DARQ

“Epic reached out to me right after I released the trailer announcing Steam release date. At that point DARQ was in top 50 most wishlsited games on Steam. I felt going for an exclusivity deal would show that my word means nothing (as I just had promised the game would launch on Steam). Besides, DARQ page was on Steam since November 2018 and a lot of people patiently kept it on their wishlist since them. I thought it was a bad idea to disapoint all those people and prove to the world that my annoucements mean nothing. Epic made it clear that they reached out to me with an exclusivity deal – I politely turned them down before we had a chance to discuss any details (money offered, etc.).”


“I asked them if they would be willing to sell DARQ non-exclusively, and they explained that at this point in time it’s not something they can do. It was a polite and professional exchange – I have nothing bad to say.”

DSOGaming
One Angry Gamer
DARQ Developer AMA

Medium
IGN

4 years ago*

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Do you think Sonata Arctica is a good band?

View Results
I love them!
They are ok, I guess.
I hate them!
Potato who?

Fuck yeah, this just makes me want to buy their game even more.

A little ironic that a "curated" store found the game nice enough to make an offer of exclusivity, but not nice enough to allow it on multiple storefronts. Your slip is showing, Tim.

4 years ago
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Added game to my wish list.

4 years ago
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I don't understand how a game can be so good that Epic will offer money to make it exclusive, but not good enough to just be on the store at all.

Literally what do they have to lose by putting it on the store? It's obviously popular and not shovelware, why would epic choose to NOT stock it?

4 years ago
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they Don't want to fill their store with many games that could cover the exclusives they are selling there which will only mean lower sales for the exclusive titles when the poll of games gets big , and besides their storefront designe is so bad that they will have to keep changing the games shown there manually Everyday unlike with steam where it uses auto-recommandation based on what you have and what you play and automatically update the store page and adapte to new deals and curators recommandations so for the lazy epic's interest it will be better to keep the pool of games small to push the sale of their exclusives which is very bad for any indie developper who put his game exclusively there

4 years ago
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Whoa Sonata Arctica is pretty rad, I'll just leave my fav song from them here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPA0G4j1U6s

As for the game, good on them for that decision. Also wishlisted, because it looks pretty damn interesting.

4 years ago
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The dev just blogged a bit more about the situation and posted the link in the Steam forums an hour ago.
It's reassuring to see there's a little integrity left in the world.

https://medium.com/@info_68117/why-i-turned-down-exclusivity-deal-from-the-epic-store-developer-of-darq-7ee834ed0ac7

4 years ago
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i agree , the guy talks in a very respectful way and thus deserve every bit of respect

4 years ago
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Yeah, neat. This dev also talked about refusing a lot of bad publishing deals, so huge respect.

4 years ago
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So much for "PC Gaming Savior & Champions of the Dev"

4 years ago
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are there any games that have been released at steam and the epic store at the same time? would be interresting to know with sales numbers in mind and if not...propably because sales numbers could get made public

4 years ago
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only the big AAA games so far like cyberpunk 2077 and Darksiders 3 and according to CDPR 1/3 of the pc sales came through GOG and that means like almost all of the 2/3 remaining came from steam lol

4 years ago
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heh.. reaching out to offer exclusivity AFTER dev already puts it on another platform.. such a dick move.. Kind of thought those cunts at epic would be over doing such offers.....

4 years ago
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4 years ago
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just found this , the way the guy talks and hadles things are truly worth of a big respect and deserve every bit of support for living up to his principles . hope epic will be a more open and fair platforme for all developpers as they claim they are and would start challenging steam by surpassing it in term of user features and not exclusivity bs and being unfair to small indie studios

https://medium.com/@info_68117/why-i-turned-down-exclusivity-deal-from-the-epic-store-developer-of-darq-7ee834ed0ac7

4 years ago
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I'm going to laugh so hard when Fortnite inevitably dies and EPIC suddenly can't keep their shit together.
K A R M A

4 years ago
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Devs are using the Epic to promote themselves like the good guys to sell more (and they are the good guys indeed), it's like "hey, I did something good, mom. See? Now give me the recognition and the rewards for doing the right thing that should be obvious in this world".
They are clever, they know everybody hates Epic and used that to make the game even more known (in their place I would refuse, tell the peole that the game won't be exclusive to a specific platform and don't make public the fact a company offered me something like that, but as I said, they are clever, I am not :v )

