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[Zombie James]

https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Blow/status/450392069526138881

The tweet makes it sound like this isn't the norm, but I don't know much about Microsoft's pricing policies.

UPDATE

UPDATE #2

Yeah, he should try to take a step back before venting next time.

 

[skynidas]

well, they published the game so they can probably do that if they want to

 

[Eoin]

If they are the publisher, sure.

 

[JNT]

It's in the fine print.

 

[Iacobellis]

Not sure if this is Blow's usual over exaggeration or not.

 

[Wario64]

We're talking about Braid, right? Cause it has been $10 since 2010

 

[tim_pkmn89]

Microsoft has the final say on setting the XBLA prices in the first place.

 

[OldRoutes]

Oh boy what an outrage.

 

[No Love]

Microsoft: "Blow me"

 

[tim_pkmn89]

Oh boy what an outrage.

Yeah, losing 33% of your income from a source without even being notified does suck.

 

[Krusenstern]

Is Microsoft the publisher of his game?

 

[Triggerhappytel]

MS going the extra mile for those indie developer relations.

 

[No Love]

Yeah, losing 33% of your income from a source without even being notified does suck.

Maybe he'll make 40% more because more people will buy it.

 

[BigBearJohnson]

Has he contacted MS? Or is it customary to just blow up on Twitter before checking to see if it was an error or not?

 

[enzo_gt]

What the fuck is this, 2006? People, developers who signed contracts especially, don't know that MS has the final say on pricing? Trying to pass this off as a revelation is even more laughable. And if MS published the game too, then he has even less room to speak.

I remember there being a GAF thread on this years ago.

 

[RoboPlato]

This is probably a part of Blow's original agreement with MS, which he's been open about being unsatisfied with.

 

[Persona7]

I'm sure they hold those rights to alter pricing if they published it.

Is this about Braid? It seems to be $9.99 and not on sale right now? I think they dropped the price on it years ago from 14.99.

 

[FiggyCal]

Microsoft did publish it. Do developers usually set the prices of their games?

 

[braves01]

Is Blow working on a game right now?

 

[TheRealTalker]

well if you look at the bright side


you can get a good deal with such price drops

Spoiler

also a bad price increase

 

[Treythalomew]

The only time anyone mentions Blow it has something to do with Microsoft. Dude rails pretty hard against them but I would have never bought Braid if it hadn't seen a zillion ads on XBLA when it came out.

 

[Alo81]

Maybe he'll make 40% more because more people will buy it.

He should still have agency in deciding if its what he wants to do.

 

[tim_pkmn89]

I'm sure they hold those rights to alter pricing if they published it.

Is this about Braid?

Yeah. Someone was asking if the PS3 version would drop in price to match the 360 one. He assumed they were always equal.

 

[Goodacre0081]

im guessing he'll probably never do anymore deals with MS? it's not the first time he's had issues with them

 

[Acorn]

Is Blow working on a game right now?

Yes, The Witness.

 

[FiggyCal]

Is Blow working on a game right now?

The Witness. This is about Braid.

 

[foolishoptimist]

Maybe he'll make 40% more because more people will buy it.

As publisher Ms can do this. But it's shitty not to even notify the devs. No doubt there are other less successful devs getting the same treatment that this will impact more.

 

[Eoin]

Microsoft did publish it. Do developers usually set the prices of their games?

If you self publish sure, otherwise it's down to the publisher (in this case Microsoft).

 

[Persona7]

It took him almost four years to figure out they dropped the price on the game?

http://majornelson.com/2010/05/19/b..._campaign=Feed:+MajorNelson+Major+Nelson+Xbox

 

[enzo_gt]

im guessing he'll probably never do anymore deals with MS? it's not the first time he's had issues with them

I think he's said outright that he won't in the past.

 

[Alo81]

This is probably a part of Blow's original agreement with MS, which he's been open about being unsatisfied with.

It is yes.

 

[JayEH]

I'm assuming he didn't contact MS before tweeting that, which would be unprofessional. Anyway, I'm sure that MS was publisher and can change the price whenever they want.

 

[Hyb]

First rage on Twitter. Then check contract. lol.

 

[FiggyCal]

It is yes.

Why is he making me side with Microsoft?

 

[Goodacre0081]

It is yes.

damn

 

[TechnicPuppet]

Same price on steam and live, does he think it should be dearer on live?

 

[jim2011]

As publisher Ms can do this. But it's shitty not to even notify the devs. No doubt there are other less successful devs getting the same treatment that this will impact more.

Do you really think that EA, Square Eidos, or Activision notify developers when they decide to put their games on sale, especially on the digital marketplaces?

I certainly don't. This is why devs want self publishing. Developers have 0 say in pricing when someone else publishes their game. Hell I imagine they could even give them out for free.

 

[HarryDemeanor]

It is yes.

Pull the game Jonathan. Do it.

 

[theWB27]

So Micro drops the price of a game they published in order to push a little more sales out of the game and Jonathan Blow is mad. His obsessive vendetta against Microsoft is a little unhealthy to say the least. His game isn't the first nor the last that this'll happen to.

 

[ryamkajr]

Yeah, this is just more of Jonathan's "look at me" whinging he does every 9-12 months.

Just because he has released on (admittedly) damn good game, does not give him rights to constantly whine. It is not like Microsoft put a gun to his head and made him sign the contract.

He just needs to shut up and work on his next game to give himself something new to cry about.

 

[NemesisPrime]

Blow not having a clue once again. Water is wet.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Has he contacted MS? Or is it customary to just blow up on Twitter before checking to see if it was an error or not?

He's hardly blowing up. It's common decency to expect to be notified if they're reducing the price of his game, even if they're entitled to do so.

 

[jim2011]

Pull the game Jonathan. Do it.

Doubt he even could, he didn't publish it.

 

[RdN]

Oh man.. There's not one day that goes by that we don't have an indie developer bitching about something on Twitter. I guess that's what you get when you have a bunch of amateurs on the spotlight, but still..

Anyway.. If MS dropped the price, I'm sure they did because the game's not selling very well lately, and they're trying to spice up the numbers.

 

[Have a Nice Day]

It is yes.

It's his fault for agreeing to this blasphemy.

 

[jbug617]

Braid goes for $9.99 on Steam and 360. Why is he mad for?

 

[enzo_gt]

It is yes.

 

[Chobel]

UPDATE

Is he threatening MS in this tweet?

 

[Salex_]

Seems like this isn't rare.
Retro City Rampage developer

This truly seems to be accidental. Especially if that is the the only time it happened. And ms didn't publish that game.

Yeah it probably is now that blow is backtracking lol.

 

[nillapuddin]

It took him almost four years to figure out they dropped the price on the game?

http://majornelson.com/2010/05/19/b..._campaign=Feed:+MajorNelson+Major+Nelson+Xbox

That's ridiculous, how on earth could he be that uninformed?