I am seeing one problem- a few other publishers have your ideas too. Paradox has a good competitor to you guys in Gamersgate. ANd then there's the Steam Gorilla.

I'd really look into working something out with Paradox over digital distribution. Otherwise I see you two maybe hurting each other some.

I think this speaks for itself.

From the interview:



Even more preloaded junk irrelevant for most users. No offense, but I strongly believe that a new computer should not contain any software at all (not even an operating system), it should be up to the user to decide what gets installed and not up to the hardware vendor and its sponsors.

Every single time I buy a new, prebuilt PC, the first thing I do is to format the hard drive and install the operating system from a non-recovery CD.

The existence of other companies in the market shouldn't scare people away from entering it.  Competition is good for the consumer as it spurs companies to improve their services, offer more variety of product and try and stay ahead of the other guy constantly.  Should Target close up shop because Walmart is bigger?  Should Apple throw in the towel becuase Microsoft leads the OS market?

Often across our forums, I'm personally baffled by the argument that we should just put everything on Steam and be done with it.  Because it's just a waste to go our own way, or that it's somehow wrong to compete with Steam, like it deserves a monopoly over digital distribution.

We have nothing against Steam and other DD services.  Hell, many of us around the office own, play and love games like Team Fortress 2, Portal, and a bunch of other Valve titles.  But as gamers, we see an opportunity here.  We think we have something that presents a better alternative to what's out there.  Since we have the resources, knowledge, and partnerships to do something better, why shouldn't we?  Just because Steam got the big lead, why should we roll over and forget about it, giving them the entire market without question?

I think we have something in the works that's better than what's out there now.  If we're right, then the gamer benefits absolutely.  If we're wrong and merely end up offering another equal competitor in the space, then there's further incentive all-around to improve services to get more customers than the other guy.  No matter how you slice it, the gamer is not hurt by this.

Exactly. This is how our economy is supposed to work after all, and besides, in my brief experience with Stardock Central, I'm already finding it far better than any other direct download software. It really works wonderfully, and it's great to see Stardock build on it.

On the other hand, there was an amusing sense of "We're going to take over EVERYTHING! BWAHAHAHA!" from this quote:



I know that's not what was meant, but it's still funny.

I think later this Summer when new PCs start shipping with our software included they'll see that we're not part of the problem but part of the solution.

Let me put it this way, the PC OEMs have gotten the message about "craplets". They came to us to solve the problem, not exacerbate it. You'll see what I mean soon.

"PC Gaming is dead" I'm real bored about hearing that nonsense. There is no way on this Earth, is a Market Space of way over 500million PCs ever going to be a "dead" gaming industry. Will it change and evolve, thats for sure, and so it should. It'll have highs and lows, as with all business cycles. The lows usually caused by "bandwagons" as the short term revenue chasers run around like lemmings following the latest "trend".

The long term winners in any Market Space are the committed, the Brave, who are not afraid to go for what they know is right in the long term - never mind what the herd and bandwagons attempt to dictate via Fluffy marketing spin.

Dead? Not a chance, there is far too much money to be made in the PC Market Space by Investors who have their heads screwed on, and not immersed in a perpetual race for the short term dollar, and idiotic sound bites in gaming magazines.

Regards
Zy

Maybe you should write a book on how to tease the customer. I'm starting to wonder if you majored in it;) As one who is seeking the same goal, I eagerly await this most interesting development.

Would this software happen to be something that those of us who don't buy pre-built computers would want to put on their own machines?

Excelent question. I highly doubt it in my case, as I tend to run very very lean. Stupid Vista memory hog.

If I were doing it, I would use something similar to SDC - a central place to get all the free demo crap that usually comes preinstalled. It's there is you want it, but there's only one app actually on the hard drive at install. Of course, this would depend on the absolute dependability of the app and the service behind it.

Given that Stardock is involved, I'd bet they came up with something even better. Too bad it will be years before I see it  ( 

Yes.

I'm going to have to assume he's talking about more than just Object Desktop or something like that, or he wouldn't be so dead set on being tight lipped about it.

Or maybe it's a bluff. Wheels within wheels...

I don't think he was saying you should give up due to companies like steam (steam is definitely the best example btw), but that you could offer them use of yours or work out a deal as the more games you posses the more likely people will want to download and for the developers to be in your aplication.

So far you have three companies useing it, the faster you expand and show you have a superior product to steam (at the moment I'd say it's close with impulse, to improve you need to get the best achievement system possable. Xbox live is basicly the perfect example of this).

Back to what I was origionally going to say, it's not that we think you should give up, just that we want more companies to use your product over everything else becase we think:
1) You give the best customer feedback in forums
2) You have the best delivery-system (due to lack of DRM mostly )

^Thats the feeling I get arround the forum, hence why I perpousely desided to switch to "we".


If anyone disagrees speak up now!

I definitely think there's a niche for you. My question is I don't know how big the niche will be.

Gamersgate also lacks DRM- just like Stardock. I think the interface on SDC is a little better, and you guys are American- those are your comparative advantage. It may be a case where one dominates the US, and one dominates Europe (Paradox is the Swedish Stardock- or at least a 99% version of it)

One other game idea for you to try to get. Talk to Capcom about putting Street Fighter HD remix on Stardock Central- a lot of people on the forum want a PC version, and I think your business models would do well for each other.