From IGN: "Somerville has ties to modern legends Limbo and Inside, but it’s equally reminiscent of another Hall of Famer: Out of This World. The end result is a unique physics-based puzzle adventure that isn’t quite on the level of the games that inspired it, but is nevertheless an extraterrestrial nightmare worth exploring."
"The Gothenburg-based (Sweden) indie games publisher and developer Thunderful and the Guildford-based (the UK) indie games developer JUMPSHIP, are today very glad and proud to announce that their mysterious sci-fi adventure game “Somerville“, is now available for the PS5 and PS4 via PSN for €9.99 (the PC version is to be released in the coming months)." - Jonas Ek, TGG.
In the wake of catastrophe you must find the means to make your family whole again. Somerville is a Sci-Fi adventure grounded in the intimate repercussions of large scale conflict.
As a player, Game Pass is incredible, but there’s no denying that services like it change your relationship with games. You’re much more likely to try things, but you’re also more likely to drop off if something doesn’t grab you straight away.
There’s a danger that subscription services could do to games what they did to music. Famously, Spotify changed how musicians implement their hooks, putting them closer to the start of the song to grab the listener – all to cater to a new, more impatient kind of customer. It wouldn’t be a huge leap to imagine something similar happening in games, which are often backed by data-driven business minds.
Clickbait title he say it help and can see why it might hurt sales if your game if don’t make good first 10 minutes impressions.
In the interview, Patti states how the deal was good, but they also believe it may have hurt their sales by saying:
I also think it hurts sales. Because a lot of people just go in and try it, and they don't invest. If they don't like the first 10 minutes? That's it. Also, if you don't make the first 10 minutes amazing, maybe it's also a problem. I think [Game Pass] is okay. It's not my favorite. My favorite is the old premium model, where I sell you on some video, on big images and earn your $30. And then after that, I have to deliver. I don't need to get money out of you later."
How is it clickbait, when the title says he said it "hurts sales" and you've literally just provided the quote: "I also think it hurts sales"?
Regardless, we already know Game Pass hurts sales from the official documentation available from the MS/ABK acquisition.
"How is it clickbait, when the title says he said it "hurts sales" and you've literally just provided the quote: "I also think it hurts sales"?"
I think his game simply isn´t great enough for people to care and buy it.
Now, weren´t Thia developers celebrating 1 Million players on PS Plus a week ago?
I mean, how bad was for both Tchia and Stray developers to release their game day one on game subscription service like PS Plus?
Keyword: I think
There is a huge difference between I think it hurt sales and It hurt sales.
^ What a pointlessly pedantic take, Pete. How does one unequivocally PROVE that Game Pass hurt sales? Clearly it's his strong belief that's the case, or he wouldn't go on record and risk his reputation by saying that.
As I pointed out, Microsoft also 'thinks' Game Pass hurts sales, as shown by their internal documentation. They haven't shown any proof to make that claim, so should we doubt them too?
And @Obscure, I'm not even wasting my time with you, it's pointless, because you always leap for "Sony Too™" or blindingly obvious false equivalencies.
@SullysCigar
"And @Obscure, I'm not even wasting my time with you, it's pointless, because you always leap for "Sony Too™" or blindingly obvious false equivalencies."
I knew you were on some bs. XD
It hurts sales on Gamepass but don´t hurt sales on PS Plus. Lmao!
Sulky save your energy on that pro bono lead attorney. Even when their master say their sub system hurts games these simpletons will never use logic, they'll only use emotion
^ LMAO @Obscure, now making up points that nobody said just for something off-topic to argue about...!
Pure deflection and yet to acknowledge Microsoft's official documents supporting exactly what this developer has said. I guess if you can't argue with facts, you just pretend you heard something different and argue that instead. Utter insanity.
@Obscure_Observer:
"It hurts sales on Gamepass but don´t hurt sales on PS Plus."
PS+ offers new games same day as retail release?
Dude, that is not what clickbait is. It's what the man said and also, it's not being taken out of context either. He means that putting his game on gamepass hurt the game's sales. There is no other way to interpret what he said. It's NOT clickbait
Well, Microsoft themselves said the service hurts sales in open court.
https://www.ign.com/article...
So nobody should be shocked by what the dev is saying here. How this can be seen as clickbait is beyond me.
Emotional damage. This logic isn't new or malicious but some will claim up fronts like they know what ms are paying. Sub services are probably better for indie games. I doubt they'll be too many triple A dod on gamespass but some can't understand why
I don't know why anyone would argue this point. Of course it hurts sales. The majority of players aren't going to buy games when they can get them for free with their sub. This isn't new or revolutionary information.
The important question we should be asking though is: do developers get paid the same (or more) by MS for having their game on their service to cover the loss in sales?
The game didn't get great reviews on Steam. 64% positive reviews. That also likely hurt sales.
