term invented to screw people over

It was originally used for changing the price of an item to get rid of stock that wasn't selling, not "to screw people over".

That even explains my point even more

Anyway I'm glad you can't see who bought it on sale and who didn't lol, else the 'veterans' would put us in a real prison if they could by the looks of many reactions. I actually feel unwelcome, ah well I guess that's what forums do, gather morons who make other people feel worse...

[paktsardines]

I'm glad you can't see who bought it on sale and who didn't lol

Oh, but we can.