NEWS
by Mark Barley
'Torchlight 2' to be profitable at $20 a pop
Runic CEO Max Schaefer has stated that when the developer's RPG, Torchlight 2, releases this week on Steam, it will be profitable at $20.
Speaking recently with IGN, Schaefer stated that by releasing the game on Steam (digitally) it allows them to save money and make more of a profit.
“Back in the day, when we would sell a $60-dollar box, by the time the money came back to us, it would be maybe $14 dollars a copy,” he said. “And that’s what we get nowadays on Steam, selling a digital download version for $20. So from our perspective, we’re as viable and as profitable as an independent developer used to be selling $60 boxes.
“We’re bypassing the publisher and box distribution and that lets us bring a $60 game to people for $20. We don’t want people to look at Torchlight as a cheap game, because we think it’s competitive with anything out there. But we like the idea that we’re at this price.
“It sets us apart a little bit. We also want people to buy a Runic Games product without even thinking about it, because they know it’s always a good value.”
You'll be able to download Torchlight 2 this Thursday, September 20.
“We’re bypassing the publisher and box distribution and that lets us bring a $60 game to people for $20. We don’t want people to look at Torchlight as a cheap game, because we think it’s competitive with anything out there. But we like the idea that we’re at this price.
“It sets us apart a little bit. We also want people to buy a Runic Games product without even thinking about it, because they know it’s always a good value.”