Microsoft themselves officially stated GamePass cannabalizes sales. It was a raft of statements released as a bid to get the acquisition to the gate.
Never forget.
Im curious what the GP payment model is. From this article it sounds like there's some kind of engagement/performance based remuneration, rather than a single fixed payment based on some kind of pre-conceived worth. Otherwise the fist 10 minutes point wouldn't have any relevance.
i think developers have three options, a once off payment, paid per download, engagement hours
"Im curious what the GP payment model is."
The same as PS Plus, figure that out and you´ll get your answer.
Have you gotten your answer on why Microsoft said that game pass cannibalizes sales yet? The answer we already knew but the fans had to catch up on the fairly obvious platform sales results they were deflecting with that it's great value?
Not a great value to the developer. Unless paid handsomely.
"Have you gotten your answer on why Microsoft said that game pass cannibalizes sales yet? The answer we already knew but the fans had to catch up on the fairly obvious platform sales results they were deflecting with that it's great value?"
Well, its a fact that Gamepass cannibalizes sales.
It´s also a fact that the company boasting historical record breaking sales is getting studios shutdown, taking less risks creating new and original IPs while investing big money in GaaS.
Chose you poison.
@Obscure
Sony has one minor lull of not having heaps of brand new IP's, and in fact has just released the first sequels to majorly successful new IP's that they made, and suddenly you pretend they stifle creativity. You know what you say doesn't matter until we see a historical pattern that negatively affects their games right? Do you find yourself avoiding historical evidence on the XBox side and ignoring real world results in consumers hands?
@Obscure you can downplay Sony all you want but the truth is Xbox is much worse with games than Sony has ever been and Xbox only chance is to take games away from others and call those their own but they would have been on Xbox anyway.
Millions of others and I did choose our poison. The company that has won many generations along side Nintendo. That has won many awards, has near unmatched studios compared to a company that has billions in dollars, but broke and bankrupt in creativity and management skills. And gets their games inducted into the hall of fame.
They're not perfect. But they are way better than the alternative. Are able to offer high fidelity VR when one of the richest companies on the planet broke their promise and could not.
Studio closings happen. It's what you do next that defines a company. Sony has shown again and again why they are market leader and not a pretender. It's why sales of that other, shady company can't compare and couldn't hide the truth. "I'll wait for it to be on game pass", hurts sales. We knew it. Microsoft knew it and admitted it because year on year, their sales are diminishing. We also haven't seen or played Sony's online games to judge them. But by history, they'd be better than what the competition offers. Similar to how online had to be paid and that shady company offered nothing for a decade. Sony jumps in with pay for online and offered games to play every month for subscribing that cost more than what you paid monthly. Case in point this months Plus game giveaways like Ratchet.
Keep trying. Keep defending. Keep deflecting. Sony is still better at it where it counts in offering games of high quality.
Boohoo my plastic box sucks so I will make up stuff about the company that broke the industry record in sales, games sales at 1.5 billion games sold and is set to do it again. Jeez cry a river. The facts prove you wrong on literally all accounts and you just roll on making up things and making new goalposts.
Its absolutely pathetic.
"When Playdead was initially looking for a publisher, Sony showed interest. The only issue was, the contract would have signed over ownership of the IP, giving PlayStation full control over the future of Limbo. Patti refused."
This is interesting. I think this shouldn't happen at all.
Agreed a bit scummy of them. I can understand hey we will publish it but we can't a exclusivity for this game. But hey we will publish but we want to own the IP as well.
"When Playdead was initially looking for a publisher, Sony showed interest. The only issue was, the contract would have signed over ownership of the IP, giving PlayStation full control over the future of Limbo. Patti refused."
Just another Sony standard contract to taking away games from other platforms.
^
Even if true, two wrongs don't make a right, but buying publishers is doing that at scale.
Not mandatory i agree, but at the same time, companies like Microsoft have power to dictate where the market goes. Smaller developers doesn't have enough intelligent on how to read the market, but want it or not, the market gets disrupted by subscription, that's the reality. That makes them willing to sign and at the same time, reluctant. The smaller developers, even when they said GP was good, they can't answer convincingly, more like "yeah GP is good but....", they're still unsure about it.
How i see it, subscription is still uncharted territory, it's beginning to shape once MS/Sony make a profit from it and to prove that business model is sustainable for all stakeholders.
Not all Devs have a lot of experience with gamepass and I’m sure MS made it sound great for them. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way,
The game has 64% positive reviews on Steam.
Gamepass likely hurts sales... but if they don't have a good game, that will also hurt sales, specially for a indie title.
There are countless good indie games on Steam, that weren't on Gamepass, have lousy sales.
The whole reason Microsoft even adopted the day one release on Game Pass was because a lot of their first party games didn’t sell well
Who actually expects this service to increase sales when Microsoft themselves admitted it doesn’t
