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Demigod is early

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Demigod is early

from JoeUser Forums

As some people know, Gamestop violated the street date of Demigod and released it last week. There have been plenty of discussions about whether Gamestop did this intentionally or not which I won’t go into here.

Obviously there have been some significant consequences as a result:

First, it was Easter weekend. And many of us had just finished a good solid 8 weeks of massive crunch and were looking forward to the weekend to recover. Instead, we found ourselves back at work having to turn on and configure the multiplayer matchmaking servers (we had enough for a beta but not for thousands of people).

Second, since Demigod has zero copy protection on it, it meant that that piracy on this title will, in theory, be maximized. Stardock’s position on piracy is pretty straight forward but to repeat it here: It’s not that we don’t think piracy is massive. We just aren’t convinced that it results in that many lost sales. Or more to the point, we don’t think intrusive, obnoxious copy protection will result in more sales than we lose from people who don’t want to mess with it.

Imagine if Demigod had shipped with some nasty retail copy protection and got released early. Someone “cracks” it but doesn’t do a good job and the game ends up crashing randomly or something. Most people would just assume the game was buggy and that would likely cause more lost sales than the initial piracy did.

The good news, however, is that we’ll get to actually see the effects of piracy. Since we know Demigod is an outstanding game with a wide appeal with equal retail and digital distribution to other titles that came out this year with similar demographics we can see how well it sells compared to them. 

Third, while the game won’t be on the shelves at other retailers until tomorrow morning, we have elected to make the digitally distributed version available today with beta testers and pre-order customers getting it immediately (as in right now).  Those who have legally purchased the game can get the 0-day update that has all the game play changes that the beta group asked for, multiplayer match-making, and LAN support.

I want to thank the Stardockians who came in on their day off (we are supposed to have the Monday after Easter off) to make sure people who pre-ordered got the game today as well as the beta testers.

See you guys online!

81,156 views 67 replies
Reply #26 from Stardock Forums Top

Dear Stardockians: For coming in on your day off and getting me Demigod a day early I shower you in platonic love and what little monies I have. :congrat:

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Reply #28 from Sins Forums Top

Another reason to hate gamstop. I've officially decided to boy cott them :(

 

And thanks for coming on your days off guys. It means alot! :D

Reply #29 from Demigod Forums Top

my local Target also released early, picked up the game on saturday. (I didn't pre-order... I always meant to get the game from retail)

 

anyway, well done Stardock and GPG on a great game and wonderful support!

Reply #30 from Demigod Forums Top

I am so anxious to buy Demigod tomorrow.  Hey, if I buy it offline right now via impluse, can i start playing it today and how do i burn it to cd for a backup?  That's the only big reason I haven't bought it online, I prefer having a hardcopy just in case.  Any help?

Reply #31 from Demigod Forums Top

Hold it, does that mean that the people that purchased it at gamestop are allowed to install it, no consequences?

What about recent preorders?

Reply #32 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting Lafinass, reply 19
Balls...

 

Hate Gamestop.  Love Stardock.
End of Lafinass's quote

 

What he said.  Seriously, Stardock as a company  just always seems to do the "right" thing.  And, since Demigod looks like something I might like, I guess I'll have to purchase it too.  :)

Reply #33 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting raffiy, reply 6
Hold it, does that mean that the people that purchased it at gamestop are allowed to install it, no consequences?
End of raffiy's quote

Should there be consequences for the customer who wanders into Gamestop and unknowingly decides to spend fourty bucks on the cool new strategy game?  Or the customer that preordered the Collector's Edition through Gamestop, only to shrug and smile when it showed up for sale the tenth instead of the fourteenth?  It's lame that Gamestop couldn't keep a street date in order, but the customers didn't do anything wrong.  Hopefully most of the people who bought it early realize that the game won't be "all there" until the fourteenth.

 

Anyways, I haven't been able to get Impulse to feed me the day zero patch yet, if there was in fact a new patch released today.

Reply #34 from Stardock Forums Top

I've been a Stardock fan ever since GalCiv2.  I've pre-ordered both Sins and Demigod on the word and reputation of Stardock, and have yet to be let down.  Then I get home from work to find out that due to the release date fiasco I'm getting Demigod today.  On my Birthday, no less. :D


I hadn't planned on renewing my Object Desktop subscription, but I probably will now--just to show my support.  Maybe I'll gift a copy of Demigod to a friend too, I don't know.  Either way, Stardock is going to get more of my money for one very simple reason: you treat the customers us right.

Reply #35 from Sins Forums Top

damn gamestop. I hope you guys boycott them from your games in the future. Or fine their arses or something.

Still as always stardock did the right thing, I have been a longtime fan of you guys since I first bought one of your games a good few years ago now.

 Sorry you had to give up your hard earned day off because of gamestops ignorence, but you are a paragon of customer service and other devs should learn from you.

Reply #36 from JoeUser Forums Top

I want to thank the Stardockians who came in on their day off (we are supposed to have the Monday after Easter off) to make sure people who pre-ordered got the game today as well as the beta testers.
End of quote

You guys are great. If it was me and my obsession with computers I would have been fine going to work, not that I don't want o be with my family. I juts like computers and most things related to them.

None the less, Brad, just wondering. Do you plan on making this up to them? I know it's a lot to ask but I figured you're probably a great boss and might make this up to them some how.

