Limited Run Games (producing physical copies of digital games)

[mailman187666]

Anybody know what's up with the LRG forum? It's been down for some time now, only showing an error. I'm just wondering if I should keep bothering to check in or if it's been confirmed anywhere that it's down for good, considering LRG already decided a while ago to turn it over to the fans and no longer regard it as an official board.

I would also like to know as well. I'd say twitter or discord may have that info, but I don't use either of those. The LRG forum and FB were/are my main sources for LRG info.

[mailman187666]

found a redit that LRG responded to https://www.reddit.com/r/limitedrun/comments/esv545/lrg_officially_unofficial_forum_down/

looks like the last thing mentioned was that "LRG was trying to figure out what is going on with the forum site themselves".

[Aussie2B]

Thanks for looking into it. I guess I'll keep checking back now and then.

[mailman187666]

Now it actually looks like the LRG website is down. It almost seems like they are getting hacked or something.

Another gaming forum I visit, cheap ass gamer, has given me a message saying that people may be trying to steal my information, so I have been staying away from there lately too.

EDIT: LRG site game back up.

[kupomogli]

Brigandine Legend of Runersia is available on LRG from May 1 to May 31st as a preorder. It has a standard edition for $49.99 and a Limited Edition for $74.99. The LE includes the game, a poster, a soundtrack, and a pin.

On the LRG it also states that both versions come included with a full color interior and booklet. So whether you get the collector's edition or not it's still coming with an instruction manual.

https://nintendoeverything.com/wp-content/uploads/brigandine-physical.jpg

[Mattiekrome]

Forum is still down. I haven't been very into LRG in the last while, it got to be too big, too much to keep track of, and too EXPENSIVE! I wen't back just lastnight to get a copy of my trade/want list. It was perfect, finely tuned after months of work on it. Couldn't access it, so that was kind of a bummer. Here's to hoping they get it going again. It's hard to connect with others on LRG stuff.

[Aussie2B]

At this point, I don't expect the forum to ever return, and even if it does, a lot of the users probably won't return. I hear ya on losing interest in LRG. It was a lot more fun following them when they had a release now and then, not cranking out a bunch of new stuff basically every week.

[mailman187666]

I know people have heard this a million times on the internet. If you stick to just what you really want and try to curb impulse buying, LRG is a great resource of games.

Also I am not surprised that the forum closed and is still gone. Right towards the end there seemed to still be a good amount of complaining about LRG. One person came on and said something like "I wouldn't even piss on Doug if he was one fire" and said he was a scumbag or something along those lines. Doug came and made a surprise visit to make it known that he read this comment just by replying "wow", and the poster started doing some serious backpedaling on what he had said, saying "Oh thats a common expression in our country, it's not that bad". I wouldn't be surprised if that was the part that made LRG ask themselves "we helped out fans leaving the forums open and here they are slandering me/us." It wasn't long after that exchange that the forum closed. I can't say whether those two events are connected or not, but it does seem pretty coincidental.

[Aussie2B]

I don't know if the forum was purposely pulled down, but with comments like those on there, I'm sure that killed any motivation to put in any work to restore it, if it genuinely went down because of an error. I was going there for information, since I didn't want to keep tabs on a bunch of different social media accounts, but even I was getting turned off by the atmosphere there.

[gbpxl]

LRG: games for people who dont play games

[Aussie2B]

I don't see how that comment makes sense. Everybody who has posted in this topic plays games. I've opened and at least briefly played almost every LRG game I've bought, and I've played several to completion (or otherwise sunk a good amount of time into them, like the Atari Flash Classics compilation).

[gbpxl]

you guys are the exception not the rule. id say a very large percentage of the buyers are shelf collectors. hey to each their own i just see a lot of crossover between LRG buyers and the "sealed" collector community

[Aussie2B]

Between LRG's forum, Twitter, GameFAQs, and elsewhere, I've come across lots of people who open and play LRG's games. The sealed collectors exist, but they also buy mainstream releases, so it's not exclusive to LRG. And there are plenty of retro collectors who buy used, opened games but don't really play them. Even in my case, I buy games with the intention of playing them, but with a big collection and limited gaming time, much of my collection sits on shelves for years and years, even decades, without being played.

[mailman187666]

I leave some sealed and I open some. I've even bought their limit of 2 for a couple games to open one and leave one sealed. I almost always buy them to open and play, but like Aussie said, the backlog situation is real. On rare occasions I will admit I get a little crazy with it. If I get to opening an LRG game that has been on the shelf for awhile, I look up the value on ebay and see what it'll truly cost me to take that shrink wrap off. Most times, I don't care and just want to play it. Most of the ones I still have sealed are ones I bought that I already have digital versions of (transistor, bastion) ones that I bought specifically to leave sealed (Bloodstained COtM CE, cover variants of games I've already opened), or when I've visited them at Pax East and bought a bunch and never found time to play (Curses and Chaos, Oceanhorn).

I'm not really a sealed game collector much. With retro games, I never buy sealed because that's not why I collect. Sure I would buy one if the price was close to a used copy, but I'm not about to drop an extra $100 on a game that the seal will get torn on being on my shelf with non sealed games. Or it would have to be at a price where I know the value is much greater.

[Aussie2B]

Yeah, I suspect a lot of the sealed collectors are still playing the games, just not specifically the physical version they own. They're all available digitally, and in many cases, you can pick up the digital version for no more than a few bucks. On top of that, the digital versions are usually available long before LRG's physical run (even if the sales date is simultaneous, LRG takes forever to ship). And with many of LRG's releases, there's absolutely nothing inside the case but the disc/card, so unless you're just dying to look at the disc art, you're not missing out on anything by playing the digital version and keeping the physical sealed. Some people just like to have the option of owning a tangible version of a game they're enjoying digitally or to have the option to throw a little more money the developer's way. That's definitely the case with some games I own, from LRG and others. Pretty sure my copy of London Detective Mysteria is still sealed, since I already downloaded and started playing it digitally before the physical version had even been announced. I also got a copy of the Secret of Mana remake on PS4 that's still sealed because I played through it digitally on Vita.

