Digital Download before Store Release

[sabre100]

Matrix - Will this game be available as Digital Download on your online store before Retail Store Release?

I hope the answer is yes? I know when FPG went gold you had the copy for sale a day later hopefully this is true with this title as well [:D]

Thanks

[Scott_WAR]

PLEASE??????[&o]

[Kung Karl]

Pretty please!!!!!!![&o][&o]

[simone.donnini]

Digital download? I cant imagine a different way of getting this game!!!

[ioticus]

Will the retail version come with a paper manual?

[TheHellPatrol]

[8D]I'm ready Matrix, are you?[;)][:D]

[David Heath]

Yes a really nice one with 8 point font.... and full of pictures and examples.

[Scott_WAR]

No digital download before store release. Booooooo. I cant believe Matrix is actually getting away from what their customers want and have come to expect. I hope this isnt a preview of whats to come. I hope this is not the first step in becoming more of a "retail" company. That has been the ruin of MANY good gaming developers.[X(][X(][:-]


.

[Becket]

ORIGINAL: Scott_WAR

No digital download before store release. Booooooo. I cant believe Matrix is actually getting away from what their customers want and have come to expect. I hope this isnt a preview of whats to come. I hope this is not the first step in becoming more of a "retail" company. That has been the ruin of MANY good gaming developers.[X(][X(][:-]


So Basically what is being said to customers who use digital download, is "We have the code right here, ready to go, but we are going to make you, our loyal customer, wait, for the benfit of the retail stores." Thanks, Thanks a lot.[:(] Remember who got you here.

That's funny. Digital Download wasn't even an option for most Matrix games less than a year ago. Now it's the way that Mr. Seven Posts "got [Matrix] here."

Give them a break. The store deal is a big deal for them. A retailer isn't going to let a supplier undercut their distribution before the title's launch (or, at least, if they allowed it, they probably wouldn't do much of an in store push).

The game is well worth the wait, I assure you. What does it really hurt you to wait a few days if it actually helps Matrix & 2by3 make more games?

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: Scott_WAR

No digital download before store release. Booooooo. I cant believe Matrix is actually getting away from what their customers want and have come to expect. I hope this isnt a preview of whats to come. I hope this is not the first step in becoming more of a "retail" company. That has been the ruin of MANY good gaming developers.[X(][X(][:-]


.

Don't worry. Don't expect Matrix to become a retail company. However, in the rare circumstance where Matrix has a product that can sell much greater numbers if it goes in stores, let them do it. Hopefully it broadens the market for other niche wargames, and if it makes some extra money for the developer and the publisher, that's good too, as it makes it easier for us to keep making these games (yes, of course I'm biased about this). Matrix was an early adopter of the digital download as a normal distribution method, but they're smart enough to know that one distribution method does not work best for all products. We hope that when you get GGWaW, you will feel it was worth the wait, and if the wait helps to grow the hobby a little, it will help future products. There really is some method to our madness.

[Scott_WAR]

Its not the 2 weeks wait. Its the principle.

Right now the code is ready. Its done. It could be up for download tomorrow, as most games have been since digital download became an option. But the people who have bought Matrix games, and made Matrix what it is today are basically being told that they can wait, so that nobody gets the game before the retail outlets. Thats not a good way to treat your loyal customers, especially when it doesnt make any real difference. The people that are going to by the game at a retail outlet arent going to get digital download now. Most that are watching the game here are STILL going to get the "best of both worlds" package. So, this only punishes their loyal customers, while giving no real benfit to anybody.



Edit- You replied while I was posting. --- I am glad to here there are no plans for change.

My point still stands though. This doesnt help the retail outlets sales at all. It only forces those that are going to get DD anyway to wait needlessly.

No worries, I am still getting the game whether its tomorrow, 2 weeks or 2 months.[:D]

[Scott_WAR]

How about looking into some sort of "club". Membership is given with a purchase of a Matrix product along with registration of the game, and you allow these members to get digital downloads as normal, when future "retail" releases are made. That way proven past customers can still get what they are accustomed to, digital download before the game is in print, and the retail market still gets all new market sales, as well as those who just dont use digital download? Just an idea for the future.

[TheHellPatrol]

If we are truly loyal then we'll understand the grand strategy(pun intended) behind their decision. It seemed like only yesterday people were screaming about Witp not being available in stores and how unfair it was to their loyal customers[8|]. It all boils down to what's good for all of us as a whole, one big family. If this is a good move for the future, which i believe it is, we will all benefit from it in the long run[8D].

