Why I feel really bad for Frictional Games

**DrDean** · 07-22-2008, 11:43 PM

Well, I went to my local game shop and saw Penumbra: Overture there. It was $20, but that was crossed out and another sticker that said $10 was under it. Again, that was crossed out and $5 was put directly under the $10 sticker. I bought it because I have yet to own Overture.

I'm just wondering why nobody buys Penumbra in stores. I went to another game store that was in a different mall on a different day, and I found 10, that's right 10 copies of Overture just sitting there, with varying prices. (None over $10) Penumbra is a great game, but why does nobody buy it if it's so cheap? I'm just confused.

**eliasfrost** · 07-23-2008, 01:04 AM

To be honest, the game doesn't look that catchy.

I remember when I saw Morrowind in the local gameshop, when I first looked at it, it was just crap. But then two years later I got it, and I still think it's one of the greatest game I have played.

**Linux.Blue** · 07-23-2008, 01:29 AM

i could be wrong, i have some theories, some may be right.

1. Back me up on this tv couch potatos. I don't think it was advertised on TV, and I have seen other games like Call of Duty 2, 4, Doom3 I believe, and alot of others I don't care for. no advertising, even online, means, less will know it.

2. It's not a sequel to a big game. Again, Call of Duty 4 is known, being it's another sequel to a big game, doom 3, (there's not a lot of game I know, lol)

3. It doesn't have a cover with something blowing up, or tanks, planes, or just action. It's a hatch, or the sequel, a guy in a cave.

I see it at Best Buy, and probably would have come across it. Would I have bought it? i dont know if I would, but when I typed in "Linux games" and came to the demo, I was hooked!

descent 3, a game back in 1999, is still at 4.99 at amazon I believe. a FUN online game, 5 bucks. to me, one of the greatest most fun games ever! and 5 bucks.

**Tommy Gun** · 07-23-2008, 06:37 AM

I would say that because it is an older game and that Black plague has come out, the first game would be outdated.

Besides, they profit from selling the games to the gamestore, not from the customers buying from the gamestore.
And if they are making a new one, they must have had a reasonable prfoit.

Tell me if i'm wrong =D

**Paulaner** · 07-24-2008, 06:39 PM

Well, I had to actively look for Overture on ebay because I could not find it at local stores. Frictional is an indipendent company and we cannot expect big advertising or publishing. And, by the way, digital download systems suck. I bought Overture at Strategy First and I was *never* able to activate and play my copy with all the activation keys they sent me. You know the answer to distribution issues? Steam. Frictional, please, go to Steam.

**Yuhaney** · 07-25-2008, 12:36 AM

Maybe the game doesn't have so big audience?

I don't know...

**eliasfrost** · 07-25-2008, 01:23 AM

That might as well be the case. (Voice like Virgil)

**242** · 08-13-2008, 08:42 PM

First, it's simply good old programmed in bedroom type of production. Second, niche, specific genre. Third, weak advertising because of the first.

Despite of that I find it more entertaining and involving than 95% (actually more like 99%) of products of, lets say, EA. One of my favourite series along with Thief, Stalker, and Resident Evil Smile

**Sepai** · 08-14-2008, 05:15 AM

Well you won't find it on a shelf over here in Australia cause I never saw it

**Tommy Gun** · 08-14-2008, 07:27 AM

Same, Australia is baron of indie games. the only shops in sydney that even think of stocking indie developers is EB.