[mailman187666]

Did anyone else know about a Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection coming out for PS4/switch/steam before they plucked down nearly the same amount for just Samurai Shodown V Special?

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/05/samurai_shodown_neo_geo_collection_launches_this_j uly_on_nintendo_switch

I think I learned a lesson here about being cautious of the titles that are oddly split up and sold seperately like this. The collection actually has Samurai Shodown V Special as well as Perfect on it.

Now with the blaster master releases coming up soon, I have no choice but to wonder whether these will come bundled and released at retail. It's getting more difficult to buy games new these days because it seems like you get better versions of the same thing not too long afterwards. Just seeing others' thoughts, as I didn't know about a collection previously (other than for PSP and PS2).

[kupomogli]

Did anyone else know about a Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection coming out for PS4/switch/steam before they plucked down nearly the same amount for just Samurai Shodown V Special?

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/05/samurai_shodown_neo_geo_collection_launches_this_j uly_on_nintendo_switch

I think I learned a lesson here about being cautious of the titles that are oddly split up and sold seperately like this. The collection actually has Samurai Shodown V Special as well as Perfect on it.

Now with the blaster master releases coming up soon, I have no choice but to wonder whether these will come bundled and released at retail. It's getting more difficult to buy games new these days because it seems like you get better versions of the same thing not too long afterwards. Just seeing others' thoughts, as I didn't know about a collection previously (other than for PSP and PS2).

Blaster Master Zero 1 and 2 are both $10 each while LRG is charging $30 for each of them. So much for the "we never charge more than $10 over the digital price except our minimum of $25."

The thing is, is that we know it's possible to do many of these releases as compilations as most other publishers will either develop a UI to select between each game or just allow each game to be downloaded individually on the console. For example, if you've ever played The Banner Saga, when going to the game, the game actually has you go down and then select which title that you want to play from PSN itself as all three games are on the disc without any additional UI.

LRG is the literal representation of greed. They delete information that they've once said, they'll call out and straight up lie about other publishers, constantly make false claims, they overprice their games by absurd amounts, release severely unpatched games to get the games out asap, etc to fulfill their agenda; getting as much money as possible regardless of any claims they've made when they initially started their business. If there was any other way to get these games then I'd purchase from anywhere else, but when it's perceived that they're the only ones we can get the games from, we're stuck.

The worst part about it is they do all this bs while it's a limited retail release so they get you by FOMO. If it's a game you're interested in, you can't expect it to come out from anywhere but them. It's even worse when they've started putting into their contracts threats of legal action if developers or third party publishers release information about releasing the same game before LRG finishes their preorders. To put it nicely, LRG has some of the scummiest business practices in the industry. I'd say they're the Nordic Games of the budget indie publishers. I use Nordic Games as a reference as they're another company I dislike that happens to get publishing rights to some games I'm really interested in, then pushes out the game incomplete with bugs and glitches out the a**.

[Aussie2B]

The whole +$10 thing only applied when they were solely releasing Vita and PS4 games (well, and a PC game once in a blue moon). When they first started doing Switch games, they were pretty forthcoming about how they'd be more expensive and that platform variants of Switch games would have price parity. Granted, there's the price hike on Kemco RPGs, which has nothing to do with the Switch. Ever since LRG canceled some of the Vita Kemco releases, they've charged more for the PS4 Kemco releases to make up for the lost revenue, which is pretty crappy, in my opinion.

The fact they prey upon FOMO sucks, but the consumer has to take some personal responsibility there. Nobody is forcing anybody to buy LRG's releases. I went from buying literally everything LRG was selling at the very beginning to not buying anything from them since December, and I sold off a ton of games I had bought from them. People should buy stuff from LRG because they want what they have to offer, not because they can't get a grip on their own obsessive-compulsive collecting, where they're buying stuff just to temporarily placate their anxiety over possibly missing something. Besides, LRG releases don't vanish into thin air after they're sold out. On top of being available digitally, LRG and their copycats have flooded the market with so many of these types of releases that most don't command much, if any, of a premium secondhand. You can often buy a copy of a game that's still sealed for no more, if not less, than what LRG charged (+ their shipping fee and tax). Heck, I've had some LRG releases listed for months where I'm only trying to break even on them, and they still haven't sold.

[mailman187666]

I'm not really mad about the Samurai Shodown thing. I will either leave it sealed off to the side or sell it when it comes in. It's no worse than buying a game and finding out you don't like it. I am going to be very picky when they release the SNK games going forward though, no big deal. I have always just bought what I actually want from LRG and have never really bought everything they released. I saw the rabbit hole that full set collecting would entail way before they had weekly releases.

In my opinion, these are the things you need to have in mind and be OK with or be mindful of when doing business with LRG, and some things apply to many other retail businesses as well. I am OK with these things, so that's why I choose to do business with LRG):

-Shipping will take a long time
-I am not any more special than any other customer of theirs, no matter how long I've been a customer, or how much I've spent
-A better or cheaper version of the same game may get released in the future (from anyone)
-The game you buy will not always appreciate in value
-You may have to miss out on some things
-The LRG of today may not be the same LRG of tomorrow

I don't get too emotionally involved with LRG or their games. I am a fan; nothing more, nothing less. I am a fan enough that I traveled to their popup shop, and make purchases from them at PAX East when I go. Not enough of one to get mad if I miss out on stuff, or if they do things I don't agree with.

[kupomogli]

Blaster Master Zero 2 DLC announced. You know LRG had to be aware of this, but hey, it's LRG, let's jump on the game asap to sell the games as two separate titles since there are other publishers who might develop and sell it as a collection.

[Kid Fenris]

Oh no, now I'll have to pay $1.99 extra for the DLC minigame. How could you, Limited Run Games, HOW COULD YOU?!

