Kxmode wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 19:33:

Beamer wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 18:59:

Kxmode wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 16:17:

Beamer wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 14:36:
You don't think the strategy will work, so you don't take free games?

I don't do free stuff when I know why they are doing it. It's akin to "you've won a free Bahamas cruise!"

Beamer wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 14:36:
Cutting off your nose to spite your face, essentially. If the strategy won't work there's no harm in taking free games

"To claim your free Bahamas cruise, just stay on the call, and you'll be transferred to our 'specialist' who will assist you."

There's always a reason something is free. I know Epic's reason. I'm not playing their game.

Your analogy falls incredibly flat. It's not like a scam "you've won a cruise." It's not even like a time share. It's more like going to Costco and taking a free sample. They're hoping you buy the product. You know you won't, but hey, free Dunkaroos. There's literally no follow-up, no obligation, no 4 hour meeting to sit through. You get the free product and it ends.

I already explained what Epic's definition of "free" entails in my original comment:

"I haven't grabbed a single free game because I see what Epic is trying to do. They are trying to make customers by giving away free stuff until a person has so many games they'll buy from them (at least, that's the rationale Epic is making). Human behavior isn't like that. People are fickle. Free games are one thing (most don't complain about free). However, consciously buying them is another. A person doesn't just buy the game. They also take into account what the platform offers. People tend to gravitate towards the platform that provides the most. Once Epic stops their freebies, many will go back to GOG (DRM-free) or Steam (feature-rich) as their default store, and all the money Epic burned "buying" customers will be for naught."

Epic's endgame is domination or fragmentation. Epic is okay with either.

Domination = you become Epic's only customer because you have so many freebies on their platform that you cave in and buy from them.

Fragmentation = you have so many Epic freebies you divide your business between EGS and Steam.

"you've won a free cruise" wasn't meant to be taken literal in the ways you described it: "There's no follow-up, no obligation, no 4 hour meeting to sit through. You get the free product and it ends."

The metaphor points to the ulterior motive behind the freebie, similar to the ulterior reason behind "free cruises." I happen to know WHY Epic is spending millions to give away free stuff. They're trying to poach customers from competing platforms because their platform cannot do that on merit and features. I still think people will continue to buy from their preferred platform after the freebies end. It's inevitable human behavior.

Again, that doesn't apply to your cruise analogy. No one gives away free cruises hoping you buy more.

But Costco gives away free samples hoping you'll buy something. Or, if you prefer, lots of bakeries have free samples at the counter. Or a restaurant at a mall food court.

There's no cost to taking this. You take it and go on your way. If you decide to never buy more, no one holds it against you. There's zero follow up pressure. There's zero hard sell. It's a free thing with no strings attached that you can comfortably never follow up on.

Maybe you're naive and think that brands give things away for free without any expectations ever. But you know that's not true. Every company that offers something for free hopes it leads to future purchases. Hell, even you, kxmode. You give us your religious views in hoping we turn to, and return to, your religion.

Maybe that's why you get angry. You hate us ignoring your attempts to proselytize, so you in turn think you'd be a bad person for not giving in to Epic's?

Bottom line - you're only hurting yourself here. Epic wants you to buy more. They're not holding a gun to your head to do so. There's no hard sell. No obligation. I'll take the strings free free games, thanks. Much like I'll take the free sample of an Orange Julius then keep walking without ever giving a dollar.

Did you never play the Doom shareware because it was an attempt to get you to buy Doom?

There !
On that rocky hill, standing staunchly against the winds, committed Kxmode !
And lo, below on the prairies, the massed rest of Blue's News gamers gobbling games like pacmans !

I am convinced that Epic killed Kxmode's puppy.

Beamer wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 18:59:

Kxmode wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 16:17:

Beamer wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 14:36:
You don't think the strategy will work, so you don't take free games?

I don't do free stuff when I know why they are doing it. It's akin to "you've won a free Bahamas cruise!"

Beamer wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 14:36:
Cutting off your nose to spite your face, essentially. If the strategy won't work there's no harm in taking free games

"To claim your free Bahamas cruise, just stay on the call, and you'll be transferred to our 'specialist' who will assist you."

There's always a reason something is free. I know Epic's reason. I'm not playing their game.

Your analogy falls incredibly flat. It's not like a scam "you've won a cruise." It's not even like a time share. It's more like going to Costco and taking a free sample. They're hoping you buy the product. You know you won't, but hey, free Dunkaroos. There's literally no follow-up, no obligation, no 4 hour meeting to sit through. You get the free product and it ends.

I already explained what Epic's definition of "free" entails in my original comment:

"I haven't grabbed a single free game because I see what Epic is trying to do. They are trying to make customers by giving away free stuff until a person has so many games they'll buy from them (at least, that's the rationale Epic is making). Human behavior isn't like that. People are fickle. Free games are one thing (most don't complain about free). However, consciously buying them is another. A person doesn't just buy the game. They also take into account what the platform offers. People tend to gravitate towards the platform that provides the most. Once Epic stops their freebies, many will go back to GOG (DRM-free) or Steam (feature-rich) as their default store, and all the money Epic burned "buying" customers will be for naught."

Epic's endgame is domination or fragmentation. Epic is okay with either.

Domination = you become Epic's only customer because you have so many freebies on their platform that you cave in and buy from them.

Fragmentation = you have so many Epic freebies you divide your business between EGS and Steam.

"you've won a free cruise" wasn't meant to be taken literal in the ways you described it: "There's no follow-up, no obligation, no 4 hour meeting to sit through. You get the free product and it ends."

