To launch full release on Xbox for free - why?

[Smudgedhorizon]

I was really massively surprised to see Slime Rancher will essentially be going straight from Game Preview to being given away completely free with Games with Gold on Xbox. How can they make any money? I know lots of people wait until full release and don't pay for Game Preview on Xbox, so it seems like this will cost them all their sales. It really seems like an awful thing for Microsoft to do - awful for the devs who won't get any sales, and also a bit awful for all the gamers who paid £15 for the early access, to then find out the game will be given away to everyone else for free. Am I missing something? I really don't understand the reasoning behind a brand new title leaving early access to just be a freebie.

[TheGreciansHousehold]

0-0 SERIOUSLY??!!

I hope the Devs can undo this, I didn't pay £15 for an unfinished free game - even if I would have to play it on XBox rather than PC..

[Smudgedhorizon]

Yes, this is a link to the Xbox announcement. Slime Rancher launches free on Games with Gold on August 1st it says.

https://news.xbox.com/2017/07/25/xbox-g ... -2017/amp/

It's just that it is usually old titles that have obviously stopped selling that go for free on Games with Gold. Like Trials Fusion that is coming after Slime Rancher - it released April 2014 so it's had 3+ years of sales. Seems so strange to not even come out of Preview before being given away.

[TheGreciansHousehold]

I mean sure, it is Xbox Live Gold which is pretty expensive anyway, but I hope the devs are gaining something from this other than from copies 'sold'.

[lutenus]

Hi fellow Slime Ranchers

Saw this conversation and thought I need to step in.
Before I start, Long Story short: Of corse they will be compensated from Microsoft.

How this Game with Gold works is, that Microsoft reaches out to Devs (maybe sometimes Devs propose to MS?) and they try to agree. Fix Price, % per downloaded game.

And the catch is. People with game with Gold aka gwg, don't directly own the game. They can only Play as long they keep the subscription (if they decide to stop paying they can't Play aaaaaall the free games) and if you have multiple xbox consoles in one house hold, the second xbox Needs to be always connected to the Internet even if it's not an online game.

So, you don't Need to feel bad and you don't Need to worry for the devs. I think it is a reeeeeally cool opporunity beeing displayed on gwg as it reaches some Player who never heared about this (I didn't know this game and tried the 1h Trial and I really enjoyed it).

What I noticed (and this might be off Topic) is that the game was listed game preview few days ago. now it says coming soon and the game preview disapeared. The Devs said they will make the 1.0 Patch only about Bugfixing and stability. So... maybe tomorrow it's 1.0?

I really hope they get what they planed and bring the game Forward.

Hope you guys have layed down the forks and will celebrate the 1.0 release tomorrow with fireworks. I know I will (not only because of the game. But also because it's Swiss National Holiday :-) ).

[z0mbiesrock]

It's NOT for free(It never was after closed-alpha started); You have to get XBOX live Gold, AND you DON'T get to keep the game forever (Only during August)

[MightyCoollego]

It's NOT for free(It never was after closed-alpha started); You have to get XBOX live Gold, AND you DON'T get to keep the game forever (Only during August)

Actually, you get to keep the game for as long as you pay for Xbox Live Gold, however it will only be free for Xbox Live Gold members to download starting August 1st, and ending after August 31st. After this, it will be available to purchase at it's normal price.

[Smudgedhorizon]

No pitchforks my end, was genuinely curious as I've literally never seen a brand new game release directly as a give away, and I game exclusively on console. Seemed like it was massively devaluing it before it even had a chance for sales: as most gamers on Xbox have gold, it only costs £25 on Black Friday for a 12 month subscription and you can stack it. (All Xbox360 games given free are free forever whether you keep up with Gold or not, Xbox one games you keep forever but can only access while your gold is active).


Thanks for explaining that Lutenus - I'm really glad to hear they get a % per download compensation, that makes more sense as to why it would be worthwhile. I was assuming they only got a percentage from actual sales and not free downloads, so giving it free to 12 million gamers seemed nonsensical! I love the game and I really want it to do well! Hopefully it means there will be new slimes or even areas as dlc and more profit for Monomi Park from all the downloads buying dlc.

As an aside - I think having a physical presence in shops where people can buy a code token will be a good idea too, because there aren't a vast number of kid friendly games on Xbox and in the lead up to Christmas lots of parents look for games to buy their children from shops.