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Limited Run Games - Putting digital games into your hands

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For releases getting PS4 and Vita versions, how about both in a single packaging?

That would end up driving the price too high, unfortunately. Also, I think there is a lot of people out there who would only want one version over the other.

In the case of Saturday Morning RPG, we're going to be doing unique cover art for the PS4 and Vita versions, so there will be a nice incentive to buy both separately.
 
I know LRG is trying not to flood the release schedule but it seems excited, eager studios may try to do this themselves and flood the market with their rare print games. My wallet also has a limted run at any given time.

I do admit that collectibility and scarcity are huge factors in pushing me to purchase higher and sooner relative to a normal release. With a release title in abundant quantities, we just wait till the price drops. Those two factors can help in overcoming my natural resistence to a release title that I am unhappy with in some way (censorship, dub only, etc).

I can see some of the rockstar indie devs trying it for PS4, but most of the stuff I want most for Vita would probably have to use LRG for it to even be possible.

At least for me, as a Vita collector, next year looks to finally be slowing down with Western physical releases (and even English Play-Asia imports to anticipate) or any surprise kickstarters with a physical Vita tier. This might be happening at just the right time.
 

NotMSRP

Member
Are you required to use that particular font by Sony? Nintendo or Microsoft require only certain licensed fonts?

I love these insights. Keep them up by writing a blog or something.
 

emb

Member
We will definitely have 300 copies of the game going back up on Monday, so please stay tuned if you missed out.
Nice. Having multiple windows for purchase probably goes a long way to alleviate any potential difficulties anyone might have had.

Also, on a different subject, is there a preorder date set for the next game yet?
 
Are you required to use that particular font by Sony? Nintendo or Microsoft require only certain licensed fonts?

I love these insights. Keep them up by writing a blog or something.

Yeah, the font used for all the text on the cover templates is Helvetica - 10+ versions of it. Without the official font, Adobe Illustrator will swap in a default font that messes up the spacing of everything on the cover. The font packages those flavors of Helvetica come in are pretty expensive. That's not a cost I'd expect many indies to want to eat just to do one small physical run.
 
Nice. Having multiple windows for purchase probably goes a long way to alleviate any potential difficulties anyone might have had.

Also, on a different subject, is there a preorder date set for the next game yet?

November 26th (Thanksgiving) - figured that's a good day for people in the US since we'll all be off work. A portion would go live in the morning followed by an equal portion at night. Everyone should have a more solid chance this time through.
 

Decider

Member
Learn to plan lol
You can be as flippant or as ignorant as you like but "planning" isn't going to get me out of an afternoon of induction meetings and paired programming at my new job.

Some people, honestly.


November 26th (Thanksgiving) - figured that's a good day for people in the US since we'll all be off work. A portion would go live in the morning followed by an equal portion at night. Everyone should have a more solid chance this time through.

Why not put them up on a weekend instead?
 
You can be as flippant or as ignorant as you like but "planning" isn't going to get me out of an afternoon of induction meetings and paired programming at my new job.

Some people, honestly.

Then tough luck? Can't win them all. It is what it is. Etc. All these, "ME! ME! ME! WHAT ABOUT ME AND MY LIFE!?" posts are getting annoying.

I mean, I didnt kick and scream when I missed out on the 1st Hyperdimension Neptunia LE that happened in the middle of the night and had super low print numbers.

Could have asked someone else to order it for you too. Could have went to the bathroom real fast and ordered it in 5min via mobile. Again, all of these suggestions are based off if obtaining a copy was really as important as many of you are making it out to be (which im sure its not, just bummed that you didnt get a copy). But hey! You got another chance on Monday :)

Why not put them up on a weekend instead?
What if people work on the weekends? :>
 

autoduelist

Member
Just gonna throw this out there:

There seems to be an underlying assumption among some posts that it's easy to print however many copies. It's not. Also, doing 1500 or 3000 or 5000 copies is a lot for a tiny company and a tiny studio. All of that has to be dealt with up front, tiny companies and studios don't have a lot of spare dollars laying around, and certainly don't have the ability to leave a ton of inventory just laying around after the money was spent producing it. Doing another and another run is about as risky; once your inventory is sold and you've made X return on it above your costs, doing more puts you back in the huge up-front expenditure vs. the risk of uncertainty as to whether the inventory will sell.