[kupomogli]

Oh no, now I'll have to pay $1.99 extra for the DLC minigame. How could you, Limited Run Games, HOW COULD YOU?!

My thoughts exactly.

[Tron 2.0]

Did anyone else know about a Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection coming out for PS4/switch/steam before they plucked down nearly the same amount for just Samurai Shodown V Special?

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/05/samurai_shodown_neo_geo_collection_launches_this_j uly_on_nintendo_switch

I think I learned a lesson here about being cautious of the titles that are oddly split up and sold seperately like this. The collection actually has Samurai Shodown V Special as well as Perfect on it.

Now with the blaster master releases coming up soon, I have no choice but to wonder whether these will come bundled and released at retail. It's getting more difficult to buy games new these days because it seems like you get better versions of the same thing not too long afterwards. Just seeing others' thoughts, as I didn't know about a collection previously (other than for PSP and PS2).
Annoyed,LRG got the rights to do this i rather have snk sold it at retail directly like the japanese release is getting.I still want a physical copy so i may just buy the asian or the japanese version instead.
https://www.play-asia.com/samurai-shodown-neogeo-collection-multi-language/13/70diut

[Aussie2B]

Yeah, the whole LRG concept is good for games that had no chance of getting a traditional physical run, but it's disappointing seeing companies like SNK, Sega, Square Enix, XSEED, Idea Factory International, etc. go that route when they really could handle manufacturing and distributing copies themselves.

[Bojay1997]

Annoyed,LRG got the rights to do this i rather have snk sold it at retail directly like the japanese release is getting.I still want a physical copy so i may just buy the asian or the japanese version instead.
https://www.play-asia.com/samurai-shodown-neogeo-collection-multi-language/13/70diut

It's already been confirmed that there will be a standard retail release without LRG being involved.

[Gameguy]

Yeah, the whole LRG concept is good for games that had no chance of getting a traditional physical run, but it's disappointing seeing companies like SNK, Sega, Square Enix, XSEED, Idea Factory International, etc. go that route when they really could handle manufacturing and distributing copies themselves.
Why pay to distribute your own games when another company would be willing to pay those costs for you? It's just as much a problem with LRG accepting these companies rather than sticking to small companies that really can't publish their own games. Of course LRG is just focussed on making money, the collector market is just a niche they're wanting to exploit rather than serve towards and help.

I'm just looking through their site for the first time in awhile and there's so many variants for the same game, just different cover art or slightly different bundles. It's really difficult to look through with how the listings are organized as it all blends together. I don't see titles for the games unless I hover my mouse over them, it's otherwise difficult to read from the boxes as the art is so busy. They do organize the releases by system too, but the oldest releases are first and the most recent ones are on the last page, I don't get why it's set up this way.

[Tron 2.0]

It's already been confirmed that there will be a standard retail release without LRG being involved.
That's good to know i'm gonna pass on the collectors edition then for samurai shodown.

[Aussie2B]

All businesses are created for the purpose of turning a profit. That doesn't mean they're all exploitative. People who make, publish, distribute, etc. video games need to put roofs over their heads and food on their tables too. If we held gaming to some sort of purity test where games were created and distributed for free, without a focus on making money, then the average quality of games would only go down because they'd be made by amateurs who do it on the side when they're not working to make a living.

I don't blame LRG at all for accepting these partnerships. It would be stupid for them to turn down publishers with name recognition and games they know will sell well. It's not a scenario at all unique to LRG either. For example, Square Enix is using Strictly Limited Games to distribute games under the Taito brand. These publishers can and have in the past easily absorbed the cost of creating and distributing smaller runs for their releases that are more niche, and when they do it themselves, they don't have to split the profits with these LRG-style companies. I think the main motivation is that, because these games are sold for a limited time when using a company with a business model like LRG's, they can better ensure quickly selling through the whole stock at whatever price was set. If you distribute via GameStop, Amazon, etc., you're at the mercy of however many copies these retailers want to order, and the game very well may see markdowns. On top of that, you have companies like GameStop selling used copies, so that eats into the sales potential of new copies. But how consumer-friendly a company is can affect sales too, especially long-term. As a consumer, I much prefer games to see wide releases when at all possible. That way I have multiple options in terms of where I can buy a game, and I can do so at my leisure, without worrying about being on a specific site at a specific date and time. Even the one-month preorder windows that LRG does for many of their releases these days is pretty limited compared to going on Amazon and ordering a game that was released months or even years ago. I wish these bigger companies would put more stock into how consumer-friendly their distribution models are.

[Gameguy]

I wish these bigger companies would put more stock into how consumer-friendly their distribution models are.
That's really the main thing, I want things better for consumers. As it is with LRG releases they're only available from one source at whatever pricing they decide on for a very limited time, it's not as flexible as items available through traditional retail channels, or at least multiple online sources.

Just looking now, Fan Gamer is still selling boxed copies of Thimbleweed Park for PC. I still haven't played it but I bought a copy over 2 years ago, and it's still available for sale which I find pretty impressive. Not all merchandise produced for the game is still available, but the game itself still is. And the website isn't hideous to look through.

As for how businesses are run, I would suggest looking into the history of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream for a comparison. Even just to look into as a piece of interest(as I found it interesting). They didn't just focus on profits, they also focussed on social responsibility. They still wanted to make money, just not as much money as absolutely possible if they'd have to compromise on their values. I don't get that feeling from LRG, it feels like they just want to make as much money as they possibly can. Even though LRG is a small company it feels soulless like any giant corporation.

[Aussie2B]

I feel LRG has some values. I don't question that the founders are gamers and collectors themselves, and I do believe they try to offer products they themselves would want. The only problem is that many of the things they value as collectors are the aspects of collecting I've always found dumb and annoying. For example, some people loved collecting all the different disc art variants of Working Designs games, but I find variants pointless, and I think they just prey upon obsessive-compulsive collecting tendencies, which then leaves fewer copies to go around for those of us who just want a single copy. For another example, some collectors like limited editions to be as big and showy as possible, but I find that gaudy and woudl rather have an LE that's as compact as the contents allow (preferably in a size that matches other LEs for the same platform) and respects the limited space that many people have in their homes. I know at least one of the LRG guys is also really big on collecting sealed games, so they also try to cater to people who do the same (by allowing people to buy two copies even of games with extremely small print runs, just so the sealed collectors can have one to open and one to keep sealed), but again that leaves fewer copies to go around for people who just want one.

