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[Nibel]

To Be Locked.. if old

The Iceberg Interactive-published Dark Matter was pulled from Steam and GOG.com this week, after it emerged that the game did not have a proper ending. Players who reached the end of the game are told "To be continued" -- although no sequel is planned.

Interwave, the studio behind the game, has now said that this abrupt ending was as a result of its Kickstarter failing earlier this year, and that it would be adding an ending in a later patch.

[...]

However, what the team has failed to disclose is that it isn't working on the title anymore. Straight after the Kickstarter failed in August, most of the Interwave team was laid off, and the vast majority of the original Dark Matter developers are not working on the title any more, according to Gamasutra sources.

Read more at the Source (Gamasutra)

 

[Blue Ninja]

I hope JaseC managed to pick it up beforehand, then.

 

[Sethos]

To be continued

 

[Skyzard]

Lawyer up, Steam. I mean, get in contact again

Btw I thought it didn't even say TBC but some random bizarre text ending.

yep, checked

"there may be things left to explore" probably means, if you go back, maybe you missed a health pick up somewhere.

 

[fantomena]

Well that was hot sauce.

 

[statham]

I read GOG is giving refunds. Goodjob GOG.

All;

It's come to our attention that the gamecard for Dark Matter was not quite specific enough about the nature of the game and, as a result, it may be that some people bought the title with some misapprehensions as to how the game's story would end. Since we don't ever want to sell a game to someone because they believe it is something that it is not, we wanted to let you know about this and let you know what we're doing to make it right.

If you bought Dark Matter before 21 October 2013 at 15:00 GMT (when we updated the description to where we feel it adequately reflects the game) and you feel that the game wasn't as promised to you, please contact Support and they'll be happy to offer you full refund to your card or, if you''d prefer, games of equal or lesser value to the sale price of Dark Matter (which is $13.49).

We're sorry if anyone who bought the game isn't happy with the way it was represented, and we hope this makes it right for you guys.

If you've got any questions, hit me up and I'll try to answer 'em for you.

http://www.gog.com/forum/general/release_dark_matter/post121

 

[TheSeks]

Steam and GoG should refund the money people paid for this trash and sue whoever is in charge of the studio no matter how defunct for damages.

Screw releasing half-games as a cash-grab. If you failed your kickstarter, you either finish or cancel it. Preferably canceling it to bow out with dignity. Not charge $15 for a four-hour "campaign" that doesn't even have an ending.

 

[AkuMifune]

Yikes. Wonder if this could have gone differently if they had been more open about it.

Also wonder how this game ended up on the front page of Steam for a few days without anyone knowing.

 

[Famassu]

In before Kickstarter bitching.



Too bad that this failed KS. From some impressions I've read, seems like they got a potential gem in their hands, if only they had gotten funded.


EDIT: of course, what they did was still wrong. Shouldn't have released this in such a state.

 

[chickdigger802]

shit, now i kinda want this game now that you can't get it anymore. what was it, a shooter?

 

[LiK]

What a disaster. I guess the game is a collector's item now? lol

 

[Metal Gear?!]

Steam and GoG should refund the money people paid for this trash and sue whoever is in charge of the studio no matter how defunct for damages.

GOG is doing refunds

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128892-GOG-Offers-Dark-Matter-Refunds

 

[Stone Ocean]

So they basically tried to swindle people with the unfinished product? That it?

 

[Goldmund]

Does that mean that whoever was left at the company simply put the game out there in the state it was in before the firings?

 

[Lautaro]

To be continued

Spoilers.

 

[funkystudent]

Hey. At least they didnt end of a massive cliffhanger and then didnt continue the story.

 

[No Love]

This is just sad. If these guys had a good game on their hands, they should've gotten funded.

Oh, and you know what, I bet it isn't even the developers' fault. I mean, it couldn't be that they were told they'd be fired on a certain day and that they needed to finish up the game (hence the abrupt ending) and then the publisher pushed it out anyways thinking they could sneak it by, right?

I mean, it MUST be the developer's fault. SMH. How many times in this industry have we seen some asshole publisher pull moves like this? KOTOR 2, anyone?

Hey. At least they didnt end of a massive cliffhanger and then didnt continue the story.

Hello Advent Rising and Beyond Good & Evil (please let there be a next-gen sequel, ANCEL!)

 

[CTLance]

Gog being gog. Nice to see they're refunding their customers.

*dons gog4lyfe tshirt*

 

[EatinOlives]

Hey. At least they didnt end of a massive cliffhanger and then didnt continue the story.

Unclever jab at Valve is unclever.

Cliffhanger =/= unfinished game, and they're still working on a follow-up, in whatever format they're going to do it with (full-on game, expansion, etc.).

 

[Kandrick]

I wonder what happens to the retail version, are they going to be pulled too ? Poor guy who buys the game, and can't redeem the code on Steam anymore.

 

[ezekial45]

I hope Steam does refunds as well. Though the only other time I recall Steam them doing so was with GTA IV.

 

[ashecitism]

I hope Steam does refunds as well. Though the only other time I recall Steam them doing so was with GTA IV.

They did it with War Z as well.

 

[WAR recon zero]

Shitty move to devs.

 

[Odrion]

Now I want to play this.

 

[Devilgunman]

This is embarrassing. A new low for cash-grabber.

 

[derExperte]

I wonder what happens to the retail version, are they going to be pulled too ? Poor guy who buys the game, and can't redeem the code on Steam anymore.

They will be able to, you can still redeem Prey codes for example.

 

[MarionCB]

GOG just keeps being the best.

Hey. At least they didnt end of a massive cliffhanger and then didnt continue the story.

Immediately thought of KotOR 2.

