I agree, the way they're doing it seems like they're just withholding things for no reason rather than adding extra things later. A bit like day one DLC in a game I guess.

It's rather upsetting that this one includes some products that are only DRMed, so it's going to have to be a pass.

I got tier 1
Tier 2 is meh all the games there been given free at some point and also jus like not much. Idk why they hide a game till later I guess an extra fun mechanic.

I've always bought the HIBs, all the way from the very first one. When Humble started adding DRMed and non-cross platform games in bundle, I'd always say "At least I've got the Humble Indie Bundle", and I always defended them against people who (constantly) claimed "They're just another steam key reseller!".

Still, this bundle is hugely disappointing. I realise it is an "anniversary bundle", so that might make them think they have leeway to include repeats, but still, some of these games have even been given away free on HIB before. And two games tied to Steam DRM, one game without Linux (2 if you count the fact that Moonlighter is not available on linux DRM-free).

I mostly blame IGN.

PS: Not sure what people are complaining about them hiding a game (or few) till later for. That's been a tradition of HIB as well, since at least the 2nd bundle, I guess?

Humble gradually became a business, even before IGN darkened its doorstep.

Not that such a thing is "omg evil", but it always amused me that people would continuously defend them solely based on the fact that they left an option for charity.

The decline of what Humble once was didn't take place overnight, essentially. They still do good things, no one can really refute that.

It's very underwhelming bundle.
I remember Humble Indie Bundle used to be star of the Humble Bundle.

They used to put DRM-Free builds of games which otherwise only comes with steam keys.
For a 10th Year Anniversary this really sucks.
Even the weakest of Humble Indie Bundle in past had better games than this.

the not-so-humble steam key bundle.

Yeah, I remember when they started to do Steam only games and non-cross platform and I asked them about it (they were still quite small at the time, I think I might have actually been talking with one of the founders). They said "Oh don't worry, the Humble Indie Bundles will always be DRM-free and cross platform, these are just extra bundles that we couldn't do with those principles".

Pretty underwhelming bundle, to be honest. I always figured they weren't going to stick to their DRM free guns, which is a shame.

I don't know why Gato Roboto or Hypnospace Outlaw aren't DRM free in the bundle, though. I mean it's not like they don't already have DRM free builds or something.

So I actually asked the Hypnospace devs on twitter. They weren't even asked for a DRM-free build for the bundle. This is completely on Humble - they didn't even try.

I did ask the Gato devs but I haven't heard back.

That's pretty sad since they probably could have easily secured a zip or something with the DRM-free game files inside. I guess they just can't be assed. Humble, that is.

There's still the possibility that it might be on their publisher though, and that the publisher didn't inform the devs, I guess?

I think, similar to Fanatical's "Mystery Bundles" they're trying to snag the speculative buyers who get a thrill/enticement from the gamble of it who probably wouldn't have paid if they knew exactly what they were buying, whether for psychological or practical (e.g. already own whatever that TBA game is) reasons.

Maybe.

I guess I'd look at it from the standpoint of how those earlier gamblers drive the BTA, since it's not just the marginal revenue of that one sale, there's also the marginal revenue of all the subsequent BTA purchases at the higher price.

But that''s 100% a guess.

And similar to your point, I suspect it was probably a more effective measure back when the bundles were more interesting/dynamic.