The funny thing about LRG's site is that we know they're capable of having drop-down menus on items, like when they sold NES copies of GALF, where you could select either white or green for the cartridge shell, yet when they have these games available on multiple platforms, with multiple different versions of each (standard, LE, bundled with extra items, etc.), they don't bother to condense it all into one page with a drop-down to select which version of the game you want. But it kind of feels like they're just listing things in that manner out of habit. It was fine when they had fewer items for sale at a time, but now they have a bunch of stuff available simultaneously at basically all times.

[mailman187666]

I have to give it to LRG. It looks like I am set to receive my PS4 copy of streets of rage tomorrow. With the announcement of the retail releases, I wonder if they wanted to make sure that LRG customers wouldn't have to wait too long. I hear they are also including a bonus soundtrack. I was fine ordering the LRG copy even without the bonus and quicker shipping. I hear a lot of flak about the cover art for the game, but that isn't even something that had crossed my mind until I heard other people mention it. In fact I still don't mind the cover art.

[Tron 2.0]

Well LRG had there digital event recently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4R2X64Bf58
By the way i did get my copy of sor4 recently from lrg for switch.For what i'm interested in are these games.

Bloodstain Curse of the Moon 2
Mighty Volt Gunburst
Grandia HD Collection
Castlevania Anniversary Collection
Shantae,hey i all ways wanted a copy without paying for what scalpers want for a original.
Garou MOTW,if this is the codemystic release then great they went back to the game and put in rollback for the netcode.

[Aussie2B]

There's also this text list if anyone wants to see the lineup at a quick glance: https://limitedrungames.com/blogs/news/lrg3-2020

I'm glad Papers, Please is finally coming out of limbo. It's ridiculous how long LRG is sitting on these last couple Vita games.

That I'll definitely pick up, but I'm also leaning toward getting Curse of the Moon 2, Castlevania Anniversary Collection, and Shantae. I still don't have a Switch, so I guess I'd go with PS4 for the first two. I'd much rather play Curse of the Moon 2 on my Vita, like the first one, but even if they did a digital release, a Western physical release for Vita is obviously impossible at this point. I don't care too much about platform for the Castlevania collection. I want it more just because I'm such a big fan of the franchise (even met my husband through our mutual love of the series) than for playing purposes. I already have carts of all the games on the collection and would be more inclined to pull those out for playing through the games, though I am interested in seeing what, if any, localization work they did on Kid Dracula. With Shantae, I'd love to own the original, but I too am not about to pay the insane prices. I've be thinking for a while that I'd settle on the Virtual Console version on 3DS, but if I can get a legit copy (albeit only half-licensed) I can pop into my GBA SP, that'd be better yet.

[kupomogli]

I'll be picking up Grandia, Castlevania, Bloodstained, and Mummy Demastered.

[Aussie2B]

Well, the sale of Papers, Please for Vita yesterday was an absolute disaster. The first batch sold out in what appeared to be less than 90 seconds and the second in what appeared to be less than 60, and with the queue they stick you in, only a fraction of that was available for actually completing checkout. I did everything as I always did, which had never failed me thus far, and I literally couldn't go through the pages any faster (and this is on a high-speed connection), and yet I still got the sold out message mid-checkout on both attempts. My five year streak of buying literally every Vita release from LRG, down the toilet, when there were only two games remaining, no less. Even though they've talked about rewarding Vita full setters with a free game after these last two games, loyalty clearly means nothing to LRG because they made no attempt to ensure that the Vita collectors who have been supporting them since the very beginning with Breach & Clear could get a copy of this. Every copy of Papers, Please that they included in blind boxes back on New Years should be going to their loyal customers who missed out yesterday, but LRG cared more about clearing out their stock of less desirable Vita games. Unfortunately, I don't imagine Papers, Please is going to be among the LRG titles that don't sell for much of any markup on eBay.

[Gameguy]

Of course LRG is just focussed on making money, the collector market is just a niche they're wanting to exploit rather than serve towards and help.

All businesses are created for the purpose of turning a profit. That doesn't mean they're all exploitative. People who make, publish, distribute, etc. video games need to put roofs over their heads and food on their tables too.

I don't get that feeling from LRG, it feels like they just want to make as much money as they possibly can. Even though LRG is a small company it feels soulless like any giant corporation.

I feel LRG has some values. I don't question that the founders are gamers and collectors themselves, and I do believe they try to offer products they themselves would want.
But;


Even though they've talked about rewarding Vita full setters with a free game after these last two games, loyalty clearly means nothing to LRG because they made no attempt to ensure that the Vita collectors who have been supporting them since the very beginning with Breach & Clear could get a copy of this. Every copy of Papers, Please that they included in blind boxes back on New Years should be going to their loyal customers who missed out yesterday, but LRG cared more about clearing out their stock of less desirable Vita games.

So, are you feeling any different about the company now? It sounds like you are compared to what you said earlier. It actually wouldn't surprise me if they purposely excluded you and other "full setters" from being able to purchase the game just to keep anyone from getting the promised free games in the future.


A bit of a side note. Honestly a rerelease for Shantae on the Gameboy Color sounds really cool, but as it's probably going to sell out in 30 seconds and/or be priced at $200 for a super deluxe collector's edition I can't build excitement for it. I'm still hoping to find an original copy.

