dlcnotincluded
Member
I regretted not backing the kickstarter to get the physical copy but now
regret is gone. I'M HYPED
regret is gone. I'M HYPED
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Shantae Half Genie Hero to be retail published by XSEED
- Thread starter mreddie
- Start date
MilkLizard
Member
You are right. It just came off to me like that at first. I apologize.
Oni Link 666
Member
I backed the game for $60, so I get the digital game, my name in the credits, and I get to vote on designs. I wish I could cancel my Mighty No. 9 pledge and get this box. >_>
CamHostage
Member
Right. And also, in 2013, there was no way of knowing that Shantae would ever be lucky enough to get back onto retail store shelves with a publisher. It's hard to think of things in these terms when "get the product" is now a standard tier in Kickstarter backing (I kind of wish that the actual thing was not a fundable level, if there were some kind of incentive to replace it that'd actually work, because the pre-order mentality is murkying up the ethics of Kickstarter, and it gets even more frustrating and ugly when multiple platforms are involved in the pitch or get added in on tier-goals; Fig's dividend approach might be clearer to backers and non-backers as far as what it's worth to them, but that's a whole different ethics argument...), but your backing is to help bring the product into existence, not into your home.
That said, a developer that uses Kickstarter to fund its project should do everything it can to take care of its backers. I'd like to see Wayforward do something extra if possible to sweeten the treat for backers now that they've signed on a publisher for the business end of getting the game out there.
Pro from Dover
Member
I'm a backer and think this is cool.
twothunder
Member
Nice to see them partnering with XSEED
At least good to have a physical option. I doubt they ever expected to get the chance for that when the kickstarter began
My first thought was similar.
"that means another physical Wii-U release"
At least good to have a physical option. I doubt they ever expected to get the chance for that when the kickstarter began
My first thought was similar.
"that means another physical Wii-U release"
Neospartan
Neo Member
Neat, now I get to struggle to decide on which system I want this game on a physical level.
I consider kickstarting to be a show of support for the potential existence of a product you want. In this case , you are giving money to a developer to make a game and they are merely thanking you and giving you a copy of the game and other stuff depending on how much cash you give.
So , my pledge being used to make a game I want to play is all I really care about here. I didn't care about mighty no 9 physical edition and I don't really care about this either.
At the end of the day if you just want a copy of the game , then don't kickstart , PLEASE. Recall also that having all these limited edition physical copies is a much more recent (like the last 12 months sort of recent) development. In 2013 when half this stuff needed crowdfunding , you just didn't get low print run games like this.
I'm actually super happy wayforward found a partner willing to take a possible hit to release a disc version of this game and I hope it sells well because I really like Wayforward and most of their games. I also hope it exposes more people to the wonder that is Shatae.
So , my pledge being used to make a game I want to play is all I really care about here. I didn't care about mighty no 9 physical edition and I don't really care about this either.
At the end of the day if you just want a copy of the game , then don't kickstart , PLEASE. Recall also that having all these limited edition physical copies is a much more recent (like the last 12 months sort of recent) development. In 2013 when half this stuff needed crowdfunding , you just didn't get low print run games like this.
I'm actually super happy wayforward found a partner willing to take a possible hit to release a disc version of this game and I hope it sells well because I really like Wayforward and most of their games. I also hope it exposes more people to the wonder that is Shatae.
bmcphail2008
Member
The problem with your theory is that now that several of these video game Kickstarters have essentially provided better alternatives to obtain physical copies than backing the Kickstarter itself, there is a lower likelihood of people who feel burned to back future campaigns. I know I regret backing both this and Mighty No. 9 not only because of the lack of console physical copies (indeed for Shantae, a number of us asked for a physical option and were told it would never happen) but because of the lengthy delays between the original projected release date and the actual date. I'm not a charity that has an interest in giving commercial businesses interest free money so they can take their time and develop something that they will then sell at a profit to a publisher while I am left with low quality swag and a need to pay full retail to get the game I backed in a more permanent physical form.
