Hey everyone,
As some
Resident Steam Hunter already found out, my store page on Steam got approved.
The plan was to announce that after my proofreader had a chance to check the store page, but alas...
TLDR version first:
My store page on Steam got approved yesterday and I'm planning to release The Neverwhere Tales on Steam when Chapter 5 (yes 5, not 4) is done.
The link to the store page:
You must be registered to see the links
If you want to help with the Steam release you can wishlist the game there.
Every wishlist helps and it doesn't mean you actually intend to buy it there. It just helps the game gain visibility on Steam.
It's a way to support the game with just a few clicks and nothing more.
Thanks to everyone in advance!
Long-ass version:
When I started working on TNT I intended to do this as a hobby and give everything away for free.
I treated it as a fun way to get into 3D arts and educate myself in Python (the programming language behind Ren'Py).
It's one of the reasons why I didn't even have a Patreon page when I released Chapter 1.
Working on the game was never a way to make money or a potential new full-time job for me. And it's still not.
But I reached a point where I must make some decisions for the future.
Releasing it on Steam (or not) was one of those decisions.
I can tell you all the things about expanding my reach with the game, getting more players and feedback, and all these romantic things. While they're still true, let's face it the main reason is money.
At this point, I've invested something between 15000 and 20000 € into this game in the past two years. I don't have an exact number because I didn't count it up for my own sanity.
That number doesn't even include electricity bills or my own work time.
Continuing this way is not an option because the financial impact on my family is just too big.
So I can either cut down the expenses (drastically) or try to find other ways to fund the game.
Before limiting myself at the cost of my vision for the game, I'll give Steam a try.
My hope is that I can cover the future costs of this story and potentially other stories this way.
Releasing on Steam comes with a few side effects. I'm sure, quite a lot of you guys know the drill already so this is for those who aren't aware.
When you release something on Steam, you can't undercut it on other "stores". That includes giving away free versions. It essentially means I need to paywall the game in the future. It's not something I intended to do when I started and it still feels kinda wrong but it's either that or no Steam.
I haven't decided on a release price but when I do I'll edit the 10$ tier (Chaplain) to match the Steam price. That'll be the lowest tier that has access to the game right away.
Every patron who has an accumulated pledge that at least matches the Steam price can get a Steam key for free. It won't matter what tier you're in as long as your lifetime pledge is the same or higher than the price on Steam.
The planned release for Steam (and Chapter 5) is mid-2024. More on that when the time has come.
I guess that's it for now (and I hope I haven't forgotten anything important).
Cheers,
Ceolag
P.S. Elea's getting ready for the steam...