[Aussie2B]

Instead of showing any sympathy or discussing the details of the release, are you seriously just looking for an opportunity to get in an "I told you so" here? :/

No, I don't think how I expressed myself about the Papers, Please release contradicts what I said prior, and, yes, I still agree with what I said in the quoted lines. Sorry, but I don't think in extremes and absolutes. I don't think LRG is "just" focused on making money, and they don't need to be a charity giving away all their releases for free to prove that. And when I say they have "some" values, that doesn't mean they exactly share all of my values.

I've been very consistent over these five years in pointing out lots of mistakes I believe LRG has made. I don't think they're an evil, exploitative company doing everything wrong, nor do I think they're perfect and doing everything right. I've been labeled as both an "LRG fanboy" and an "LRG hater", and to me at least, I feel that means I'm striking the right middle ground.

It's a silly conspiracy theory to believe they purposely prevented full setters from getting Papers, Please. For one, many full setters have stated that they did get an order in. Second, it would take significant work to set up something like that, and Shopify isn't built to accommodate that. Lastly, there would be little benefit to LRG. The bonus game is already manufactured. As it is, given Sony's minimum print run sizes, LRG is likely sitting on way more copies than there were full setters even before the sale of Papers, Please, so they'll probably be selling a bunch regardless, throwing them into blind boxes, or using them as contest prizes. They've also already stated that people would still qualify for the free game even if they missed a release or two. The problem isn't the bonus game here, only that I think they should be doing more to help the loyal customers get the remaining two games and shouldn't have included the game in blind boxes prior to the standard sales day. And for what it's worth, they have been encouraging full setters on Twitter to open support tickets so that they can get added to a wait list and possibly hooked up with a copy from orders cancelled due to scalpers using bots and what have you.

As for Shantae, both the Switch and GBC version have been confirmed as an open pre-order. There might be a limited CE, but standard copies should be available for weeks.

[Spartacus]

Well, the sale of Papers, Please for Vita yesterday was an absolute disaster. The first batch sold out in what appeared to be less than 90 seconds and the second in what appeared to be less than 60, and with the queue they stick you in, only a fraction of that was available for actually completing checkout. I did everything as I always did, which had never failed me thus far, and I literally couldn't go through the pages any faster (and this is on a high-speed connection), and yet I still got the sold out message mid-checkout on both attempts.

My experience exactly. Both times kicked out at PayPal while checking out as fast as I possibly could. Immediately afterwards I checked LRG's twitter feed and it was already lit up with unhappy customers. Because I was never really trying for an LRG Vita full set, though I probably have them all except for this one, I consoled myself with the thought that Papers, Please might end up with a physical copy on the PS4 or Switch. Vita exclusives interest me, but I don't consider myself much of a handheld gamer.

[Aussie2B]

It's a shame Papers, Please isn't already available on PS4 and Switch. I think that could've helped the physical Vita release go smoother. I was seeing comments on Twitter from fans of the game buying LRG's release despite the fact that they don't even own a Vita, just because they wanted the game in physical form for some platform. I imagine there are a fair number of people who would've preferred buying it for a different platform.

[Greg2600]

https://limitedrungames.com/products/sega-saturn-sega-cd-replacement-jewel-cases-10-pack

Finally

[mailman187666]

https://limitedrungames.com/products/sega-saturn-sega-cd-replacement-jewel-cases-10-pack

Finally

I have gotten a couple of the CEs that have these cases in them. My question to you guys is if you were a hardcore saturn/sega CD collector, and you bought a rare game off ebay, would you want to know ahead of time if it's an original case or an LRG re-issue? I personally notice a difference in material and think I'd want to pay less for a game that had the re-issue over an original case. Maybe I'm just being nitpicky.

[Aussie2B]

I would prefer original packaging, but if the alternative is a cracked up case, I'll take a replacement, as long as it's not noticeably different to me. But I feel like pieces should be replaced on an as-needed basis. I wouldn't want the entire case replaced if only the front lid was cracked. I've never replaced any of my longbox jewel cases and have no intention on buying replacements (though I too have some of these cases already in various LRG CEs, which honestly I think were pretty dumb inclusions versus something I could get more use out of, like an OST or art book, and is more relevant to the game [why should Cosmic Star Heroine get a Sega CD-style case when the game is just as much, if not more so, inspired by Chrono Trigger?]). But I have replaced bits and pieces of various standard jewel cases, like for PS1 games, with parts that were identical as far as I could tell.

[Gameguy]

My question to you guys is if you were a hardcore saturn/sega CD collector, and you bought a rare game off ebay, would you want to know ahead of time if it's an original case or an LRG re-issue? I personally notice a difference in material and think I'd want to pay less for a game that had the re-issue over an original case. Maybe I'm just being nitpicky.
I would want to know, that's the type of stuff that bothers me. If it's something actually rare, it would be better to buy a cheaper game in excellent condition and swap the cases between them. Even when I have to change PS1 or plain CD cases I try to avoid having to do this, and I try to match them physically with the same type of case even when the small production numbers on the plastic never match so they're still different in the end. Usually when I have to change a DVD case I need to match the same identical case, by the same manufacturer.

It's good that new cases are available to those who need them but they do really need to be made identical with the same molding and material. I wouldn't pay extra for a game that has an aftermarket case.

[mailman187666]

It's good that new cases are available to those who need them but they do really need to be made identical with the same molding and material. I wouldn't pay extra for a game that has an aftermarket case.

I agree here too. I'm not even fully against some of my games having cracks in the case or snapped tabs. I do try and keep the higher value ones in the higher quality cases though. I still have a bunch of spare case parts from back when you could get the sports titles for a few bucks. I never got around to replacing the existing ones that are cracked. Actually I still sometimes find the sports games for $5 and under but not often.

[Greg2600]

Never enters my mind, but then again, I don't buy the rare $$$ ones. However, I've replaced countless PS1, DC, etc. cases in the past.

[megasdkirby]

I was able to get a copy. Bot where rampant getting the game. And trust me, it lasted less than 45 seconds for the first batch. I was literally timing from the moment it was available to purchase to when it said "sold out"...roughly 45 seconds. This was due ti those damn bots.

