I laud his attitude, but wouldn’t begrudge him one or two DLCs.
I think ConceredApe could follow the Deep Rock Galactic Model.
All content/story additiona are free updates. But to keep the lights on, every few months a cosmetic DLC drops that had no affect on the game what so ever, just lets player put money in the tip jar and get some cool threads and a hat for their troubles.
Alternatively tgey could use the Rimworld model: release DLCs that heavily change how you play the game, allowing you to tailor the game to your wants and needs that way.
While I do enjoy rimworld and tynan’s model, I don’t think it would be a good match for Stardew given how the game has a particular branching story it wants to tell and share with the player navigating choices, where rimworld is more heavily into an (almost) entirely randomly generated story where your long lost brother might show up as a pirate or deceased cousin offended some govt official so now they are applying pressure to your settlement as pay back. The cosmetic option would be a much better fit so players could have alternate options on how characters, tools, plants or monsters appear, to say nothing of the home making segment. Yes mods already make this an option, but the entire point of Cosmetic DLCs is a tip jar for the developer you get something back for, and a way to show your support. New content and story pack expansion by contrast can seriously change the flow of the game and many players do not view them as optional in the discussion.
I mean, he’s in a similar situation as Toby fox. He has the freedom to spend as much time as he wants on developing updates without worrying about money, so he doesn’t need to charge anything or ask money from players.
Would love some expansions, and many people don’t consider those dlcs
Evil plot twist: he has no family
More evil plot twist: his family has never had any honor.
Source: my family has no honor. I love them anyway. But if I swear on their honor that I’m not doing something then I’m 100% about to do it.
I swear on the soul of my father, Stardew Montoya, you will get all DLC for one price.
Meanwhile devs at blizzard felt a chill run up their spines
Let’s give him more money anyhow!
The Ape family name is at stake.
I’ll just buy the game again on a different steam account when I like the content added in yet another major update.
Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone is a shining star of how honesty and genuine care for the community can make you MUCH more successful than just trying to milk your content for every penny it’s worth.
Cultivate a following and it will grow. Exploit it and it will shrink. Crazy how nearly everyone in the industry has forgotten this
I don’t even play the game but I want to give him my money for being a good dev.
I wish they’d charge a little. Supporting them feels so good and I’ve run out of children to buy the game for haha
I’d be happy to pay for a large price of DLC, and if that means he needs to hire a couple programmers to make it happen, im fine paying their wage.
paying for cosmetics hats, though…