Limited Run Games - physical runs of digital games

I saw this on NeoGaf and thought some people would be interested. Mighty Rabbit Studios has apparently set up a "sub-brand" called Limited Run Games where they are doing small physical runs of previously digital only games for PS4 and Vita (at least to start). There first run is for a Vita game called Breach and Clear which will be released October 29th and will have a run of 1500 copies. Saturday morning RPG appears to be the following title to be released in 2016. There is also a Tweet from Robert at Zeboyd Games that might (grain of salt) indicate Cosmic Star Heroine will be one of their titles.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1121596

http://www.limitedrungames.com/ Their website isn't live yet.

Bandit already pointed that out here:

http://www.gaijinworks.com/interact/...ll=1#post55247

And I posted some more links and info here

http://www.gaijinworks.com/interact/...ll=1#post55248

Posted on that in "Collector's Cove" earlier. :P
Seems like they are just starting since their website is bare and twitter account is new. Someone has been posting on Gamefaqs from the company. (where I saw it at)

Twitter

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$24.99 + $3.99 for domestic shipping. International shipping varies. $9 for Canada/Mexico, $12 elsewhere.

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Vast majority will be $24.99 unless a developer's existing digital price is higher than that.

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They may not have my interest with the first two planned titles, but they've definitely got my attention.

I feel like this company is geared toward sealed game collectors and scalpers. Yeah, I guess video game collectors and niche collectors as well. These people have NO desire to open it, even with the games probably being ultra bad. This company should be called Limited Run Scalpers.

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Originally Posted by storino03

I feel like this company is geared toward sealed game collectors and scalpers. Yeah, I guess video game collectors and niche collectors as well. These people have NO desire to open it, even with the games probably being ultra bad. This company should be called Limited Run Scalpers.

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Really not seeing the problem. They're going to be providing physical editions to otherwise digital-only games to those who want them and like Gaijinworks, the print runs are relatively small so as to avoid losing a ton of money with a bunch of unsold stock.

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Originally Posted by werezompire

Really not seeing the problem. They're going to be providing physical editions to otherwise digital-only games to those who want them and like Gaijinworks, the print runs are relatively small so as to avoid losing a ton of money with a bunch of unsold stock.

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I think storino03's gripe is mostly with them limiting the print to 1500 beforehand. I mean, they could limit the print to that number before going into production, but not communicate about it. And, should more orders come in, consider printing more. GaijinWorks for example prints the number of copies needed to meet demand. By locking down the total production early on, they're giving it a vibe of exclusivity, which as storino03 pointed out, may mainly attract a certain type of buyers.

Also, it doesn't look like they're going to publish any high profile games, but rather fairly unknown and not necessarily highly rated games (I had never heard of Breach and Clear myself). This strengthens the perception that it doesn't matter which game is being released physically, but that it mainly revolves around getting something exclusive for your money and scoring bragging rights. Again, if you're comparing with GaijinWorks, the selection process of which games are getting published at GW is based on quality of the game, and whether a game is worth bringing over to the West or not.

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Originally Posted by JWiley_12

Also, it doesn't look like they're going to publish any high profile games, but rather fairly unknown and not necessarily highly rated games (I had never heard of Breach and Clear myself). This strengthens the perception that it doesn't matter which game is being released physically, but that it mainly revolves around getting something exclusive for your money and scoring bragging rights. Again, if you're comparing with GaijinWorks, the selection process of which games are getting published at GW is based on quality of the game, and whether a game is worth bringing over to the West or not.

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The first two games they're releasing are made by the company itself (they're the publishing division of Mighty Rabbit Studios); that's how they were chosen - "Really, if we could have published any game in the world to launch Limited Run Games with we'd probably have picked something else that would have created more buzz. The problem with that is why would any other developers trust us before we had our own physical release?"

I agree that using a preorder campaign to determine quantity is best. They're still new to this so I imagine if they got enough suggestions, they'd consider it.

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Originally Posted by werezompire

The first two games they're releasing are made by the company itself (they're the publishing division of Mighty Rabbit Studios); that's how they were chosen - "Really, if we could have published any game in the world to launch Limited Run Games with we'd probably have picked something else that would have created more buzz. The problem with that is why would any other developers trust us before we had our own physical release?"

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Yeah, I already posted that in the Collector's Cove thread earlier today:

http://www.gaijinworks.com/interact/...ll=1#post55250

Still, it doesn't look like they're looking into being selective as to what they're going to release after they got their own games out of the door. There's no mission statement other that "we don't like digital only".