LRG never has cared for the customers, oy for their net profit. LRG cheerleaders might be in denial, but the facts are quite visible. That is why, after Meatboy, I will stop with LRG completely. Not worth the hassle.

[kupomogli]

LRGs most fair game yet. I'm surprised they didn't pressure the developer to allow them to release the 3DS game as each game separately at $25 each. Yes, the games included are merely okay at best, but despite that, this is a great deal for a collection which is at the very least decent. I also love the 3D on the 3DS and a major selling point in the first place was the 3D effect with these games, a feature that was lost on the PS4 version despite the ability to play in the background.

However, it wouldn't be LRG if they didn't screw their fanbase, and with Grandia HD Collection, the game's cost is $15 above MSRP which is their new usual increase instead of the $10 they promised they'd never ever push it above.

[Aussie2B]

Dude, it's been explained to you a million times over what LRG actually said in regard to their price points versus the digital points and how the +$10 "rule" has never applied to their Switch releases. At this point you're just trolling. Either that or you just like to run your mouth without ever reading what anyone else says.

[kupomogli]

Dude, it's been explained to you a million times over what LRG actually said in regard to their price points versus the digital points and how the +$10 "rule" has never applied to their Switch releases. At this point you're just trolling. Either that or you just like to run your mouth without ever reading what anyone else says.

And the PS4 versions? Thank you.

Blaster Master Zero 1 and 2 weren't $10 increase, not $15, no, no, no, but a whole $20 each on their PSN price. If you're going to defend a company, you could do better than LRG. But I understand, it's okay that LRG literally screws their fanbase, right? However, when a company makes a mistake in their promotional material despite releasing the game at $30 with all the DLC, you're up in arms over the situation, you know, like when Badland Games released Velocity 2X. Now, when it was announced, they actually did announce only the PS4 version would be getting the extras, and hey, sometimes mistakes are made. Like, oh I don't know, accidentally printing on the Vita box that that small Vita case would be holding a soundtrack CD which we both know is impossible. Mistakes are made, blunders you'd call them, but unlike LRG, it wasn't by any disingenuous means, it was a mistake. Did LRG "accidentally" price the PS4 games more than $10 each? Did they "accidentally" price both Blaster Master Zero games $20 extra? Did they "accidentally" remove large amounts of information that could be pulled up proving that they're full of shit? Did LRG "accidentally" release Samurai Showdown VI knowing full well they were releasing the compilation which included that very game at a later date? Did LRG "accidentally" write into their contract that the developers or other publishers could be under a legal obligation to pay for any losses they feel they may have suffered due to that developer or publisher announcing the same release before LRGs title has finished selling? Did LRG, on many occassions, "accidentally" crap on some publishers Twitter about how they're not releasing a game with up to date patches when very often they themselves almost never have their games patched up to date?

There's a difference, and with LRG, this company isn't scum by accident.

Here's a prerelease Velocity2X announcement showing that only the PS4 would be getting the additional content btw.

https://www.dualshockers.com/velocity-2x-getting-physical-launch-ps4-vita-ps4-version-comes-extra-goodies/

[PapaStu]

Just a note on the Sega CD/Saturn/PSOne jewel cases. Josh actually had new molds made of the exact original cases. They are other than being new, exact. They've been shipped out for a bunch of the LE/CS stuff for a few of the other games and I've held them in hand for the games/bundles I've gotten that have had them and they're legit.

I did order a 10 pack, just waiting for them to ship still, but they're going to Dangerboy so he can do a review/comparison for GameRave TV.

Surprised that Atooi still has copies left. 3DS being region locked totally impacted that for the LRG overseas folks who got boxed out because of that. Hoping we'll see other 3DS releases, but I'm not going to hold my breath at this point. If they've got to do 6k print runs they'll likely not do more is my guess unless it's something huge like Phoenix Wright or maybe the Dillon games. I can't see anything else being able to create enough demand.

[Aussie2B]

And the PS4 versions? Thank you.

Again, already explained multiple times over and is in relation to anything that gets a Switch release. As soon as they started Switch releases, they stated there would be price parity for other platform versions of those Switch releases. You can say that sucks, sure, but they had one policy when they were only doing PS4 and Vita releases (and the occasional PC release) and a different policy once they started doing Switch releases. There wasn't any deception about it, nor did they break any promises about it, nor have I ever claimed these prices were just accidents or mistakes. They've been deceptive and broken promises on plenty of other things, but not this, and I've complained about them many, many times over, so it just all the more shows that you don't actually read anything before you start ranting and raving if you think I'm some LRG white knight who holds them to a lower standard than other companies.

I'm only laying out the facts on the price parity. I don't complain about it because I'm indifferent to it, as it generally doesn't affect me. I don't buy their Switch releases, and I stopped buying their PS4 releases regularly way back when they released Flinthook, only buying two since (Wonder Boy and 8-bit Adventure Anthology, neither of which were sold alongside a Switch version). I don't recall any of their Vita releases being sold simultaneously with a Switch version, but past the start of Switch releases, some Vita games have been more than the +$10 (or $25 minimum for games priced lower than $15 digitally) of the past. Do I wish Papers, Please was sold at $25, considering the PSN price is $10? Sure, but the new policy is the new policy. I can either suck it up and choose to buy anyway, or I can skip their releases, which I do the vast majority of the time these days. There are a few upcoming games I'm interested in that will have Switch releases sold alongside them, so I know they probably won't be priced only 10 bucks over the digital price point, but I'm interested enough to buy them in spite of that. Do I wish other companies were handling these releases and selling them at a lower price point? Hell yeah, but I have no control over who a developer/publisher chooses to partner with.

