The game Standpoint is currently undergoing legal issues as developer Unruly Attractions claimed that the game was put on a pay-what-you-want sale without their permission. The company, Plug In Digital allegedly authorized this sale on IndieGameStand and had the following to say:
“There has been a miscommunication between Plug In Digital and [BulkyPix] regarding the IndieGameStand deal. The promotion proposal didn’t go through the usual process, resulting in BulkyPix not being aware nor validating this promotion. We apologize to [the developers of Standpoint] regarding any harm this issue may have caused.”
It seems that while all parties claim to be naïve in this regard, Plug In Digital admits the mistake, and I believe this issue will be resolved shortly.
Why Us Indie Gamers Should Care:
This minor issue may seem like a positive thing for us gamers to have the option to pay only a dollar for a game if we wish, but if the developers aren’t getting paid a certain amount, issues like this could lead to financial issues within a company and for its employees. This is a current trend in the indie game world, as many other developers have had similar issues with getting paid for their games. An article written by Kate Reichart titled “Top 5 Problems Faced by Indie Game Developers,” #3 states that “Protecting Your Work” is one of the biggest problems.
It just goes to show that if games aren’t properly sold and distributed, it’s us gamers that in the end lose as many games we enjoy may end up never receiving sequels, or even get finalized due to funding and financial issues. For more on this story or Standpoint, visit Reddit.com or indieHAVEN.com. You can read more about the problem on Kate’s blog.
