Disputed FPS Guarantees Lower Rates to Increase Steam Presence
At present, the VR action game is listed at nearly thirty dollars on Steam. However, the creators responsible for the game are conducting a social experiment that could reduce the final cost to only fifteen dollars.
The Way the Cost Campaign Works
Gamers are encouraged to add the game to their Steam wishlists. Based on the count of additions, the cost will drop accordingly.
- Thirty thousand saves: just under twenty-seven dollars
- Forty thousand additions: $25
- Fifty thousand saves: $19.99
- 100,000 saves: $15
The Purpose Saves Are Important
Even though Valve insists that saves do not directly influence exposure, titles with more wishlists often show up in categories like New & Trending. Such visibility can trigger a snowball effect, likely boosting visibility through algorithms.
Additional saves might mean increased purchases.
Furthermore, players who save a release receive alerts when it launches or goes on sale. Such can result in impulse purchases.
Divided Opinions
Several users have voiced concern about the marketing strategy. Skeptics suggest that the actual launch price may have always been planned as fifteen dollars, with the campaign functioning as a marketing ploy.
Some have voiced worries based on the team’s earlier release, which some players viewed as rushed. However, the creators have stood by their reputation, highlighting numerous patches launched during the previous year.
A Small Team’s Perspective
The creators describe themselves as a bootstrapped studio fighting to maintain both VR and their own studio afloat. The developers state that they are truly trying to keep costs low despite market pressures.
We are truly striving to offer prices low in spite of raging inflation.
Regardless of whether this move pays off remains to be observed, but it has certainly created conversation within the VR community.