4 years ago
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4 years ago
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That wouldn't be right, it's not a big deal when someone declines and choose the right path, well... it shouldn't be a big deal, it should be the common. As I said, I would decline, I don't think it's good the exclusivity thing, but the devs are using that to manipulate a lot of people. They were really clever, that manipulation is what deserves recognition, I wouldn't do that, cause I think an offer made by a company shouldn't be exposed like that, but that is just my opinion based in my life, it's not the only truth,

I think they could manipulate people and don't make public the offer that Epic made. They could do a big text about exclusivity and why they wouldn't do that, but they choose to use the Epic name and the offer. It's not wrong, but I don't think it was good. Like Epic trying to buy exclusivity, it's not wrong (I mean, it's legal), but it's not the good and intelligent choice.

So, my claps go to the way the developers used the Epic to manipulate A LOT of people - just check the forums on Steam -, I wouldn't do the same,and don't think a 'beautiful' choice, but it was clever. About bragging about this... I don't like, per example, when someone do volunteer work and use it on social medias to brag about. Again, it's my opinion based in things I wouldn't do, but it's not wrong. Life is simple when we respect the different options, I respect everybody in this case, even if I don't agree with both.

I hope you understand what I'm saying. Have a nice day.

4 years ago
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Lol. He was probed by multiple people asking whether is the game turning epic sxclusive and thus, he posted in public and yes it is a good way to advertise the game :D

4 years ago
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Devs are using the Epic to promote themselves like the good guys to sell more (and they are the good guys indeed), it's like "hey, I did something good, mom. See?

As stated by Mugknight, people were asking the dev long before the game was ever released if it was going to be an Epic exclusive, to which he replied no. The people who questioned him then made his decision publicly known. He didn't do it himself.

4 years ago
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It was a polite and professional exchange – I have nothing bad to say.

So why bring it up in the AMA's OP then? I don't really get why he mentioned upfront that he turned down Epic's offer even before anyone asked if Epic had reached out to him. Because I'm sure that's a question that would have popped up at some point. The only thing I see is that he wanted to look like the good guy that could not be corrupted by the evil Epic. Ah well... it's nice to see a dev keeping his words, the game will launch on Steam as announced. Now, it's one of the most wishlisted titles and Epic did not even want to sell it in a non-exclusive way... well, they have lost potential sales there. O_o

That said, your poll... I can't vote. I used to loved Sonata Arctica, that was one of the few power metal bands I was listening to. Up until The Days of Grays. After that, I lost any interest in their music. Something happened, dunno what... but the magic was gone. I saw them live on their Reckoning Night tour and it was such a great show! <3

4 years ago
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I havent listened to their new songs but my friend says the same. I still listen to the old ones religiously. Try to give a shot on the old ones again after sometime!

4 years ago
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Yeah, I should do that. It's been such a long time since I've listened to Sonata Arctica. O_o And Rhapsody, also. but just the albums before they changed their name to "of Fire", their downfall started there, methink

4 years ago
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Rhapsody I also enjoy but barely know their songs. I enjoy March of the swordmaster, Oride of the tyrant and Magic of the wizard dream. Any recommendation?

4 years ago
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Hum... I can't really recommend a song in particular. I'd say their most popular albums were Symphony of Enchanted Lands and Dawn of Victory. The songs you mentioned are from later albums.

4 years ago
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That's a buy from me, dawg.

4 years ago
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I hate all kinds of game companies but if I had to choose one to hate with all my power it would be Epic <3

4 years ago
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Diamond developer right there for not selling out to Epic by keeping your word and not betraying your fanbase!

I hope that he stays true on his path.

4 years ago*
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Wishlisted

4 years ago
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<3

4 years ago
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From this article, we know that the deal that Epic offers is a recoupable advance on sales. So when you sell out for Epic's exclusivity all you get is an interest-free loan of the money you were going to make in the first year anyways. Kind of like a shitty sort-of-publisher that never had to support the game or deal with any of the risks of development.

It also shows that Epic's claims that they want customers to have more choice is a blatant lie (exclusivity or bust).

4 years ago
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This devs have all my respect, i hope soon they can recived my money too, the game looks great. It did pass unoticed to me until i read about this matter.

4 years ago
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auto buy this game
we need to support this kind of developer

4 years ago
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I was already interested in this game, but I'm definitely getting it now. If only more developers/publishers thought the same way they do.

4 years ago
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View attached image.
4 years ago
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