We missed word last week that
Line Of Defense
is headed to Early Access, and that the upcoming MMOG from 3000AD is the latest
game to go the premium route for this, as it will cost $99.00. An
update on TwitLonger
(more than 140 characters!!) by Derek Smart explains the reasoning for the high
price (thanks
PC Gamer) and shoots a laser across the bows of a competitor. Here's a bit:
The
$99 EA price tag - which has a LOT of perks - ensures that only serious people
who can provide meaningful feedback through their commitment, need apply. And
for that they get a lot more than they would if they waited for the final game
release.
We're simply not interested in letting freeloaders gain early access to the
game, not provide meaningful - if any - feedback, while we foot the bill for the
backend services, servers, bandwidth etc
We're a SMALL independent game dev making a MASSIVE game in a genre dominated
and monopolized by SOE and their popular @planetside2 series. In contrast, from
start to finish, LOD was developed by less than ten people. Including
third-party contractors. Yeah.
And unlike those other guys, we don't take your money, then plonk you in useless
assets (how do you like that hanger now?), a largely unfinished product or a
product that may not even see the light of day. I don't even need to defend
against that premise; go look at my game releases. While they may not be
everyone's cup of tea, we still keep making them because we have and know our
audience.