If you've ever loved a game so much you wish you could pay even more for it to support the developers, then you're not alone, as one Baldur's Gate 3 dev has decried Steam for not providing the option to do just that.
When he isn't busy being the publishing director for Larian Studios, Michael Douse is often found on social media where he is a vocal critic of nefarious games industry practices, as well as a proud supporter of the best that the industry has to offer. In one such moment of support, he pondered on Twitter why he wasn't able to pay more than a game's retail price for no other reason than it simply being a great game.
Sometimes I stumble on an indie game (could be any economic level but often indie for me) that I love so much. For example this last one costs €8. I want to give the developer €30, for example, because it fucking slaps. It’s curious to me that via Steam, you’re unable to do…January 22, 2025
"Sometimes I stumble on an indie game that I love so much," he begins. "For example this last one costs €8. I want to give the developer €30, for example, because it fucking slaps." He then goes on to question why this isn't an option, stating "It's curious to me that via Steam, you're unable to do that."
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He's quick to clarify that this isn't a call for everyone to pay more for their games - not all games are worth more than their asking price, after all - but that the option should be there. "I'm not suggesting anyone should pay more than the listed price for a game, but I want to pay more than the listed price for a game, but I want to give this dude €30 because his game fucking slaps. Probably a sensible reason as to why Steam can't (or hasn't) allowed this, but it seems like an option that should exist."
This isn't the first time that an idea like this has been floated. Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra notably faced significant backlash for suggesting that players should tip game developers on top of what they pay for a game. That being said, players would certainly be more open to tipping a solo dev and their cheap indie title than tipping a behemoth like Blizzard, so perhaps the idea has legs after all.
Until then, Douse has a potential backup option in mind. "Maybe I'll just start buying a bunch of copies of my favorite indies and putting keys up here as a sort of cultural enrichment scheme."
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