This is what I think some people don't/can't/refuse to understand. Some of the schemes people are calling for require either massive upfront capital, huge risk, or both. Others undermine the demand.

If you, as a small business, print 1500 copies of something and sell out, you take out a towel and wipe the sweat of your brow from putting so much capital up. You don't run out and print another 1500, putting yourself at risk again and undermining a good part of the reason people bought the initial 1500 [limited availability].

And at the suggestion that they 'gauge interest' and then print that many copies w/o taking preorders? Seriously, you're asking a lot. So let's say they theoretically got 3k emails. That's double the money upfront [which they may not even have to risk], massively increased risk, and then depending on people actually opening up their wallet.

When you put $5000 or $20000 or whatever of your own money out publishing something [I don't know what vita games cost; I do know what other media costs] you get to name the rules -- not a bunch of people that wish you did it this way or that way because it's not their money on the line.
 

Decider

Member
Then tough luck? Can't win them all. It is what it is. Etc. All these, "ME! ME! ME! WHAT ABOUT ME AND MY LIFE!?" posts are getting annoying.

What's annoying is people like you making blanket statements like the one I was originally responding to. I don't particularly care to have a copy of Breach and Clear but I'm concerned about getting a PS4 copy of CSH and cited what I was doing this week as an example of why your circumstances don't necessarily apply to everybody else. It's not "ME ME ME" if somebody points out the flaws in the logic of your original argument. You come across as exceptionally arrogant in assuming that it's as straightforward as setting an alarm and rolling out of bed because it was that easy for you, especially given the short window in which Breach and Clear was available. Voicing concerns about demand and the period of availability in a place where LSH can read about them is perfectly valid, especially given that demand for CSH is going to be higher and it'll have a higher profile due to reviews and other press near the time of release.

What if people work on the weekends? :>

I worked on weekends for years and considered that when making my suggestion. It's more likely than not that most people will not be doing so.


And at the suggestion that they 'gauge interest' and then print that many copies w/o taking preorders? Seriously, you're asking a lot. So let's say they theoretically got 3k emails. That's double the money upfront [which they may not even have to risk], massively increased risk, and then depending on people actually opening up their wallet.

So take pre-orders for a run. Using pre-orders to gauge interest is what publishers and retailers have been doing for years. LSH could charge upfront and still keep their "one and done" model, satisfying both demand and people who get weirdly protective over what they see as an investment instead of something to play.
 
We will definitely have 300 copies of the game going back up on Monday, so please stay tuned if you missed out.

So even this first release will see the game sold in multiple "windows". I'm sure some will still find a reason to be upset, but I can't see how it could have been handled any better. Maybe some of those that initially missed out will get it this time.
 
Dear God, can we please stop complaining about the lack of pre-orders? They have said, repeatedly, that they are going to do them. Get over it or start your own company and run it the way you want.

The people making Pixel Noir have said they would be interested in possibly doing a release with LRG. :)

I wonder how many devs have reached out after seeing how quickly the first release sold?
 

GooeyHeat

Member
Gonna keep an eye on this. Depending on the difference in price between this and digital, it might be cheaper than getting one of those stupidly inflated Vita memory cards, haha.
 

GuardianE

Santa May Claus
What's annoying is people like you making blanket statements like the one I was originally responding to. I don't particularly care to have a copy of Breach and Clear but I'm concerned about getting a PS4 copy of CSH and cited what I was doing this week as an example of why your circumstances don't necessarily apply to everybody else. It's not "ME ME ME" if somebody points out the flaws in the logic of your original argument. You come across as exceptionally arrogant in assuming that it's as straightforward as setting an alarm and rolling out of bed because it was that easy for you, especially given the short window in which Breach and Clear was available. Voicing concerns about demand and the period of availability in a place where LSH can read about them is perfectly valid, especially given that demand for CSH is going to be higher and it'll have a higher profile due to reviews and other press near the time of release.