As for Velocity 2X, the release was heavily delayed, and they had initially said both releases would get the additional items in all the prerelease promotional material (and they never claimed the CD would be packaged within the Vita case). Even the store listings on Amazon and such said as much, which is where most people ordered the Vita version. Then, after release, Badland Games promised to provide the extras to Vita buyers if they filled out an online form, but the vast majority of those people never received them. The few who did received the items long past the time frame Badland Games promised they'd be delivered in. This is a case where a company made many, many promises and failed to meet virtually all of them. Comparing it to the price parity situation with LRG shows that you don't at all grasp either situation, but I guess you'll feebly try to piece together any imagined gotcha to try to paint people who present facts you refuse to accept or opinions you don't like as hypocrites or whatever. Again, you're just trolling here. Knock that shit off.

[mailman187666]

I've recently just gotten shipping confirmation for both Atooi Collection and Samurai Shodown V Special. I ended up ordering 2 copies of Atooi and will tuck a sealed one away. I don't usually buy collectors editions so I passed on that. Samurai I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with yet because I don't know when the retail copies of the collection is coming out.

[kupomogli]

Special Reserve Games really needs to increase the stock of their titles. From what I've heard the LRG stock which I wasn't there for was sold in the first 30 minutes, and I also didn't get it from SRG with their whole 1000 copies there. I don't really care for Hotline Miami 2 as much as the first, and I already own Hotline Miami The Collected Edition PS4 import so I do own a physical copy of the first game, but I did want these two games. Looks like I'm never getting them, all you have to do is look at Ruiner's Ebay prices to see that these prices, a game I did get, to see that these games prices are likely not only not going to drop, but probably exceed that in the future(since Hotline Miami is better and more popular than Ruiner.)

[Bojay1997]

Special Reserve Games really needs to increase the stock of their titles. From what I've heard the LRG stock which I wasn't there for was sold in the first 30 minutes, and I also didn't get it from SRG with their whole 1000 copies there. I don't really care for Hotline Miami 2 as much as the first, and I already own Hotline Miami The Collected Edition PS4 import so I do own a physical copy of the first game, but I did want these two games. Looks like I'm never getting them, all you have to do is look at Ruiner's Ebay prices to see that these prices, a game I did get, to see that these games prices are likely not only not going to drop, but probably exceed that in the future(since Hotline Miami is better and more popular than Ruiner.)

Not correct. LRG's stock of both games didn't sell out until several hours after the SRG version went live (which already was an hour after the LRG variants). Anyone that made any reasonable effort to get to either store got copies as it wasn't an instant sell out at either place.

[kupomogli]

Not correct. LRG's stock of both games didn't sell out until several hours after the SRG version went live (which already was an hour after the LRG variants). Anyone that made any reasonable effort to get to either store got copies as it wasn't an instant sell out at either place.

Define reasonable? I didn't even know LRG had a variant until today, but having to be there on a specific time on a specific date isn't reasonable no matter what definition you'd like to pull out of your ass. The whole system LRG made up is, as a matter of fact, unreasonable. Yeah, if you're there on time, if you're not busy, sure, most of the time you can get a copy, but the system itself works for scalpers over people who are actually interested in purchasing the games. Reasonable effort when most items that aren't preorder sell out the same day? Bullshit.

And as I stated, I was late, but being there the same day(at SRG) really shouldn't have mattered. But it's fine, it's only the second.... and third game that I was interested that I lost out on.

[PapaStu]

Define reasonable? I didn't even know LRG had a variant until today, but having to be there on a specific time on a specific date isn't reasonable no matter what definition you'd like to pull out of your ass. The whole system LRG made up is, as a matter of fact, unreasonable. Yeah, if you're there on time, if you're not busy, sure, most of the time you can get a copy, but the system itself works for scalpers over people who are actually interested in purchasing the games. Reasonable effort when most items that aren't preorder sell out the same day? Bullshit.

And as I stated, I was late, but being there the same day(at SRG) really shouldn't have mattered. But it's fine, it's only the second.... and third game that I was interested that I lost out on.

LR has been doing secondary cover releases for SRG stuff for nearly every title. Especially after the original SRG site kept getting DDOS'd when they kept trying to sell stuff early on. LR had do one of their sales, got them set up on Shopfiy and then they were there for the last 2 or so years. For whatever reason they (SRG) shifted away again to some other storefront that wasn't able to take nearly the traffic as the site got and was basically taken down immediately on opening. It took me nearly 10 minutes to get the site going and I was able to get both in my cart, only to have it error out a few times, then show as sold out, but I was then able to complete my transaction for all three titles they put up somehow. All told, that was 12 minutes into the SRG release.

If you're signed up for LR's newsletter you'll get emails for all that stuff. They didn't do a large lead announcement for Hotline Miami this time, but they did give a few days notice. I think SRG also mentioned it in their info bursts too that were on social and via email blasts.

SRG is really trying to keep to low numbers and their inserts are all numbered. It's appreciated when they're doing something a little different than the other houses that are pushing out for these small run titles.

[kupomogli]

Did LRG know a whole year ago that they were going to release Metal Slug Anthology this year? Probably not, but I'd like to think they were pretty sure they would.

[Ryudo]

I'm still waiting for shit I bought from them in March. Where the fucking hell is Panzer Dragoon?

[mailman187666]

I just got a package from them that I ordered in January, a couple weeks ago. Mystik Belle and Mighty Switch Force Collection. I'm not sure which one was holding the package up. My next items are Panzer Dragoon (Mar) Shantae Seven Sirens (May), and the blaster Master games (Jun). I have Shantae holding up my copy of Icey at the moment. The waiting definitely sucks, but that is part of how I gauge my purchase interest. I ask myself a) is it a game I truly want b) is it a good value c) is it worth the long wait time. Not really complaining, just throwing out some of the facts about my current position of LRG orders. I think the Castlevania Collection is one that I am most excited for with the upcoming roster.

[kupomogli]

Atleast when it comes to standard edition games, LRG announces their scummiest bullshit yet. I believe that Cthulu Saves Christmas at $25 more than the digital version is now the highest they've increased the price beyond the digital version. Fuck this greedy piece of shit scumbag company.

*edit*

The price is no longer $34.99, it's showing $29.99, looks like they may have gotten some backlash and reduced it.

