The Outer Worlds won't launch on Steam

[Wormerine]

Okay. No Outer Worlds for me then. 

 

I haven't read a single positive reaction to this decision so far (on Twitter, forums etc.). 

There never is a positive reaction. "This sucks, but meh" is the best you can find. 

 

It's an exchange of PR for money.

[Blarghagh]

No installation necessary for the Windows 10 Store! It's that suitcase-shaped icon in the bottom left corner that you've never clicked.

Nice. Don't have to bother with Epic OR Steam.

[trulez]

 

 

Given obs' lengthy history of bad publishing deals (and inability to create lasting relationships, despite kickstarter AND fig), I see no reason to absolve them of blame.

 

 

So, because they've had bad history you think they can decide which store their game will be sold? When they are owned by Microsoft and the publisher is basically Take-Two.

 

In which universe do they have much say in the matter? Because I sure as **** don't see them having any voice on the matter. They will do as they are told to do.

 

 

They DO have a say in this, but it would require a spine, so I guess we're out of luck.

[BillyCorgan]

No comment....

[Bartimaeus]

No installation necessary for the Windows 10 Store! It's that suitcase-shaped icon in the bottom left corner that you've never clicked. 

 

I'm a Windows 7 user.

[Raygereio]

They DO have a say in this, but it would require a spine, so I guess we're out of luck.

 

This sort of thing is a publisher decision. Obsidian would have had no real say in this.

[Revan91]

WTF Obsidian, I understand this is probably Take Two's decision but still WTF. Epic Store is awful, I don't want to install that ****, at least until it becomes good/acceptable. 

[Infinitron]

 

They DO have a say in this, but it would require a spine, so I guess we're out of luck.

 

This sort of thing is a publisher decision. Obsidian would have had no real say in this.

 

 

They own the IP so they did have some leverage. If Obsidian absolutely insisted that the game must launch on Steam, they possibly could have negotiated something.

[hayt]

Extremely disappointing turn of events. This was meant to be their last hurrah on Steam before everything after the MS deal is locked up. I see no reason to absolve Obsidian of any responsibility. See you in 2020 Outer Worlds I suppose.

[ShadySands]

 

 

It will always be the great irony that 95% of the people complaining about Epic Store exclusives would be completely fine with it being a Steam exclusive. Either exclusives suck, including steam exclusives, or they don't in which case ES exclusives are fine.

 

(And it's probably good news overall for GOG users, since we wouldn't have got TOW on release day in any realistic scenario. As it stands now we might even get it the same day steam does)

Exclusives suck. They are anti-consumer. Steam doesn't do exclusives.

 

 

Yeah but when a game company says their game is coming out for Steam and not GOG or elsewhere, no one will call jihad.

 

Wait what? Isn't it an exclusive if it is exclusively sold on Steam?

[Noviere]

Really disappointed to hear this. It's going to be weird not playing an Obsidian game on launch day. 

[Terradyne]

 

 

 

It will always be the great irony that 95% of the people complaining about Epic Store exclusives would be completely fine with it being a Steam exclusive. Either exclusives suck, including steam exclusives, or they don't in which case ES exclusives are fine.

 

(And it's probably good news overall for GOG users, since we wouldn't have got TOW on release day in any realistic scenario. As it stands now we might even get it the same day steam does)

Exclusives suck. They are anti-consumer. Steam doesn't do exclusives.

 

 

Yeah but when a game company says their game is coming out for Steam and not GOG or elsewhere, no one will call jihad.

 

Wait what? Isn't it an exclusive if it is exclusively sold on Steam?

 

Steam doesn't specifically demand exclusivity, so no. Epic, on the other hand, pays for people to put it on their store and nobody elses. Now, you can make points about Steam having a de facto monopoly, but that's not quite the same thing. Epic is trying to break it not by providing a better service, but by attempting to starve Steam of any good new games.

 

It's not exactly a good foot to start with, especially considering the other blunders that they've been making. First Phoenix Point, now this. Oh, well. I guess it's going to be a cheap few years...

[Vitalis]

 

 

 

It will always be the great irony that 95% of the people complaining about Epic Store exclusives would be completely fine with it being a Steam exclusive. Either exclusives suck, including steam exclusives, or they don't in which case ES exclusives are fine.

 

(And it's probably good news overall for GOG users, since we wouldn't have got TOW on release day in any realistic scenario. As it stands now we might even get it the same day steam does)

Exclusives suck. They are anti-consumer. Steam doesn't do exclusives.

Yeah but when a game company says their game is coming out for Steam and not GOG or elsewhere, no one will call jihad.

Wait what? Isn't it an exclusive if it is exclusively sold on Steam?

Of course not!

 

Capitalism is great, except everytime something tries to compete in gaming people absolutely hate it.

[Guest ColinaX47]

I am so sad. Angry. And speechless. Just to let you know, even if it means nothing to you.

[kanisatha]

Apparently EGS has an exclusivity deal with Private Division for all their games.

 

I was never going to be buying this game anyway on account of it being first person. But yeah, I also will NEVER use EGS, and am strongly put off by any developer or publisher who signs on to an exclusivity arrangement with anyone.

[C2B]

 

 

 

It will always be the great irony that 95% of the people complaining about Epic Store exclusives would be completely fine with it being a Steam exclusive. Either exclusives suck, including steam exclusives, or they don't in which case ES exclusives are fine.

 

(And it's probably good news overall for GOG users, since we wouldn't have got TOW on release day in any realistic scenario. As it stands now we might even get it the same day steam does)

Exclusives suck. They are anti-consumer. Steam doesn't do exclusives.

 

 

Yeah but when a game company says their game is coming out for Steam and not GOG or elsewhere, no one will call jihad.