The point is, if it's really that important to you, you'll find a way to get that order in either directly or through a friend, especially if the window is announced ahead of time. Orders for B&C were up for almost two hours. CSH will have a larger run.

Maybe Amiibo have desensitized me to this type of complaining.
 
The point is, if it's really that important to you, you'll find a way to get that order in either directly or through a friend, especially if the window is announced ahead of time. Orders for B&C were up for almost two hours. CSH will have a larger run.

Maybe Amiibo have desensitized me to this type of complaining.

I'm fairly sure that they have.

Thankfully, LRG is listening and doing things like limiting orders in the first 24 hours and having multiple release windows, so this should be less of a problem moving forward. Which is why they did a test run with their own game in the first place, so good job there. Personally, while I have no issue with the basic idea of one print run and you're out, there are ways to make sure that the stock you do print is more accessible to everyone, and to just filter all that out with "if it was important enough to you you'd have found a way" is just really silly.
 

GuardianE

Santa May Claus
I'm fairly sure that they have.

Thankfully, LRG is listening and doing things like limiting orders in the first 24 hours and having multiple release windows, so this should be less of a problem moving forward. Which is why they did a test run with their own game in the first place, so good job there. Personally, while I have no issue with the basic idea of one print run and you're out, there are ways to make sure that the stock you do print is more accessible to everyone, and to just filter all that out with "if it was important enough to you you'd have found a way" is just really silly.

Could be. I'm used to there being 15 minute windows with no warning whatsoever, and if you're out of luck, you're out of luck.

There are definitely appropriate ways to handle it, like limiting orders and having several variable windows for different time zones, but that's exactly what LRG did with B&C with people still complaining. People seem to want larger allotments or multiple runs just because they missed out, which just doesn't make sense for this type of business.
 
I've been collecting, lining up for things, speed dialing for tickets on phone lines etc for decades before Amiibo were ever a thing that introduced gamers to beanie babies. If I had anybody I could trust with my financial information, and had been able to be available on the phone to walk them through it if need be, I would have. I'm just gonna watch for the 300. If that fails, I'll go ebay and get gouged for blood.

You've got to admit the idea of having to contend with the masses to buy physical Vita, indie games is all sorts of ironic. As if Vita games have ever been something everybody wants, coupled with indie games on Vita being derided as worthless for the better part of 3 years. I swear, if I see Greg "I still pretend to like my Vita" Miller send 100k+ KindaFunny fans on twitter to the 5k Cosmic Star Heroine page, to crash the site, in a world where Tearaway took over 6 months to sell 100k copies... smh. That'd be borderline gentrification.

Same as it only being sold out because it can sell out, it's just a paradox. The other paradox is that this selling out so unexpectedly fast establishes LRG releases as a certified F5~ event and got more devs on board, so being sour makes it sweet. You have to generate brand awareness and your supporters want you to do well (because LRG existing benefits them), so they spread the news too, but spreading the news limits your own chance of getting what you want because it reaches the "I don't even know what this is, but I'm going to sell it on ebay" crowd. It's like the "RT to enter" contest effect. Obviously the sliding scale limiter and supply will get more appropriate with each release.

Less than 2 hours for this surprised everyone, including LRG themselves. That outpaced Retro City's 3000 copies, even with the official PS Blog promoting it. Even the recent Xonic LE had a quarter the available units as this and lasted over a day. I'm sure everyone will try their hardest to be ready for more. In the meantime, whether you're telling people to "stfu noob" or complaining, we're flooding the thread and bumping off exciting prospect news like Velocity and Futuridium. Then again, that keeps the thread active and visible, don't it?
 

Mentok

Banned
I've been collecting, lining up for things, speed dialing for tickets on phone lines etc for decades before Amiibo were ever a thing that introduced gamers to beanie babies. If I had anybody I could trust with my financial information, and had been able to be available on the phone to walk them through it if need be, I would have. I'm just gonna watch for the 300. If that fails, I'll go ebay and get gouged for blood.

You've got to admit the idea of having to contend with the masses to buy physical Vita, indie games is all sorts of ironic. As if Vita games have ever been something anybody wants, coupled with indie games on Vita being derided as worthless for the better part of 3 years. I swear, if I see Greg "I still pretend to like my Vita" Miller send 100k+ KindaFunny fans on twitter to the 5k Cosmic Star Heroine page, to crash the site, in a world where Tearaway took over 6 months to sell 100k copies... smh. That'd be borderline gentrification.

