Author Topic: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store  (Read 24865 times)

Offline Tridus

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #30 on: October 08, 2013, 06:44:18 pm »
I understand what you mean, but there's not much I can do. And as far as partners go, they are awesome ones, I do have to say.

Yeah, there doesn't seem to be much anyone can do, and that's exactly what scares the hell out of me.

Thanks for the responses Chris, I hope this one's a winner for you.

There's pleanty people can do. Someone could create a viable competitor in terms of what Steam offers to developers/publishers, and people could buy games from there.

The reason why it's not happening is because people want games on Steam, by and large. If you look at a game like Race The Sun, they lost a ton of business because people were willing to buy the game until they heard "It's not on Steam." That ended the conversation.

The PC is different from other platforms in that the store isn't locked in. You can buy from other stores. Steam is just the best one around.

Offline Teal_Blue

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #31 on: October 08, 2013, 06:58:47 pm »
Congratulations on the launch!!  Hope it's a bestseller!!   :)


Offline GrimerX

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #32 on: October 08, 2013, 07:10:53 pm »
Congrats :-)

Offline goodgimp

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #33 on: October 08, 2013, 07:14:22 pm »
There's pleanty people can do. Someone could create a viable competitor in terms of what Steam offers to developers/publishers, and people could buy games from there.

Steam has bludgeoned every competitor bloody. It's not that no one is trying, it's that Valve is awesome at what they do.

Offline Misery

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #34 on: October 08, 2013, 07:44:35 pm »
Aha, finally, it's out.   Congrats on the release!

Now you can once again sit back and watch as the Steam forums for the game has an extended questionsplosion over the next couple weeks.  Always entertains me with new releases on Steam in general.

Offline Cyborg

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #35 on: October 08, 2013, 07:49:13 pm »
Congratulations!
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Offline x4000

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #36 on: October 08, 2013, 08:14:14 pm »
Thanks for the congrats!  Honestly this is a really disappointing launch so far, even though we got up to #29 on the top steam sellers list so far (right now are back down to #41, but we fluctuate).  It's at somewhere around 50% as good as Skyward's launch was, which is inexplicable to me.  And honestly I was really hoping this would do much better than Skyward, as it really seems like it should.  And that would give us more breathing room financially.

Right now I think this is maybe our 4th best launch?  Something like that?  Behind AI War, Skyward, and Valley 1.  Honestly I was hoping for something more like Valley 1, which is by far our best launch.  It wasn't like I was shooting for the moon in expectations, but I didn't think that hoping for a repeat of Valley 1's success level on launch was too unrealistic; this game is a much more exciting and mass-appealing one, I think.  And the praise from players and youtubers and early reviewers has been really solid.

So I'm not sure what is up, really.  Hopefully things pick up over the week, but if they do that will be a first in our experience.  If not, we may wind up struggling all winter long, and possibly shedding some staff early next year.  Which really sucks, this game is so good.  Sometimes I just don't understand how this industry works; I feel like this is Arcen's best work ever, with the possible exception of AI War.

Any help folks can do to spread the word is extremely welcome.  AI War and Valley 1 had the power of word of mouth behind them, and Valley 1 was also featured pretty prominently on the front page of Steam for a time (so was Skyward).  Bionic has no Steam featuring at all so far, and lower word of mouth though much higher youtuber showings.  Given the lack of Steam featuring, the fact that this is at #4 on our list of launches is actually really impressive if you think about it.  But still, I worry if we don't get traction out of the gate, if we will be able to pick up the needed traction over time.  There's no reason that should not be possible, but except for AI War to some extent, we've never seen it (and that was a different era).

So... yeah.  This has been a pretty crushing day for me.  There's every chance this will turn around soon, as some major players in the press are telling us they will have stuff out super soon and they seem excited about the game.  But word of mouth has always trumped the press in our experience, to a super surprising degree.  And featuring on steam trumps everything.  I'm still hoping they will feature us, fingers crossed, as that would solve a lot of this, possibly all of this, right there.  And maybe the press will come through and save the day; god knows Erik has been busting his butt, and the press seems to really like it.  But... every bit helps, and any word-spreading you can do is appreciated.  I really hate having to ask for that sort of thing, but once again I find myself in that position.

Thanks for listening, I hate to rant on what should be such a happy day.
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Offline Castruccio

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #37 on: October 08, 2013, 08:27:18 pm »
Why the decision to launch this title at $9.99 ($7.49 on sale) and Skyward at $4.99?  Might that have made a difference in launch day sales for both titles?  Bionic is clearly worth more than $4.99 but with a new IP you sometimes have to convince people of that.  Dungeons of Dredmor, a Rouge-like that did very well on Steam at launch, was released at $4.99.  Then they went on to sell oodles of DLC.   Quality-wise Bionic feels about like Skyward (i.e. both are great Arcen games) but it is twice the price of Skyward.  (And yes, I bought it and may buy friends copies too).


« Last Edit: October 08, 2013, 08:51:46 pm by Castruccio »

Offline Misery

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #38 on: October 08, 2013, 08:38:11 pm »
Well, that blows. 

