BulletStorm didn't sell well because of piracy

[ShawnD1]

I started my post above when there were only 5 replies - your post is an honest position.

Unfortunately, publishers have to choose - GFWL offers some marketing benefits.

Buh? Back in the 1930s, the Nazis were posed with a choice. They could either create GFWL or they could create death camps. They decided that GFWL was far too cruel, so they went with the death camps idea instead.
I love how it randomly screws up my games and makes it so I can't save or load the game. Internet connection died while playing Gears of War? Oops, looks like it wasn't actually saving data and I'll start over from the beginning next time I load the game. Whoever created GFWL should be put in a death camp.

GFWL is directly responsible for me not buying certain games. Oddly enough, Steam is directly responsible for me buying a bunch of games I wouldn't really think of buying.

 

[thespyder]

I find it amusing that gamer publishers ignore the PC as a platform. Of all the platforms its the largest by quite a way. Sure sales of the PS3 + Xbox 360 combined usually outsell a port to the PC but a PC exclusive that is truly popular will outsell PS3+Xbox+Wii quite handily. I also the think the PC market is a lot less tolerant of faults with games, they do not like ports.

If the best you can do is an average game then you may as well release on console, if you are really good then PC is a better market to sell into with a longer tail of sales.

While I agree that PC prevalence is significantly higher than Any of the three consoles, I don't think there is anything that supports that PC GAMING is more prevalent than Console gaming. Certainly, I could be wrong on that fact. And I hope I am because the PC platform is hands down the most powerful, and my go to platform of choice.

 

[thespyder]

No argument there, but I assume their chance at stopping the highly technical is slim to none anyway; I'm sure their mission is to stop the casual downloader and crack applier - ie - my crowd. My point is they are doing a piss poor job of it. Go on teh bay real quick and try to come across a game you *can't* find.

My original assertion was that they accomplish nothing with their methods and I stick by that.

Agreed. and agreed. And Agreed.

A few posts back I mentioned that they way I interpret they want their business run is that if you buy software you don't like, you won't be able to sell it or return it, you're basically stuck with it. Now in addition to this they'd like to install 'security cameras' in our personal computers. (/tinfoil hat)

And now they're blaming sales on it?

I don't see consumers benefiting in any way with the direction the wind is blowing and I don't see how you can argue that how it is now should be how it should be.

Name an industry where they don't want to make sure that "Once they get your money, they never give it back". It is where the Ferengi came up with the idea. Free market economy. But since everyone does it, does that make them Evil?

And you are right in that there is very little to no benefit to the consumer. Which is what needs to be conveyed to the Big companies (who are leading the charge). The wind is blowing in a direction that is being generated by that charge. And since the Publishers are making money, they see no reason to stop following the wind (and are unaware that the wind is generated by their own actions). So we as consumers need to communicate it.

But i do honestly think the "Intended state" is more a passive "Make it difficult for the casual pirates so they don't jump on the band wagon." Because they know the professionals are un-touchable. And I would honestly think that the intent is not to impact legitimate consumers. However, intent and reality are not the same. And that needs to be communicated to the publishers in a manner that will get their attention.

 

[Tweak155]

Good catch on the inappropriate wording dust. Anyway, I think what he meant to say was that a multiplatform game optimized well for the PC will outsell consoles. Unfortunately, even this I dont really think is true. I dont have the figures, but even though Skyrim was a great success on the PC, didnt it sell much more on the consoles?

Can any one name a recent game developed for all three platforms that sold more in absolute numbers on the PC? Dont get me wrong, I am a great fan of the PC and dont play on consoles at all except some family games on the Wii. But unfortunately consoles are where the sales are.

Skyrim was a console game ported to PC. He was referring to a game designed for PC then ported to consoles. Diablo 1 comes to mind (was a while back, but counts). Duke Nukem 3D.... something along those lines.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Skyrim was a console game ported to PC. He was referring to a game designed for PC then ported to consoles. Diablo 1 comes to mind (was a while back, but counts). Duke Nukem 3D.... something along those lines.

I was thinking in terms of the current environment. The point is that almost no game is designed primarily for the PC and ported to consoles. You either have a console game ported to PC (sometimes well, usually not) or the rare PC exclusive that never goes to consoles.