It's just a paradox where you have to generate brand awareness and your supporters want you to do well (because LRG existing benefits them), so they spread the news too, but spreading the news limits your own chance of getting what you want because it reaches the "I don't even know what this is, but I'm going to sell it on ebay" crowd. It's like the "RT to enter" effect.

Less than 2 hours for this surprised everyone, including LRG themselves. That outpaced Retro City's 3000 copies, even with the official PS Blog promoting it. Even the recent Xonic LE had a quarter the available units as this and lasted over a day. I'm sure everyone will try their hardest to be ready for more. In the meantime, whether you're telling people to "stfu noob" or complaining, we're flooding the thread and bumping off exciting prospect news like Velocity and Futuridium. Then again, that keeps the thread active and visible, don't it?

This. I almost missed this because of the banter. I say kudos to LRG for existing and giving me a chance to get some of these games in physical form! I'll be ready for the next order.
 

autoduelist

Member
So take pre-orders for a run. Using pre-orders to gauge interest is what publishers and retailers have been doing for years. LSH could charge upfront and still keep their "one and done" model, satisfying both demand and people who get weirdly protective over what they see as an investment instead of something to play.

And I've laid out the issues with 'taking preorders' more than once in this thread. I've done it for my own projects. It's not as cut and dried as some make it out to be and it increases risk, effort, and upfront cost for a number of reasons. If you want more detail as to the whys and wherefores, read the thread.

Taking straight orders on existing, in-hand inventory is far easier [requiring far less upfront infrastructure, etc] than managing preorders [and potential delays, cancellations, refunds, customer expectations, and the rest of issues that crop up]. Limiting the run significantly ensures they break even and/or sell out, the first being a requirement and the second being good for future projects.

LRG did this first run safely and with low risk. That is the absolute best way to approach something like this. Yes, by their very nature limited runs are limited. That does not negate their many advantages for a small publisher.
 
What's annoying is people like you making blanket statements like the one I was originally responding to. I don't particularly care to have a copy of Breach and Clear but I'm concerned about getting a PS4 copy of CSH and cited what I was doing this week as an example of why your circumstances don't necessarily apply to everybody else. It's not "ME ME ME" if somebody points out the flaws in the logic of your original argument. You come across as exceptionally arrogant in assuming that it's as straightforward as setting an alarm and rolling out of bed because it was that easy for you, especially given the short window in which Breach and Clear was available. Voicing concerns about demand and the period of availability in a place where LSH can read about them is perfectly valid, especially given that demand for CSH is going to be higher and it'll have a higher profile due to reviews and other press near the time of release.

Good so we can agree that both sides are being annoying? I don't mind people voicing their opinions about availability but the WAY people are doing here is exceptionally annoying and tantrum-like. What's even better are the posts saying that "they have lives" lol.

My example wasn't trying to say, "hey guys, its easy!". I just told you what I did. I was up for 36hrs prior to the sale and went to sleep at 4am. Moreover, my example was aimed towards the people in different timezones (even going as far as saying I know the pain but you gotta do what you gotta do).

The point is, if it's really that important to you, you'll find a way to get that order in either directly or through a friend, especially if the window is announced ahead of time. Orders for B&C were up for almost two hours. CSH will have a larger run.

Maybe Amiibo have desensitized me to this type of complaining.
Pretty much. People had plenty of time and were given an exact time of sale.

I am pretty desensitized as will due to collecting vinyl, Idea Factory LEs, buying SDCC badges, and importing LE goods from Japan. I GET why people are mad but man the way they are expressing it is hilarious.

I'm fairly sure that they have.
Thankfully, LRG is listening and doing things like limiting orders in the first 24 hours and having multiple release windows, so this should be less of a problem moving forward. Which is why they did a test run with their own game in the first place, so good job there. Personally, while I have no issue with the basic idea of one print run and you're out, there are ways to make sure that the stock you do print is more accessible to everyone, and to just filter all that out with "if it was important enough to you you'd have found a way" is just really silly.
Yea its silly and asshole-like but I'm tired of people throwing a tantrum every time there is an limited item that sells out fast. Always shitting on the company for not catering towards them and their lives. People are always quick to forget that this is their first time doing this.