 

[EatinOlives]

Based on the way the "ending" was "handled", and given the fact that the staff has been laid off right after the failed Kickstarter, I'm suspecting that only one person is behind this as a blatant cash grab for him/herself.

Would certainly explain the abruptness of the ending. If the team was still around and they were actually working on a legit ending they wouldn't have flat out cut the game at a random door.

The team was laid off in August, meaning probably none of the money coming in now is going to the laid-off team. Someone was trying to cash out on the game and run off with the money.

 

[Dibbz]

Insert Mass Effect 3 joke

 

[Kandrick]

They will be able to, you can still redeem Prey codes for example.

Interesting.

 

[Volcynika]

I hope Steam does refunds as well. Though the only other time I recall Steam them doing so was with GTA IV.

Also did it with From Dust when Ubisoft didn't disclose it had DRM on the store page.

 

[saelz8]

So, the CEO was saying they were going to add the ending later, and the team didn't even exist anymore? Haha. That's shady as hell.

 

[Htown]

Wow, that's way worse.

 

[Saty]

It's stupefying why they just didn't release the game under Early Access. Face none of the issues and have the money coming in put into completing the game. If the studio was disbanded then they shouldn't have put it anywhere, but once they decide to sell it i really don't see why they preferred a 'regular' release rather than Early Access.

 

[Kadayi]

Hey. At least they didnt end of a massive cliffhanger and then didnt continue the story.

*chortles*

 

[sixteen-bit]

This whole situation seems like a dark matter.

 

[Burt]

What a shame. I've seen some pretty positive impressions for what game there is, and the developers clearly would've done more if they had the capability. They just handled this whole situation so poorly.

When their original Kickstarter failed and they realized they wouldn't have the money to put out the product they wanted, they should've realigned their goals, gone for a smaller Kickstarter with the intention of splitting the game into 2 episodes and getting to an acceptable break point for the first episode, and launched the game as early access (and only if they felt the need to launch it was absolute). The way they actually did things was negligent and inappropriate at best, and outright deceptive at worst. It's a black mark that's going to be on their game forever, and most likely follow them into the future of their careers.

 

[Derpcrawler]

They should pull Half-Life 2 and it's episodes as well, since it's ended with "To be continued..." and there is no plans for any sequel. Valve are hypocrites.

 

[StuBurns]

Because it doesn't have a proper ending? Valve are doing this? Valve? ...Valve?

 

[balohna]

What's so weird to me about this is if they had called it "Episode 1" and maybe cut it off at a more fitting point, they might have earned enough money to make an "Episode 2" and keep going and nobody would have really cared.

The way they handled it is shitty, but pulling it from Steam seems a bit harsh. There are probably worse games on Steam.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

What's so weird to me about this is if they had called it "Episode 1" and maybe cut it off at a more fitting point, they might have earned enough money to make an "Episode 2" and keep going and nobody would have really cared.

The way they handled it is shitty, but pulling it from Steam seems a bit harsh. There are probably worse games on Steam.

Pretty much. It's a pretty weird and shitty situation where they couldve changed it a bit and gotten away with it.

I hope everyone is happy in the end.

 

[Razorskin]

I hope JaseC managed to pick it up beforehand, then.

He did :lol

 

[BennyBlanco]

there are shorter and shittier games available for full price on steam right now. not sure why this got pulled. because of the really dumb text at the end?

 

[L~A]

They should pull Half-Life 2 and it's episodes as well, since it's ended with "To be continued..." and there is no plans for any sequel. Valve are hypocrites.

In case you're not (I think you're joking, but I just wanted to post that pic just once ) : Half-Life ² got a proper ending. The Episodes games got a proper ending. The next Half-Life game hasn't been cancelled.

***

Very shady move from the publisher. Hope Steam also gives refunds.

 

[Stone Ocean]

What's so weird to me about this is if they had called it "Episode 1" and maybe cut it off at a more fitting point, they might have earned enough money to make an "Episode 2" and keep going and nobody would have really cared.

The way they handled it is shitty, but pulling it from Steam seems a bit harsh. There are probably worse games on Steam.

The problem is the lie though.

"We'll patch that shit later this year! And by we I mean nobody because we no longer have a staff since a while ago. So hang tight and buy our - my? - game"

 

[CTLance]

What's so weird to me about this is if they had called it "Episode 1" and maybe cut it off at a more fitting point, they might have earned enough money to make an "Episode 2" and keep going and nobody would have really cared.

The way they handled it is shitty, but pulling it from Steam seems a bit harsh. There are probably worse games on Steam.

Yup, that's pretty much my take on it as well. It's so sad that all of this could have been avoided (comparatively) easily.

 

[Mutanthands]

What's so weird to me about this is if they had called it "Episode 1" and maybe cut it off at a more fitting point, they might have earned enough money to make an "Episode 2" and keep going and nobody would have really cared.

The way they handled it is shitty, but pulling it from Steam seems a bit harsh. There are probably worse games on Steam.

It sounds like there was no one left to make any changes, if the development team was fired after the Kickstarter failed. The last person in the room took the demo, and put it up as a full game.

Could have been handled better by making it episodic. Game had potential. Lack of money and common sense pretty much killed that opportunity.

 

[Cheddahz]

there are shorter and shittier games available for full price on steam right now. not sure why this got pulled. because of the really dumb text at the end?

Fake marketing

 

[L~A]

Fake marketing

This. It's not so much the lack of proper ending that's problematic, it's selling that as a full game, with a proper ending, not having it, promising to have more... then not doing it. Pretty shady.

 

[HK-47]

They should pull Half-Life 2 and it's episodes as well, since it's ended with "To be continued..." and there is no plans for any sequel. Valve are hypocrites.

Derp indeed