The last time I can remember a PC game being ported to consoles was several years ago when RTS games were coming out for PC, and just starting to be released later on consoles. If I remember, it was one of the Battle for Middle Earth games, or Command and Conquer.

 

[Ferzerp]

The witcher 2 has been ported and comes out tuesday on xbox.

 

[BrightCandle]

You need a game that is truly magnificent to get to the potentially massive sales on PC. You wont ever achieve that launching on consoles as well because the limitations introduced reduce the PC sales dramatically. On the other hand if you can't produce a truly ground breaking game for PC then you'll go out of business if all you do is release on PC.

Controversial I would argue that BattleField 3 is a strongly console influenced. The User Interface has many elements that are designed for twin stick usage and make it slow to use on the PC with a mouse and keyboard. But where it really matters is in the game play where the mechanics have been subtly tweaked to benefit console users somewhat while still keeping it just enough of a mouse FPS to let it slide. Just because it has pretty graphics doesn't mean its not a console port. Despite being a big release last year its far from a novel release worth massive sales, just an increment on a genre done to death already.

DRM is just one of the ways they hamper sales on the platform. DRM has stopped me playing a game I legitimately own 5 times in the last year. That isn't some theoretical problem its a practical issue I shouldn't have. Worse is the unwillingness of the companies to fix it, I shouldn't feel so "entitled" people keep telling me. Really? Its ok to sell me a product and then at some point in the future disable it? Tell you what try selling cars with that feature in it and see how well your business does! Makes me mad that we have to argue about this stuff, it is a matter of basic rights for consumers.

 

[ImpulsE69]

It's the pirates!!! OMG THE PIRATES. The pirates are responsible for the auto bailout and the bank bail out and the upcoming end of the world.

You know what it is to me? Another example of people not taking responsibility for what they do. People who want to blame everyone but what the real problem is: them.

 

[StrangerGuy]

It's the pirates!!! OMG THE PIRATES. The pirates are responsible for the auto bailout and the bank bail out and the upcoming end of the world.

You know what it is to me? Another example of people not taking responsibility for what they do. People who want to blame everyone but what the real problem is: them.

They are so many largely untouched genres (Freelancer, X-COM type games) to make new games for, but yet everyone and their mother makes another derivative FPS or WoW clone and then blames everyone when it fails in an done to death market.

 

[DigDog]

i know personally a guy who pirated Bulletstorm and he said he uninstalled it after the first area because it sucked really bad; ofc that his personal opinion of him who is not me at all but maybe it wasn't such an awesome game at all.

---------------------------------------------

game studios have to understand that just because they throw money at a project doesn't mean it's gonna be good in any way.

 

[Grooveriding]

Bulletstorm didn't sell well because it was garbage. This is the running excuse of game devs who sell trash games for poor sales and it's getting old.

 

[Fenixgoon]

from the beginning i knew the concept of bulletstorm was flawed. i didn't buy it or pirate it. i have 0 interest in the game. it's just another run of the mill fps.

 

[blackened23]

i know personally a guy who pirated Bulletstorm and he said he uninstalled it after the first area because it sucked really bad; ofc that his personal opinion of him who is not me at all but maybe it wasn't such an awesome game at all.

---------------------------------------------

game studios have to understand that just because they throw money at a project doesn't mean it's gonna be good in any way.

Oh, publisher blames piracy and everyone posts about how the game sucked. You guys are predictable

FYI, bulletstorm was an awesome game, and regardless of what anyone else thinks *I* am sad that there will be no sequel. The game is a lot of fun despite what anyone may say here, its a great game.

 

[Fire&Blood]

Oh, publisher blames piracy and everyone posts about how the game sucked. You guys are predictable

FYI, bulletstorm was an awesome game, and regardless of what anyone else thinks *I* am sad that there will be no sequel. The game is a lot of fun despite what anyone may say here, its a great game.

I didn't realize you are an omnipotent being to determine for us what's good and what's not.

Game sucked for majority of people. If someone gave that game to me for free, I wouldn't play it.

 

[blackened23]

Such a predictable response

Carry on.