But yea, major props to LRG for being so active with the community here and twitter.
I stopped caring about the complaining. I have other things more important to complain about.
Yea, i'll stop adding to the banter too.
 

dolabla

Member
I think I'm gonna order a protective case for mine.

Just to make sure, are the PS4 protective cases available and ready to ship as well? It lets me add it to the cart. I might as well get both now in the same order since it looks shipping is the same price as if you were to just order 1.
 
I think I'm gonna order a protective case for mine.

Just to make sure, are the PS4 protective cases available and ready to ship as well? It lets me add it to the cart. I might as well get both now in the same order since it looks shipping is the same price as if you were to just order 1.

There might be a slight delay as we're waiting on a shipment from the manufacturer. They should definitely be in our hands to ship within the week.
 
Wow. Almost 400 in USD.

W1a4GY0.png


Other scalpers will see that 350 and try to undercut but stay in the same ballpark, at least for a little while. If they stick to their guns and it's set to relist automatically, I wouldn't be surprised if one non-CE Vita game getting that inflated will lead to other regular Vita game listings getting a tiny bump in price, because of monkey see monkey do.
 
Wow. Almost 400 in USD.

W1a4GY0.png


Other scalpers will see that 350 and try to undercut but stay in the same ballpark, at least for a little while. If they stick to their guns and it's set to relist automatically, I wouldn't be surprised if one non-CE Vita game getting that inflated will lead to other regular Vita game listings getting a tiny bump in price, because of monkey see monkey do.

I think prices will probably fall back down to Earth pretty quickly. I don't see any of these ever selling at $350, or even $250 for that matter.
 
I think prices will probably fall back down to Earth pretty quickly. I don't see any of these ever selling at $350, or even $250 for that matter.

Yeah, Retro City Rampage for Vita never goes above $50 or so now, like the PS4 one does, 'cause most people who wanted a copy got one and scalpers ended up sitting on copies that most interested customers already had, all competing with each other.

The only thing I've seen stay at $150-200, non-CE, is the English Oreshika 2 import, because there's usually only ever one on there, if any and it wasn't an item people knew would be so limited ahead of time, which meant scalpers never got wind of it to zero in... so you never see competing listings driving each other down.

That and Supremacy MMA, for whatever reason, but I honestly think the high one is a decoy listing to make lower prices seem more reasonable. It's been listed that way for at least a year or so, and no copy has never sold for more than $35.
 

Olengie

Member
Wish Oreshika got a big reprint. Got screwed out of my copy from Play Asia because I had another thing ordered that wasn't in stock at the time.
 
Wish Oreshika got a big reprint. Got screwed out of my copy from Play Asia because I had another thing ordered that wasn't in stock at the time.

I almost didn't get mine. I pre-ordered from Play-Asia (in the few hours pre-orders were even open), and when it began shipping from other import retailers, Play-Asia's listing went out of stock instead of shipping. I asked 'em though, and they said they'd get some in on whatever date, and it did finally ship out about 2 weeks late. I was starting to get worried and almost cancelled so I could try and get one off ebay that was around $60 already, and that I wasn't sure was English.

The only re-up I ever saw was a few weeks after release, a Malaysian retailer posted up stock that went super quick, along with this pic:

 

coughlanio

Member
I almost didn't get mine. I pre-ordered from Play-Asia (in the few hours pre-orders were even open), and when it began shipping from other import retailers, Play-Asia's listing went out of stock instead of shipping. I asked 'em though, and they said they'd get some in on whatever date, and it did finally ship out about 2 weeks late. I was starting to get worried and almost cancelled so I could try and get one off ebay that was around $60 already, and that I wasn't sure was English.

The only re-up I ever saw was a few weeks after release, a Malaysian retailer posted up stock that went super quick, along with this pic:

What are other Vita games that are becoming rare and hard to find? I have Retro City Rampage thankfully.
 
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