 

Wait what? Isn't it an exclusive if it is exclusively sold on Steam?

 

Not an enforced one. Steam didn't *buy* them for their store unless you're talking about first party titles (in which case its understandable).

 

Not even Ubisoft or EA did this before them. That bull**** practice has been started by Epic in the PC market. Not to mention you can get every steam key from resellers as well.

Edited March 20, 2019 by C2B

[sean10mm]

 

 

 

It will always be the great irony that 95% of the people complaining about Epic Store exclusives would be completely fine with it being a Steam exclusive. Either exclusives suck, including steam exclusives, or they don't in which case ES exclusives are fine.

 

(And it's probably good news overall for GOG users, since we wouldn't have got TOW on release day in any realistic scenario. As it stands now we might even get it the same day steam does)

Exclusives suck. They are anti-consumer. Steam doesn't do exclusives.

 

 

Yeah but when a game company says their game is coming out for Steam and not GOG or elsewhere, no one will call jihad.

 

Wait what? Isn't it an exclusive if it is exclusively sold on Steam?

 

 

A lot of games only come out on Steam because the maker/publisher doesn't bother with another outlet.  That's different than Steam saying "If you sell on our site you're forbidden from selling anyplace else."

[Wormerine]

Wait what? Isn't it an exclusive if it is exclusively sold on Steam?

 

 

There is certainly some questionable bias, not to mentioned "CHINESEE SPY" comments. 

 

That said, as far as I know, Steam never activaly paid 3rd party developers to release their games purely on steam. Their position and host of useful tools they offered made them no. 1 choice for a long time. 

 

My personal disappointment in Epic Store is that so far they make the industry worse, at least from consumers perspective (I will return to this point later). They don't offer any unique benefit, like GoG always did - it is simply an inferior platform. However, they buy their relevance by paying off devs and publishers to lock their games behind Epic Store. That's a shame, because to compete Steam simply needs to lock games behind their platform (which they don't really have to for now as they have plenty of naturally occuring exclusives) instead of improving their service. 

 

Now returning to my previous point: while consumers do not like this practice and Epic Store in general, I am curious about what industry's opinion is, as both journalists and game devs/publishers seem to be quite relaxed and suppotive of the Epic Store. While the simplest explanation could be that indie devs and publishers enjoy a risk free injection of cash, I do feel like there is more to it then that. 

[Matched]

Was looking forward to this, but that's okay, I can wait one year for the patched version with all DLC, and at a discount. I just hope the likely mediocre sales numbers at release won't translate to a "Single player games are dead" narrative.

[Malcador]

 

 

 

 

It will always be the great irony that 95% of the people complaining about Epic Store exclusives would be completely fine with it being a Steam exclusive. Either exclusives suck, including steam exclusives, or they don't in which case ES exclusives are fine.

 

(And it's probably good news overall for GOG users, since we wouldn't have got TOW on release day in any realistic scenario. As it stands now we might even get it the same day steam does)

Exclusives suck. They are anti-consumer. Steam doesn't do exclusives.

Yeah but when a game company says their game is coming out for Steam and not GOG or elsewhere, no one will call jihad.

Wait what? Isn't it an exclusive if it is exclusively sold on Steam?

A lot of games only come out on Steam because the maker/publisher doesn't bother with another outlet. That's different than Steam saying "If you sell on our site you're forbidden from selling anyplace else."

Not all that different, really. End result is the same.

 

This fuss will blow over. Hopefully angry neckbeards on YouTube will deliver tonight

[Soultaker]

I would have pre-purchased this on Steam with the season pass like I did for PoE and PoE2.  Now it looks like I won't be playing it for quite a while, if at all.

[Enexemander]

I was looking forward to this game. :-/

Not sure I will buy it all now, to be honest. Maybe in a year it will be a sale purchase on Steam.

I will probably just not buy it, though. Once a game gets old, and I've stumbled across spoilers, it usually just isn't worth it.

[Tea Spoon]

I was really looking forward to this game, but I guess I will not be playing it. Epic has proven itself to be anti-consumer and we need to speak with our wallets.

[grumpymoose]

I own every single Obsidian title up to this point. I've even got behind two titles as a backer. I do not use the Windows 10 Store, for very good reasons. I will not use the Epic store, for anti-consumer practices that are more than well documented at this point. It doesn't matter that  this wasn't Obsidian's call. This is where we are regardless. You've simply gone a place that I cannot follow.

 

I cannot in good conscience support this game, your Publisher, not even you, nor any game going on the Epic store, be they exclusive or otherwise, until Epic fixes their practices. The idea of good competition for Steam is good, but the alternatives have to be just that. Good. Good for Publishers is fine, I suppose, but I am not a Publisher. I'm a consumer. Good for Developers is fine too, I suppose, but I am not a Developer. I am a consumer. The Epic Store offers me no reason to be there, and many reasons to stay very, very far away. I typically use GOG these days, I'm used to games not being available there, that are available elsewhere. I suppose nothing's changed really.

 

I know this post to be insignificant, as am I, just another drop in the bucket. I do not type these words out of some mislead egotistical self importance. I know what I am to people who do not know me personally, a fleeting thing. I speak because I feel, not because my words have the weight of authority and power. I speak because I care, because your games have brought joy and thoughtfulness to my life, again and again, over the years. I speak to say goodbye.

 

I hope the Epic Store is as good for Developers as they promise to be.

 

-

 

I wish you luck, really and truly, but this is the end of the line for me. I cannot follow. Please, be well, all of you.

Edited March 20, 2019 by grumpymoose

[Vyrulisse]

Guess this is another company I can add to my list of "Never buy from again." Sad day for me but whatever. Hope the Fortnite bucks are worth all the goodwill you guys threw out.