The metaphor points to the ulterior motive behind the freebie, similar to the ulterior reason behind "free cruises." I happen to know WHY Epic is spending millions to give away free stuff. They're trying to poach customers from competing platforms because their platform cannot do that on merit and features. I still think people will continue to buy from their preferred platform after the freebies end. It's inevitable human behavior.

Kxmode wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 16:17:

Beamer wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 14:36:
You don't think the strategy will work, so you don't take free games?

I don't do free stuff when I know why they are doing it. It's akin to "you've won a free Bahamas cruise!"

Beamer wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 14:36:
Cutting off your nose to spite your face, essentially. If the strategy won't work there's no harm in taking free games

"To claim your free Bahamas cruise, just stay on the call, and you'll be transferred to our 'specialist' who will assist you."

There's always a reason something is free. I know Epic's reason. I'm not playing their game.

Your analogy falls incredibly flat. It's not like a scam "you've won a cruise." It's not even like a time share. It's more like going to Costco and taking a free sample. They're hoping you buy the product. You know you won't, but hey, free Dunkaroos. There's literally no follow-up, no obligation, no 4 hour meeting to sit through. You get the free product and it ends.

RedEye9 wrote on Sep 2, 2021, 21:49:
I've received so many free games from epic it's ridiculous , I almost feel guilty abou ... SnAgGed

Well played, good sir.

Yoku's Island Express is addictive. Do not play if you like fun.

I've never been called by the EPIC Games Store nor have I ever received a late night booty call from Mr. Sweeney.
The free games are nothing but free games. There is no dark side to it. you snooze, you lose

Beamer wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 14:36:
You don't think the strategy will work, so you don't take free games?

I don't do free stuff when I know why they are doing it. It's akin to "you've won a free Bahamas cruise!"

Beamer wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 14:36:
Cutting off your nose to spite your face, essentially. If the strategy won't work there's no harm in taking free games

"To claim your free Bahamas cruise, just stay on the call, and you'll be transferred to our 'specialist' who will assist you."

There's always a reason something is free. I know Epic's reason. I'm not playing their game.

Kxmode wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 14:11:
I'm holding fast. I haven't grabbed a single free game because I see what Epic is trying to do. They are trying to make customers by giving away free stuff until a person has so many games they'll buy games from them (at least, that's the rationale Epic is making). Human behavior isn't like that. People are fickle. Free games are one thing (most don't complain about free). However, consciously buying them is another. A person doesn't just buy the game. They also take into account what the platform offers. People tend to gravitate towards the platform that provides the most. Once Epic stops their freebies, many will go back to GOG (DRM-free) or Steam (feature-rich) as their default store, and all the money Epic burned "buying" customers will be for naught.

You don't think the strategy will work, so you don't take free games?

Cutting off your nose to spite your face, essentially. If the strategy won't work there's no harm in taking free games

MoonSpook wrote on Sep 3, 2021, 10:20:
I happened to play this from my Steam backlog a month or two ago and thought it was just a standard 'vania platform game. I was astonished when the pinball mechanics kicked in, and loved it!

Genesys wrote on Sep 2, 2021, 22:19:
I bought this game a few years ago on Steam. Totally unique gameplay - the only pinball metroidvania in the world, and the music is excellent.

This is a game I never would’ve purchased. And I probably wouldn’t have played it even with it being free. But the pinball aspect intrigues me so I’ll eventually fire it up.
Thanks for the recommendations.

I'm holding fast. I haven't grabbed a single free game because I see what Epic is trying to do. They are trying to make customers by giving away free stuff until a person has so many games they'll buy games from them (at least, that's the rationale Epic is making). Human behavior isn't like that. People are fickle. Free games are one thing (most don't complain about free). However, consciously buying them is another. A person doesn't just buy the game. They also take into account what the platform offers. People tend to gravitate towards the platform that provides the most. Once Epic stops their freebies, many will go back to GOG (DRM-free) or Steam (feature-rich) as their default store, and all the money Epic burned "buying" customers will be for naught.

I happened to play this from my Steam backlog a month or two ago and thought it was just a standard 'vania platform game. I was astonished when the pinball mechanics kicked in, and loved it!

Ant wrote on Sep 2, 2021, 23:06:

RedEye9 wrote on Sep 2, 2021, 21:49:
I've received so many free games from epic it's ridiculous , I almost feel guilty abou ... SnAgGed

And no time.

Bought 71 games on august on Steam, and some are collections, haha.
But *had* to replay all of Fallout 3 while listening to 130 old songs from the 50s, -hey, Mothership Z, wow, hadn't played it-.
Now playing quests mods (Washington's Malice, etc, DLC sized).
So tempted to replay NV, FO4 ...
Beginning to think I won't get to play all of my games
But just thinking of them, my heart beats stronger

With a calm demeanor let's all partake of the Thursday offering, freely given and joyfully accepted.

Genesys wrote on Sep 2, 2021, 22:19:
I bought this game a few years ago on Steam. Totally unique gameplay - the only pinball metroidvania in the world, and the music is excellent.

Definitely a unique and quality title...and snagged.

RedEye9 wrote on Sep 2, 2021, 21:49:
I've received so many free games from epic it's ridiculous , I almost feel guilty abou ... SnAgGed

And no time.

I bought this game a few years ago on Steam. Totally unique gameplay - the only pinball metroidvania in the world, and the music is excellent.

I've received so many free games from epic it's ridiculous , I almost feel guilty abou ... SnAgGed

Snagged before RedEye does!