I've just seen this article that makes it look like devs are thinking into the direction to make this game a complete either exclusive of Epic game store or google stadia.

https://www.gamewatcher.com/news/humankind-epic-stadia-exclusive

It's being made by Amplitude Studios, the talent behind Endless Legend and Endless Space, and their recent interview suggests that Humankind may yet launch as an Epic or Stadia exclusive. 

The developers also said:

"Frankly, if somebody comes in and says, ‘Hey, do you want $25 million and we’ll make you an exclusive?’ We’re going to go," said Spock in Amplitude's latest interview. "We are a for-profit organisation and you have to assume the consequences of that"

I must say i'm shocked. I'm definitely not buying into another platform just for this game no matter how good it turns out to be. I'm not angry, i'm just disappointed.

I do not think this is going to happen. If i recall correctly I read an interview with one of the devs who said that they also had a good relationship with Steam over the last 8 years.

But who knows... Time will tell.

tomsonhagen wrote:

I do not think this is going to happen. If i recall correctly I read an interview with one of the devs who said that they also had a good relationship with Steam over the last 8 years.

But who knows... Time will tell.

If Epic game store offers them money then steam will have to present more than just good relationship points.

It's already on the Steam Store. So I doubt they are going to pull it to make it exclusive to some shoddy third-rate digital distributor where it won't sell half as well.

I've read that from Metro. And I don't think your concern is valid one.

JS: [laughs] Right! But we are a for-profit organisation and you have to assume the consequences of that. But right now we’ve had a great relationship with Steam for eight years. There’s a lot of other options out there… of course we’re talking to them. Of course you have marketing visits from people.

But I don’t even know, marketing doesn’t, she’s PR [points to PR woman] and she doesn’t know… We’re talking to everybody, but I would hate to ruin our relationship with Steam or make the community angry.

Thankfully I just do the writing and a bit of design. That’s not my responsibility. [laughs]

It might be right to say Amplitude's Narrative Director was bit defensive on that matter, but I can't interpret that into "we're considering about publishing Humankind on Epic-exclusive" or something similar. Ampli-dudes are really sensitive to community reaction. This platform would be a strong evidence.

PARAdoxiBLE wrote:

I've read that from Metro. And I don't think your concern is valid one.

JS: [laughs] Right! But we are a for-profit organisation and you have to assume the consequences of that. But right now we’ve had a great relationship with Steam for eight years. There’s a lot of other options out there… of course we’re talking to them. Of course you have marketing visits from people.

But I don’t even know, marketing doesn’t, she’s PR [points to PR woman] and she doesn’t know… We’re talking to everybody, but I would hate to ruin our relationship with Steam or make the community angry.

Thankfully I just do the writing and a bit of design. That’s not my responsibility. [laughs]

It might be right to say Amplitude's Narrative Director was bit defensive on that matter, but I can't interpret that into "we're considering about publishing Humankind on Epic-exclusive" or something similar. Ampli-dudes are really sensitive to community reaction. This platform would be a strong evidence.

Yeah, that is the Interview I mentioned earlier. So i don't think this will happen.

To be fair if I was in the same situation, for 25 million €, I would probably do the same.

That being said, doing so would cripple the "Humankind" potential as staple series akin to "Civilization" on the long run (which I am 99% sure is the intention here) so I really doubt they would ever do that.

I only buy games on Steam or GOG.   NO.  EXCEPTIONS.   Not even for amplitude.     

I really don't like to think about Epic sniping a game from some of my favorite developers, eugh. It'd be a surprise for sure, since basically every game that Epic has sniped has had a ridiculous amount of community backlash, and Amplitude cares very much about their community. But man, without an official confirmation, the worry is always there...

It would certainly be a way to kill any hype for the game, can't have any of those pesky customers showing interest.

Honestly while I have zero love for Epic if a small developer wants to take that exclusivity deal I dont blame them. Now Amplitude is in Sega's stable so I dont imagine they are in a desperate need for cash to push Humankind along and Sega dont seem interested in Epics siren song so far. 

I would play it on Epic store if it meant we got a better game and more money for the developers themselves of course. But I feel like the Epic controversy has become such a toxic partisan issue its simply not worth wading into your better off just taking that rather hefty Valve cut into your profits.

dragontyron wrote:

But man, without an official confirmation, the worry is always there...

Exactly. If Amplitude is an honest company to their consumer they will clarify this issue and present us their current commitments regarding what platform they are 100% willing to commit to.  

A company, that doesn't hide secrets to their consumers is the most honest company.

The worst thing Amplitude could do right now regarding this speculation is be silent. Because someone, who isn't devoted to the player would also prefer to have an excuse to be silent whenever speculation regarding anti-consumer practices start to occur (like what happened to EA and so on). 

Yes, we could sit back here, pretend nothing is happening until it happens, and hope that amplitude does abide by some unwritten rules of fairness to their customers, but i would rather see them confirm this notion here explicitly without us having to speculate this by analyzing some old inteviews and interperating it favorably to cover the devs asses . Devs are active on these forums, I know, i wish they would explicitly deny or confirm the allegations.

MasterofMobius wrote:

Honestly while I have zero love for Epic if a small developer wants to take that exclusivity deal I dont blame them. Now Amplitude is in Sega's stable so I dont imagine they are in a desperate need for cash to push Humankind along and Sega dont seem interested in Epics siren song so far. 

I would play it on Epic store if it meant we got a better game and more money for the developers themselves of course. But I feel like the Epic controversy has become such a toxic partisan issue its simply not worth wading into your better off just taking that rather hefty Valve cut into your profits.

Honestly, if it eventually comes to EPIC exclusively, i would buy it just to show my support to the devs, uninstall epic and install a pirated version. I wouldn't even be bothered with multiplayer. If it's a good, it should be good in singleplayer. Multiplayer is just a cool bonus.

I am sick of these launchers and all these stupid menus and windows that you have to navigate through, it's BS and i'm entitled to feel that I'm not required to have them.

I fucking HOPE it comes on gog and not epic store exclusively

I'm planning on buying this the instant it hits pre-order.   But not unless we get a firm communication on this 'Epic' nonsense.  

Thank you!❤️

Catodion wrote:

dragontyron wrote:

But man, without an official confirmation, the worry is always there...

Exactly. If Amplitude is an honest company to their consumer they will clarify this issue and present us their current commitments regarding what platform they are 100% willing to commit to.  

A company, that doesn't hide secrets to their consumers is the most honest company.

The worst thing Amplitude could do right now regarding this speculation is be silent. Because someone, who isn't devoted to the player would also prefer to have an excuse to be silent whenever speculation regarding anti-consumer practices start to occur (like what happened to EA and so on). 

Yes, we could sit back here, pretend nothing is happening until it happens, and hope that amplitude does abide by some unwritten rules of fairness to their customers, but i would rather see them confirm this notion here explicitly without us having to speculate this by analyzing some old inteviews and interperating it favorably to cover the devs asses . Devs are active on these forums, I know, i wish they would explicitly deny or confirm the allegations.

What are they supposed to say?  "We will never be exclusive to one retail platform"?  No one could say that.  "Never" and "always" shouldn't be in any credible orgaizations communications.  If Sega strikes a deal with someone a month from now, a year from now, etc., then Sega strikes a deal.  

The game's listed on Steam.  That says a lot more than idle speculation from an interview.

Jodet wrote:

I'm planning on buying this the instant it hits pre-order.   But not unless we get a firm communication on this 'Epic' nonsense.  

Umm, if it hits pre-order, it's on that platform, right?  Unless you're pre-ordering it through Epic, I'm not sure there's a concern?