I really dont understand how Steam chooses their blasted feature list or whatever you want to call it on the top of the main page.  I personally dont even look at it anymore;  heck, I look at it now and think, ok, so how many years now has Rome Total War 2 and generic FPS games been up on there?  And they're still listing bloody Payday 2, which I expect will be up there until the next Ice Age. As if everyone and their grandma and their grandma's dog hadnt heard of that one by now.

Whole thing is kinda baffling, really, considering that all I'd seen for comments about it before the game launched were along the lines of "I really want this" or "Day one purchase for me!".

Wish I could help with that aspect.   Here's hoping it turns around a bit.

Offline x4000

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #39 on: October 08, 2013, 08:57:51 pm »
Why the decision to launch this title at $9.99 ($7.49 on sale) and Skyward at $4.99?  Might that have made a difference in launch day sales for both titles?  Bionic is clearly worth more than $4.99 but with a new IP you sometimes have to convince people of that.  Dungeons of Dredmor, a Rouge-like that did very well on Steam at launch, was released at $4.99.  Then they went on to sell oodles of DLC.   Quality-wise Bionic feels about like Skyward (i.e. both are great Arcen games) but it is twice the price of Skyward.  (And yes, I bought it and may buy friends copies too).

Looking around at the general market of similar styles of games, (Sword of the Stars: The Pit and so forth), we felt like that was the right price point.  Honestly with Skyward the $5 price point was an experiment, partly because the game was so incredibly strange and quirky and partly to see what it would do.  In the end we felt like we undervalued that game, although due to the quirky nature it was probably wise to do so.
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Offline x4000

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #40 on: October 08, 2013, 09:01:19 pm »
Well, that blows. 

Yes, that has been my thought.  I've been practically catatonic a good part of this evening.

I really dont understand how Steam chooses their blasted feature list or whatever you want to call it on the top of the main page.  I personally dont even look at it anymore;  heck, I look at it now and think, ok, so how many years now has Rome Total War 2 and generic FPS games been up on there?  And they're still listing bloody Payday 2, which I expect will be up there until the next Ice Age. As if everyone and their grandma and their grandma's dog hadnt heard of that one by now.

Mmm, yeah.  It's a big mystery to everyone.  I am hopeful that maybe this is a time zone mixup and maybe they will add us there tomorrow.  Getting to #29 on their list without being featured is not too small a feat.

Whole thing is kinda baffling, really, considering that all I'd seen for comments about it before the game launched were along the lines of "I really want this" or "Day one purchase for me!".

Yep, for sure.  And the youtubers and reviewers, too.  Maybe this is destined to go gangbusters over the holidays, I don't know.  Or maybe it's more of a grassroots thing over the coming weeks and months.  Or maybe it's just one of those inexplicable misfires that happens in the industry from time to time.

If anyone is wondering, no, this is not an invitation to come in and start critiquing what you think is wrong with the game.  Honestly in my emotional state that is the last thing I need right now.  If I may be so honest.

Wish I could help with that aspect.   Here's hoping it turns around a bit.

I really appreciate it.  Me too!
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Offline Misery

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #41 on: October 08, 2013, 09:18:17 pm »
Well, if it helps, the player responses that Iv'e seen so far myself have all been positive, with the only complaint being "normal seems too easy".    As a rule, it seems those that bought it are quite enjoying it.  I cant imagine this one getting anything other than good reviews for the most part, really. 

In my case I cant think up much of anything that bothers me about it, aside from "GaffeBots are annoying, hold the heck still already".   And I'm generally pretty complainy about stuff.


I'm curious, what about Youtube people like Totalbiscuit or others along that line?   Anything set up on that front?

Offline Cyborg

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #42 on: October 08, 2013, 09:20:08 pm »
If anyone is wondering, no, this is not an invitation to come in and start critiquing what you think is wrong with the game.  Honestly in my emotional state that is the last thing I need right now.  If I may be so honest.

I am both one of your company's biggest fans and biggest critic at the exact same time. But at the end of the day, I consider myself a friend of the company, and I want the best outcome for all of you. Will spread the word.

And by the way, this is an awesome title, no doubts about it. If it sucked, you know I would tell you, as I have never been shy in the past about that sort of thing. Hang in there.
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Offline x4000

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #43 on: October 08, 2013, 09:23:14 pm »
@Misery: Some extremely prominent youtubers, including TB, have some stuff planned imminently, so I hear.

@Cyborg: I really really appreciate that sentiment, and I know you are one of the biggest critics (and at the end of the day, am honestly glad to hear you are one of the biggest fans, too).

Again, much appreciated folks.
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Offline Billick

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Re: Bionic Dues Now Available on Steam, Arcen Store
« Reply #44 on: October 08, 2013, 09:28:29 pm »
Well, it stinks that the game hasn't sold as well as you had hoped.  FWIW, I've been looking forward to this since you announced it, and so far I'm not disappointed.  I played for 2 hours after getting home from working without even realizing it.  Also, browsing the Steam discussions board, it looks like the reception has been almost universally positive so far, which is pretty unusual for the Steam boards.  Hopefully this gets some good word of mouth and reviews, and sales will pick up. 

 

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