[Tron 2.0]

Lot of the games i preorder earlier in the year are shipping finally from LRG.Last month it was panzer dragoon and last week it was gaoru motw and yesterday it was blaster master zero 1&2.Now i get a e-mail the grandia hd collection is shipping as well soon.Still,nothing catch my interest lately from lrg expect for panzer paladin.

[kupomogli]

With how long LRG takes to ship, they should be paying me. The games not on hand is no excuse, they can get these printings done quicker, we know it's possible as there's games that were preorder and have been shipped within a month. Pay a premium, wait six months minimum.

[kupomogli]

I notice Cthulu Saves the World is also being published outside of LRG, another case of LRG does not allow the publisher to inform the public that they're selling the game through alternate means until after the LRG sales go through. This is the problem with this though, if the developer isn't releasing it until February, then it clearly means that they consider it unfinished for physical media at the time. So I decide to look at my previous order.

ETA of the rest of the titles shipping dates are Quarter 1 2021, while Cthulu Saves Christmas ETA is unknown. Great. FUCKING GREAT. I mean, it not only took me over six months to get Blaster Master Zero 1 and 2 alongside the Switch version of Brigandine, now the other three games that I've ordered with Cthulu Saves Christmas is once again going to take fucking six months. Maybe LRG, just maybe, SELL YOUR FUCKING GAMES WHEN THEY'RE READY TO BE PRINTED YOU PIECES OF FUCKING SHIT. Because if you order a game from LRG that you're interested in playing you're fucked if the game is shipping with something that they're not printing for months. But no, LRG wants to make sure they make whatever profit they can make before another publisher gets to announce the same game under their line up and they don't give two shits about fucking the consumer. It's LRG after all, their entire fucking mantra is fucking the consumer over.

[Gameguy]

Just checking fangamer again and the physical copy of Thimbleweed Park is still available for sale. I'm so glad there's no need to fight for a copy, it's still produced and easily available years later.

While there are several games released by LRG that interest me, I'm so glad I never bothered dealing with all that bullshit. I'm just not desperate to buy games anymore, especially modern games. If I can't reasonably buy a copy of something I'll just not buy it, I really don't care much about it. The main message I'm getting from this publisher and most modern gaming companies is that they don't want me to buy their games so I'm fine with keeping my money.

[kupomogli]

Bloodstained Curse of the Moon 2 up for preorder on February 26. I'm waiting until around a month later to try and get something I'm interested in alongside it. Currently Scott Pilgrim Saves the World is up for preorder until February 28 but I'm not sure about getting it. It's a beat em up, a genre that I'm not really that into. So yeah.

[Tron 2.0]

Bloodstained Curse of the Moon 2 up for preorder on February 26. I'm waiting until around a month later to try and get something I'm interested in alongside it. Currently Scott Pilgrim Saves the World is up for preorder until February 28 but I'm not sure about getting it. It's a beat em up, a genre that I'm not really that into. So yeah.
Scott Pilgirm vs the world the game is fine for a beatem'up it doesn't reinvent the genre but it's very playable beside how similar it is to river city ransom.

[gbpxl]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.engadget.com/amp/castlevania-rondo-of-blood-turboduo-122550637.html

Rondo of Blood coming to the TurboDuo. Though I have to assume this will be on a CD

[Tron 2.0]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.engadget.com/amp/castlevania-rondo-of-blood-turboduo-122550637.html

Rondo of Blood coming to the TurboDuo. Though I have to assume this will be on a CD
Dracula-X Rondo of Blood is cd.I have a original copy of the game and it's going rate is now is the $200.00 and $300.00+ range.It's not rare mind you but demand really has driven up it's price.Good of lrg to do a reprint of this it will let people have a license copy at a more affordable price.In the end,i hope this leads to doing one of snatcher for the sega-cd.

Note:This isn't the last time the game has been available for the west.It had a release digitally for the wii/ps4 and it's included on dracula-x chronicles for psp and it's available for the turbografx 16 mini to.

[megasdkirby]

Super Meat Boy has been my first, actual fail. Sold out in like 10 seconds.

Oh well. I was considering getting rid of my Vita collection anyway.

[kupomogli]

Super Meat Boy has been my first, actual fail. Sold out in like 10 seconds.

Oh well. I was considering getting rid of my Vita collection anyway.

You missed a Vita game so you're getting rid of your Vita collection? Try to find the best possible Ebay deal you can. It''s only going to increase I'm assuming being Super Meat Boy, a Vita game, and LRG, might be best trying to get it earlier than later imo.

[megasdkirby]

Ah, it was something I was pondering for a while now. Just have no love for anything other than up to the Dreamcast.

I did eventually get Super Meat Boy in the afternoon. I don't really care for the game, though.

[Gameguy]

I did eventually get Super Meat Boy in the afternoon. I don't really care for the game, though.
Isn't Super Meat Boy a really old PC game? Why is it a big deal that it's just now getting a port on a portable yet also obsolete system?

I barely have enough space for things I actually want or things I'm eventually hoping to get, I wouldn't waste space with things I have no interest in or outright dislike. I don't get that mentality.

[megasdkirby]

The last of the LRG releases and the last Vita game to ve released in the states. That is, if the mystery game is real.

Also, to sell at a later date. I hope.
But yeah, I stopped with LRG a long time ago...only getting games I want (this being an exception)

[megasdkirby]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS3ja5JnkAQ

New video about the shady dealings of LRG, as well as their questionable practices. I know there will always be a apologist for the company, but overall, some very informative stuff was mentioned.

[gbpxl]

It's hard to keep up with all the behind the scenes circle jerking going on but ultimately the culture of "I must own this mega ultra edition of every single new game" is absolutely ridiculous. I understand wanting to own a physical copy of a game. there's a lot of practical reasons for it. but LRG lives off the stupid "collector elitism" crap that has been rampant for a while now. just a way for the developer to suck more money out of people. buying extras with the game or multiple versions of it