Probably a wait and see. I'd bet it's much like GW is. Companies want to see stats and money.

Another indication that this is collector bait:

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Limited Run Games ‏@LimitedRunGames 4h 4 hours ago
Every game we release is part of the Limited Run collection. Try and collect the whole set! Breach & Clear is #1.

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The number will be on the back of the box too. Which certainly is a nice touch, but horrible for the OCD crowd out there. ;)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CQu_r2tUsAAMaBO.jpg:large

Each game will be numbered in order. "Gotta collect em all"
Yes, mainly for collectors and the occasional crazy person. Don't we all fit that?

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Originally Posted by banditwolf

Each game will be numbered in order. "Gotta collect em all"
Yes, mainly for collectors and the occasional crazy person. Don't we all fit that?

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Oh come one, man. Gypsy is not thát crazy. :rolleyes:

hehehe I like it when games are numbered in volumes (PCE anyone?) of course I'd have to care for at least one of these games for me to actually have interest collecting the series. I'll keep this on the radar for now.

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Originally Posted by Aristides

hehehe I like it when games are numbered in volumes (PCE anyone?) of course I'd have to care for at least one of these games for me to actually have interest collecting the series. I'll keep this on the radar for now.

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PCE Vols are only nice if they're consistent. I'm looking at you Hudson with 2 missing volume numbers :|

Inconsistency and missing volume numbers (either just missing on the boxes, or missing entirely from the collection because they were used for games that ended up never getting a release) are the worst. :D

Attachment 962

Some great looking shovelware there.

Twitterz

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Get ready! We're hoping to do one release per month.

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That guy seems very optomistic about being able to release anything. I'm sure he'll come to realise it's not as simple.

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Originally Posted by Gypsy

Some great looking shovelware there.

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I'm starting to think you are jealous of my MSX collection. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by JWiley_12

I'm starting to think you are jealous of my MSX collection. :rolleyes:

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I wouldn't take an MSX system for free. Okay well I would, but it would only be because I could sell it and I won't turn down free money. ;)

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Originally Posted by Gypsy

I wouldn't take an MSX system for free. Okay well I would, but it would only be because I could sell it and I won't turn down free money. ;)

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http://cdn4.gurl.com/wp-content/uplo...erchandler.gif

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Originally Posted by JWiley_12

I'm starting to think you are jealous of my MSX collection. :rolleyes:

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what does the MSX even have anyways? A stripped down versions of snatcher? lousy ports of nes/master system games like castlevania and outrun?

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Originally Posted by Missile!

what does the MSX even have anyways? A stripped down versions of snatcher? lousy ports of nes/master system games like castlevania and outrun?

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LOL. Are you trying to demonstrate you know absolutely nothing about the system? It's working.

Is the girl in the gif Wiley posted also Princess Vespa in Spaceballs?

That video has to have been edited. The whole window frame distorts.

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Originally Posted by JWiley_12

LOL. Are you trying to demonstrate you know absolutely nothing about the system? It's working.

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I know it can't do scrolling, so already it's inferior to every video game system, even the god damn 2600.

There is no reason to own an MSX basically.

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Originally Posted by Missile!

I know it can't do scrolling, so already it's inferior to every video game system, even the god damn 2600.

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I'm afraid you have been misinformed. Probably read too much of the madman's ramblings at gypsytimes.org.

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Originally Posted by Gypsy

There is no reason to own an MSX basically.

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Remind me again: what is the reason to own a Criminal Girls LE?

There's a good reason to own any retro console, from the Microvision to the MSX to the Vectrex. They can provide an experience you can't replicate otherwise, and that includes emulation.

If they can give me Welcome to Rapture and Soma on a physical release, I will buy two copies of each. There are a few others that I want but those are the first that come to mind.

I thought this was interesting:

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Originally Posted by LimitedRunGames @ neoGAF

Some other people are doing it but I think they're approaching it wrong. Ripstone, Maximum Games, Soedesco, and maybe some others. They're focused on retail, though, so they do huge print runs. They're also not able to pay developers much because A) the print runs are huge and B) retail means wholesalers, store operators, and many others need to get paid in the process. I can't imagine developers make much when they partner with these companies. Also, the games they produce don't seem to sell very well if the five thousand copies of "Stick It To The Man!" I've found in the wild are any indication. I think the only way to make this a viable business is to do small runs, direct to customers. People will definitely take note and rip us off if we're successful. In all honesty, I'm kind of ripping off Brian Provinciano and Vblank in the first place, just to give due credit. :)

But yeah, our goal is to make more physical games available to players and also make developers good money at the same time.