Reply #38 from Stardock Forums Top

damn gamestop. I hope you guys boycott them from your games in the future. Or fine their arses or something.
End of quote

While what they did is upsetting and cost the people at Stardock a day off, I don't think resorting to harsh punishments is the way to go. This is just more of a learning lesson where GameStop should explain themselves to StarDock properly and then take apporpiate action to stop this from happening again. Unless this is not the first time and then some more strickter talks should take place. gamestop messed up, the trick is to find out if this is common with them or just a mistake or chance they took, sometimes with chances comes losses and some kind of arrangement to avoid this in the future should be done.

Reply #39 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting CharlesCS, reply 13

damn gamestop. I hope you guys boycott them from your games in the future. Or fine their arses or something.
While what they did is upsetting and cost the people at Stardock a day off, I don't think resorting to harsh punishments is the way to go. This is just more of a learning lesson where GameStop should explain themselves to StarDock properly and then take apporpiate action to stop this from happening again. Unless this is not the first time and then some more strickter talks should take place. gamestop messed up, the trick is to find out if this is common with them or just a mistake or chance they took, sometimes with chances comes losses and some kind of arrangement to avoid this in the future should be done.
End of CharlesCS's quote

 

Well someone mentioned earlier in the thread that its not the first time they have done this. So it looks like they need a reminder about following release dates.

Reply #40 from Sins Forums Top

Thank you very much for your detication. :thumbsup:

Reply #41 from Demigod Forums Top

Agreed. ^^

I even wonder if it was intentional. A spiteful spit to one of the digital distribution pioneers...especially because the Impulse Goo might cut into their used games racket.

They've already been known to purposly stock fewer new games so they can push their used games.
Also, by removing the disks from new games "to prevent shoplifting", they are technically selling an open/used game as new.

Anywho, this is not a GS rant thread.

I just hope that the cream rises to the top and quality, professional companies like Stardock win out in the end.

(I would love to see GS wither and die due to solid digital distribution options)

 

And it cannot be said enough!
You guys at Stardock and GPG are AWESOME!

It's been an immense pleasure being part of this beta and see the way you respond to and support the community!

I didn't need much convincing previously, but you've garnered yet another lifelong fan.


Keep up the great work! 5* :beer: \o/ :thumbsup: :grin:

Reply #42 from Demigod Forums Top

This is just more of a learning lesson where GameStop should explain themselves to StarDock properly and then take apporpiate action to stop this from happening again. Unless this is not the first time and then some more strickter talks should take place.
End of quote

 

To the best of my knowledge (AKA people have mentioned it but I don't know the details) this is in fact a regular pattern on Gamestop's part.

 

I want to thank the Stardockians who came in on their day off (we are supposed to have the Monday after Easter off) to make sure people who pre-ordered got the game today as well as the beta testers.

End of quote

 

Let me extend my thanks as well!

Reply #43 from Demigod Forums Top

woo got my key this morn! (its 9am NZ time here; GMT+12)......

now to wait for all the servers to go up so i can play online! cheers stardock sweet game. Continued support and updates for next 5 years now IMO;P

Reply #44 from Demigod Forums Top

Thanks guys, didn't know you were supposed to have Monday off..but I suppose you're used to it, working in the gaming industry is brutal and thankless. You have to love doing it or you'll just jump off a tower some day, hehe.

Reply #45 from Demigod Forums Top

Hmmn I was wondering why I heard about all the game being played by the warez people before I got my pre-order, so I just logged in here and read this.. glad you are letting us pre-order people play early today and not wait till tomarrow..

 

Will we still have to wait for our pre-order keys to be emailed to us like SOASE did?

Reply #46 from Demigod Forums Top

as nervous as i was about this release, i htink it was done well considering what GS did

its rare that i buy a game but this one meets my expections, lots of replay value, good graphics, and it seems like the dev's will continue to update it..cudnt be happier with this release

 

as for GS..ive seen So many bad things about them.  my friend once preordered a game and when he went to pick it up they sold his preorder and refused a refund..ive also done preorders..gone there on release day and the people not having it ready(but the boxes were there opened with the game in em, they hadnt inventoried em)

ill stick to Digital distribution such as steam/impuse or preordering by mail in the future

Reply #47 from Demigod Forums Top

you can also blame target, they sold it early to, but i think their's might have been a misunderstanding

Reply #48 from Demigod Forums Top

TY for the Early Demigod gift i too have been waiting till the 14th only to find it downloadable on impulse downloading right now (i am happy i got limeted edit)

I have been a fan of CaveDog (Still prefer Cavedog over gaspowered for a long time  Tell Chris Taylor That he Rocks and i wish TA2 (Total Annihilation 2) be made even if TA:S is doing a great job(Total Annihilation: Spring Project(made by fans for fans)) I miss my CORE VS Arm battles I wish the rest of the team good luck and to have a day off to make up for this!

|-)   and PS (Go Frogboy ty for GJ)

also are you Chris I am looking at my TA Strategy Game Guide.... and your profile pic hair looks the same... hm...

Reply #49 from Sins Forums Top

To the best of my knowledge (AKA people have mentioned it but I don't know the details) this is in fact a regular pattern on Gamestop's part.
End of quote

 

To the best of my knowledge, its been a few gamestop employees who release it early sorta under the counter. This was EVERY gamestop releasing it -.-

Reply #50 from Demigod Forums Top

Thank you, Frogboy and Stardock in general, for this amazing game.

I'm very glad I participated in the beta, and I'm very happy with the way the game turned out.

I also support the anti-copyright protection policy, and show my support by buying the game from the source. =]

Cheers!