I know that people always claim Kickstarter is not a preorder system, but let's be honest, for many of us it is. Otherwise there wouldn't be so much outrage when a campaign fails to deliver nor would people be backing higher tiers after campaigns have already been fully funded. I feel like in both this campaign and Mightly No. 9, the campaign creator could have given backers an option to buy the physical game at a discount or at least provided us with a slipcover or some other acknowledgement that without our financial backing, the publishing deal would never have happened. As it stands, they not only failed to do so, but used the leak from the publisher to share release date info they should have provided backers first.
NOLA_Gaffer
Banned
When I backed Anamanaguchi's recent album I was able to pick a tier that shipped me a physical CD in addition to digital downloads of the tracks. Being able to get a game on a physical disc as a tier would be something I'd be willing to pay for. Then it's the best of both worlds: I get the physical software I want and the developer gets my cash for development.
They do this because they know if you're a fan enough to donate to a non-existing product, then you're fan enough to double dip and give them even more money.
A fool and his money etc
While this would be fair and ideal, there's really no good way to do it without the publisher effectively losing a sale. Ultimately, the KS and the publishing deal are two entirely separate business arrangements.
While we crowdfunded with a publisher from the start, we're still sort of working out how slacker backer sales work out, what they count for, etc. It's tricky business.
NOLA_Gaffer
Banned
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Unfortunately I was fooled twice. But that won't happen again.
Not really, for reasons already posted above.
Also, you know, because kickstarter really isn't a pre-order program, no matter how much you assume it is.
That was entirely true when people said it.
Wayforward spent eight years trying to get Shantae 2 made, but no publishers wanted to touch it because the IP belongs to Wayforward, and publishers would rather pay for Wayforward to make games based on publisher-owned IP.
Wayforward finally got a chance to make Shantae 2 (and 3) thanks to digital download systems, where the barrier is cheap enough to allow indies to self-publish. I wanted (still want) physical versions of Shantae 2&3, but if I had held my breath for that I would've died. Digital is the only reason Shantae exists at all.
After some success in the indie space on digital download systems, Wayforward thought they would like to try making a larger-budget game with detailed sprites on HD consoles, but they don't have enough money for that. Kickstarter made this game possible, and your support helped the game hit stretch goals and become a better game for everyone.
And it's still not really possible for Wayforward to self-publish in physical. Something like Limited Run Games (a company that publishes physical versions of popular indie titles) only popped up in 2015, two years after the Shantae Kickstarter. And even if LRG existed back then, an indie game needs to become big in digital before they consider printing a physical. This deal with XSEED (who knew XSEED might be willing to step in and publish games they didn't translate? Nobody knew that) still isn't Wayforward self-publishing physical, it's a deal they hammered out three years later.
I want a physical version of Half-Genie Hero, so I'm glad Wayforward figured out some way to make it happen, even if they weren't able to go back in time and include it in the Kickstarter. And that particular problem is rather easily solved by giving $30 to XSEED for being awesome.
Hero of Legend
Member
How did Yacht Club do it with Shovel Knight? Hell, aren't they ex-Wayforward folks to boot?
According to Yacht Club's website, they sold 700,000 copies in digital, and then they decided to self-publish physical with the help of a distributor.
According to SteamSpy, Shovel Knight has sold more copies (on Steam) than Shantae 2&3 combined (370k vs 180k+120k). The bigger the potential audience is, the less risk there is in making a small print run.
I figure just the fact that XSEED's doing this means that Wayforward's still not equipped to self-publish in physical.
YCG's a small company that made a lot of money very quickly off something they own, whereas WF is a much larger company that generates far less revenue from the games they make and has to spend that money just keeping everyone employed, plus they spend so much time working on other peoples' shit that they probably don't even have time to do all the administrative crap required to become a retail publisher.