 

[gothamhunter]

I didn't realize you are an omnipotent being to determine for us what's good and what's not.

Game sucked for majority of people. If someone gave that game to me for free, I wouldn't play it.

Meh, I probably would then

 

[shortylickens]

I heard they had the same problem with The Postman.

 

[Arglebargle]

Oh, publisher blames piracy and everyone posts about how the game sucked. You guys are predictable

FYI, bulletstorm was an awesome game, and regardless of what anyone else thinks *I* am sad that there will be no sequel. The game is a lot of fun despite what anyone may say here, its a great game.

You liking the game does not make it a good game or make it well designed. I like MoO3, but I would never claim it was in any way a well designed game. Though player mods have helped by a metric ton.

 

[reallyscrued]

You liking the game does not make it a good game or make it well designed. I like MoO3, but I would never claim it was in any way a well designed game. Though player mods have helped by a metric ton.

Holy shit, quit feeding the damn troll.

I mean his avatar says it all.

 

[mirandu04]

they always blame the piracy whenever something doesn't go to plan; why other producers don't blame it for all the bad sales...

 

[thejunglegod]

the lack of basic seriousness overall and the sense of infused forced humor may have led to Bulletstorm's downfall. I mean the visuals were awesome, admit it. And the gameplay was very meh, but different. The game not doing well has a lot to do with the drunk protagonist which they tried to fill up with personality, but failed miserably.

 

[BFG10K]

I liked the game. Throwing people into spikes or over a cliff with your wrist weapon was so much fun. I think I almost killed more guys that way than with normal guns. Plus for $5 (Steam sale) it’s not exactly breaking the bank.

But let’s not kid ourselves – some people will pirate a game no matter how good it is and no matter how cheap it is. It might not be a lost sale but they’re still parasites leeching off those who pay for games and support the industry.

They’re no different to people who abuse welfare. They have a deluded sense of self-entitlement and they expect others to support their habits.

 

[DigDog]

there's some pretty awesome flash games on bored.com where you can impale people on spikes all day long and they are free. Bulletstorm might have had the occasional laugh (not for me) but the gameplay was quite horrid.

But then again i liked Crysis 2

 

[StrangerGuy]

I liked the game. Throwing people into spikes or over a cliff with your wrist weapon was so much fun. I think I almost killed more guys that way than with normal guns. Plus for $5 (Steam sale) it’s not exactly breaking the bank.

But let’s not kid ourselves – some people will pirate a game no matter how good it is and no matter how cheap it is. It might not be a lost sale but they’re still parasites leeching off those who pay for games and support the industry.

They’re no different to people who abuse welfare. They have a deluded sense of self-entitlement and they expect others to support their habits.

Oh, comparing piracy to welfare abusers? That is just disingenuous. You might have a point if pirating a copy prevents another person from buying an original one, but it isn't and if anything the self-entitled assholes are major game developers these days who thinks they have the right to screw PAYING customers as they please.

 

[PrincessFrosty]

But let’s not kid ourselves – some people will pirate a game no matter how good it is and no matter how cheap it is. It might not be a lost sale but they’re still parasites leeching off those who pay for games and support the industry.

They’re no different to people who abuse welfare. They have a deluded sense of self-entitlement and they expect others to support their habits.

No it's not an accurate analogy because something of value is lost when someone abuses welfare, parasites consume resources for their own gain and deny other people of that resource.

When you pirate media all that is lost is a potential sale for the copyright owner and that's not a sale you can guarantee they would have made otherwise, as you said some people will just pirate stuff no matter how good the quality is and how cheap the product is. It's a complete waste of time, energy and resources trying to combat that problem because even if you eliminate that kind of piracy (and you CANNOT) you STILL do not gain anything you result in a net loss of resources.

The pirates you need to target are people who actually enjoy the media enough to pay for it, and proven best way of winning them people over is with good quality products, reasonable prices and by not dicking them over with DRM and restrictions of use.

Almost every single hugely popular business is based around building a relationship with their customers which is mutually beneficial to both the business and the customer so they both get what they want, the crap businesses abuse their customers and always struggle.

You only need look at Valve and Steam.