not at all, and no they do not. My fabricated cost is completely based on the cost incurred in time and expense from developers side, I have never heard that any store demand monies up front (however, there are store that only pay out the % when it reaches a certain threshold).

regarding builds, sometimes the different stores also uses different builds, and maintaining them takes time and resources.

These numbers are not far off in so far as Steam goes. The average game on steam sells 50K copies and only 15% of all games sell more than 250K.

Note however that this is not 50K at full price. The average game probably takes in about 50K dollars in revenue after sale discounts and steam's take is applied.

What Steam really offers is a big upside--if the game takes off there is a huge pool of users to draw from and it's easy to sell too--- but realistically most steam games are not big hits.

The last question is a tough one and I think it all depends on if the developer is in it for the long-haul or not. If the goal is to be selling games ten years down the road, it doesn't make any sense to leave any stone unturned. But if the goal is to make a game or two and hope to hit it big, then why waste time on the piddly stuff. But my own experience is that those who do not have time for the little communities usually do not have time for the little details in their games, either, and as a result they make poor games.

This much is true (it takes time to keep all the separate builds up to date), the fact that this particular developer dropped all response to the DRM-free is an insult.
I can understand the idea of a game being updated twice a week on Steam as bugs are ironed out after release and the developers saying that DRM-free builds will only get a patch every other week or month as Steam is a simple "Update" button and everyone is forced into the update to play. Yet this still does not give this developer the right to respond like that towards those who have an interest in their game.

The fact that this developer has shown absolutely no interest in DRM-free after Steam, and actually comes out with utter intolerable stupidity as that particular post on Twitter. Then as far as I am concerned they can go and live on Steam, they leave me with little worry of accidently buying the game on sale here and giving them money. I "bought" the game in an IR bundle and gave it a single go, it was okay, but it needed to download files before I could even play it the first time, the taste was tainted and the experience was not good. I choose buying 10 copies of Binding of Issac over 1 of Hero Siege.


Edited out a glaring spelling mistake. **************** auto correct.

There is a growing problem on Steam of developer scamming. Developers are selling games for full price in alpha or beta and then when they get their money talking a walk and not finishing the game. Steam has gone so far as to actually refund money if a few cases but most of the time the buyers are left without recourse.

http://hexus.net/gaming/news/industry/69553-after-200k-steam-sales-devs-abandon-unfinished-game/

So once again just because some game is on steam doesn't mean anything and doesn't mean that customers are going to be treated better than on GoG or somewhere else. People think they are buying a game from steam but steam is just the middle man, the developer is the one that is making the game.

Clearly Steam do NOT make all of the money, since only one game of the 400+ I've owned over the years has come from that particular vendor, nor will any in the future unless there is a major shift in how they interact with the customer account.


(grammar)

Fixed.

sry; temptation :P

II would just like to say I have been using GOG for a couple of years and it's great. Browse the games, read about it, look at the screenshots, read the reviews, and JUST BUY IT. Also, I love that GOG has all the DOS or VM wrapper work done for me and I don't have to mess with it - I don't have that much free time and I want to game with it, not spend time fiddling with tuning/config issues. GOG is great also because it's NOT Steam. GOG is DRM free, no big brother applications one must use, and, did I mention, no DRM? Just buy the dam game and download it, it's yours. (& you get extra stuff with it). Can you tell I tried Steam recently? And other vendors insist on distributing via Steam...blech. Think it's better to find new and older games on DISCs on Amazon, if it's not a game that GOG carries. For all else (I play new as well as old) - I WISH GOG COULD CARRY A HUGER INVENTORY... There are pages and pages of complaints and problems about the DRM approach, Steam issues, etc... I know, different business model entirely. Some consumers have sworn off Steam. Must use app, app doesn't work offline after 10-15 days offline, or when you reinstall Windows or your hard-drive...& people have other technical problems... I think the smarter business model is just buy it, download it, own it, and play it same as if you bought the disc (subject to the same copyright laws as any)... Anyway, thanks for all GOG's work. Thanks for keeping it SIMPLE so I can just pick a game, download it, play it standalone, don't need a store's app, connection nor its app overlay to run it, thank you. GOG approach is SIMPLE, CLEAN, QUICK, & EASY PEASY. Hope this approach continues to be a competitive asset for you.

It is where most sales are, and there's nothing we can do about it. The DRM arguments have been heard and ignored. It sucks but it is what it is.

I think GOG has carved a nice niche out for itself though, and it must make money for some or they wouldn't bother with it. I would guess old games sell well here and some indies, if they play enough like an old game, do as well. Modern stuff probably less so.

Not enough evidence given, just an opinion and since it is only a single opinion not even significant. Statistically speaking almost useless.

But apart from that it is probably true that Steam is bigger than GOG or GamersGate. Would I develop games I would try to be on all of them though and I would also want to be on Steam.

What a load of shit. GOG and Gamersgate makes you money too unless your game sucks. If GOG and Gamersgate didn't help make people money then GOG and Gamersgate wouldn't be able to make money and then GOG and Gamersgate wouldn't be able to exist right now... His words are not fair to GOG and Gamersgate. Yeah, I'm sure Steam makes you MORE money but so what. No reason to bash GOG and Gamersgate. It seems, he's just a Steam fan boy.

Defender's Quest published a detailed report of sales by store (except GamersGate which doesn't want numbers published). It shows GOG to be a reasonable force. Can't really tell about GamersGate. It's clear Desura is worthless for sales. Another developer whose game is on Desura said he got no money from them because the sales are less than the payment threshold.

Yet another sad example of some fledgeling two-bit dev who gets delusions of grandeur once his game is greenlit. Accept them on Steam and they think they can act like EA,

Party at Valve headquaters

I believe he's being sarcastic. I hope.

Also, note the response by the guy below...

Just have a look at the current insomnia sale of GOG. You can almost see how GOG is not making money for anyone.

Without information as a backup... every opinion is just an opinion.