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Soedesco are the people that did the Teslagrad release retail for example. Ripstone did Stick It To The Man!. Maximum Games is going to bring Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition to PS4 and XBOne.

It's a bit of a weird reasoning that they can't pay developers much because the print runs are huge. You'd think that the more copies get sold, the more the developer makes... Also producing larger numbers should reduce the average production cost.

My guts says he's right though that bringing those games to retail is not the right approach. I have the impression that the Wii U release of Teslagrad isn't selling at all for example. The store clerk at my local store said as much when I inquiered about it some time ago: zero copies sold at their store.

He's wrong about ripping off Vblank though. Doing small runs, direct to customers. Doesn't that feel familiar? I think he's ripping off someone else. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by JWiley_12

It's a bit of a weird reasoning that they can't pay developers much because the print runs are huge. You'd think that the more copies get sold, the more the developer makes... Also producing larger numbers should reduce the average production cost.

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I think their point was that because the print runs are huge, there's a much higher possibility of having excess inventory that doesn't sell which means you don't make as much money or even lose money.

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Originally Posted by werezompire

I think their point was that because the print runs are huge, there's a much higher possibility of having excess inventory that doesn't sell which means you don't make as much money or even lose money.

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The way they posted it though makes it seem like the developer is not making any money on it. They aren't talking about the profit the publisher makes.

I guess the idea is that, by printing a higher number of copies of the game, the publisher is taking a bigger risk, and he thus moves part of that risk onto the developer by paying them out less. Which results in the ironic situation where you, as a developer, have to support the idea of your game reaching fewer people, because that will land you more money.

Seems like we have a user named LimitedRunGames on here as well. :rolleyes:

(who also reads this very thread)

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Originally Posted by JWiley_12

I thought this was interesting:



Soedesco are the people that did the Teslagrad release retail for example. Ripstone did Stick It To The Man!. Maximum Games is going to bring Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition to PS4 and XBOne.

It's a bit of a weird reasoning that they can't pay developers much because the print runs are huge. You'd think that the more copies get sold, the more the developer makes... Also producing larger numbers should reduce the average production cost.

My guts says he's right though that bringing those games to retail is not the right approach. I have the impression that the Wii U release of Teslagrad isn't selling at all for example. The store clerk at my local store said as much when I inquiered about it some time ago: zero copies sold at their store.

He's wrong about ripping off Vblank though. Doing small runs, direct to customers. Doesn't that feel familiar? I think he's ripping off someone else. :rolleyes:

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Vic has commented about the risk and potential nightmare that dealing with some retailers is. Them not paying the devs/pubs and holding onto a bunch of inventory and just returning it and withholding payment until they get credit for the unsold copies. These retailers don't prepay for the games, they pay after, so he is not just blowing smoke about that.

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Originally Posted by JWiley_12

The way they posted it though makes it seem like the developer is not making any money on it. They aren't talking about the profit the publisher makes.

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In a lot of indie/publisher relationships, the two are just different parts of the whole. The developer gets x% of the profit and the publisher gets y% of the profit. It's mostly bigger productions where you have the situation where the publisher pays the developer a set amount and then takes all of the profits (or losses).

If anyone on the Gaijinworks community is wondering why we haven't chimed in on the thread, we're still awaiting activation on our account.
-@Limitedrungames

Well that makes sense.
I think Vic said it takes upto a week. So be patient.

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Originally Posted by Missile!

If anyone on the Gaijinworks community is wondering why we haven't chimed in on the thread, we're still awaiting activation on our account.
-@Limitedrungames

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It is not surprising, they make an announcement like this and want to find out how it is being received. Doing a google search brings this thread up (currently on page 3 but may have been higher previously). I don't have a problem with them just lurking, but I think it will be nice once their account is activated to converse with them. I think they are doing a cool thing and will very likely support it if most of the games don't crash their website and sell out within minutes.

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Originally Posted by Missile!

If anyone on the Gaijinworks community is wondering why we haven't chimed in on the thread, we're still awaiting activation on our account.
-@Limitedrungames

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Haha, we are a small community, but a vocal one apparently.