Retro VGS: A new cartridge based Video Game System for the modern age

[MikeRox]

PxlStorm said:

WolfpackN64 said:

PxlStorm said:

Which (indie-)developer would be willing to make cartridge-based releases in the age of Steam and other digital platforms?

Vblank with Retro City Rampage would be interested, They have a release game with The Adventures of the Tiny Knight from CollectorVision. Those are the only 2 confirmed yet , but they stated they are talking with other devs, including AAA devs. They even have an industry advisory board with people who worked with Atari to attract support.

 

No AAA dev will release their games on this system, I can promise you that. (even if this system's creators are begging for it)

Think this pretty much sums up how much the point of this  system is being missed by so many on here.

There is a small niche of developers who DO want to make games in this sort of way. There is also a group of gamers (particularly the people who buy Retro Gamer Magazine) who would love a proposition like this (myself included).

It's not meant to sell lots. Ouya was a completely different proposition, it was a games console aimed at a group who don't want a games console (phone gamers). This is a system aimed at people's nostalgia for cartridge gaming (something Ouya NEVER offered). I actually know people who refuse to buy any digital software due to DRM (unless it's the DRM free stuff GOG offers). However, they would gladly pay a premium for a physical release.

At the end of the day, these indie developers are after every sale they can get. To think otherwise misunderstands the nature of the market. If they can sell an extra 500-1000 units at an $8 premium, that's more than worth t for them. These are the kinds of run that'll be done initially for this and you know what, if you're making an extra 1000 sales at $10 profit over what you've already done on steam etc that's still $10,000 extra money, which is no small change to these kinds of projects.

However the comments saying they can't afford this also miss, $20 game already pays $7ish to most stores be it iOS/Android/Steam/PSN/XBL/Eshop. So actually, if it only costs them $8 to make a physical version due to no licensing etc. That actually means the margins will be identical to those digital releases. (people forgetting that there is a 30% cut for the store owners?)

This system has a lot of potential. It's never going to be anything huge, but it caters to a market that could make it very successful within the scope of it's inception. Could be fun to see this thread in a few years time.