[Becket]

But the people who have bought Matrix games, and made Matrix what it is today are basically being told that they can wait, so that nobody gets the game before the retail outlets. Thats not a good way to treat your loyal customers, especially when it doesnt make any real difference.

Can you support your statement that it doesn't make a real difference?

[bach28]

The only real difference that I can see is that it cost more to put in stores cause you have to chop more trees to get the (boxes)product in public eyes other then that,no.


Either way I will still buy this game, it looks good. Maybe we can ask for a Demo [:D]

[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: Becket

The game is well worth the wait, I assure you. What does it really hurt you to wait a few days if it actually helps Matrix & 2by3 make more games?

At least this has solved my HoI2 or GGWAW dilemma.

A "few days" if you live in the US maybe. For us Euros there's no sign, and with no download option that means no sale in my case - HoI2 it is.

Huge Matrix fan as I am I can't help but compare this with Battlefront's latest offering. "Dangerous Waters", complete with disks and 570 page manual on my doormat 2 days after release after paying local postage only. As a gamer THAT'S what I want to see... that or prompt digital download.

[Scott_WAR]

: Becket



Can you support your statement that it doesn't make a real difference?

Yes, by simple logic. By the above announcement digital download will be available the same day as games are in the stores. If you use digital downloading, you will more likely get the "best of both worlds", where you can download the game immediately, and get the box, or retail, version, through the mail. Those that have always bought their game via digital download will most likely continue to do so.

I understand the idea that if the digital download is released earlier than the retail stores get the box version, the retail stores could lose potential customers, but I really dont think anybody who was/is going to use digital download is going to change their mind and buy the game from a retailer.

Besides that, progress has allowed us to use digital download to get games sooner, why should it be repressed?[:D]


Anyway, dont take this wrong, I am fully behind this game regardless, its just a shame we have to wait needlessly.

[Becket]

ORIGINAL: Hertston

Huge Matrix fan as I am I can't help but compare this with Battlefront's latest offering. "Dangerous Waters", complete with disks and 570 page manual on my doormat 2 days after release after paying local postage only. As a gamer THAT'S what I want to see... that or prompt digital download.

And, huge Battlefront and Matrix fan that I am, I can't help but point out to you that for their big, high profile title, Combat Mission, Battlefront elected to do a distribution deal for Europe. The retailer required that Battlefront not sell directly to Euros as a condition of the distribution contract. Battlefront agreed, and that's the way that both CMBO and CMBB were initially available to Euros. Those deals have since expired, but my guess is that if you asked Steve, he'd do the same deal again for CMx2.

[Erik Rutins]

Hello everyone,

Please read the pinned FAQ thread at the top of this forum.

There will be a digital download as well as a retail release, but they will be simultaneous. In addition, there will be European retail distribution. Please read the FAQ on download/retail in this forum so that we don't end up having to chase down rumors.

To the poster who was concerned that we're turning away from our customers - far from it. We just released FPG digital download and the vast majority of our releases this year will be download releases. As Joel noted, some products are best served by different release strategies. Ultimately, our focus on retail with this title means that you should be able to get it in stores easily at an affordable price with a printed manual.

We will still have the digital download option available for customers who prefer that, just not any earlier than the store release to avoid hurting store sales.

Regards,

- Erik

[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: Becket

And, huge Battlefront and Matrix fan that I am, I can't help but point out to you that for their big, high profile title, Combat Mission, Battlefront elected to do a distribution deal for Europe. The retailer required that Battlefront not sell directly to Euros as a condition of the distribution contract. Battlefront agreed, and that's the way that both CMBO and CMBB were initially available to Euros. Those deals have since expired, but my guess is that if you asked Steve, he'd do the same deal again for CMx2.

What's your point? If the game was going to be in Euro retailers within a week or two of it being available in WalMart nobody would have a problem - but where's the deal for GGWaW?

CMBO was actually available for some time before the wretched cdv contract (I got my copy that way), so the problem was really only there with CM2. About the only issue with THAT was the censorship for the German market (the infamous "Wafflegrenadier" affair) - you couldn't order from BF, true.. but about the only thing cdv did right was get the game on the streets within a couple of weeks of the US release.

I disagree on CMx2. cdv distributed a retail version of CMAK in Europe too, but without the exclusivity deal - Battlefront took that route primarily because of fan pressure after the CM2 cock-up;Euro buyers just wanted the option and BF delivered. I can't see them doing a U-turn with future games.

Edit: Erik's point noted (but what on earth was Joel on about ?). Perhaps it will be GGWaW after all [:D]