Here's an interesting question:

* Suppose that there's a game that you are really looking forward to, perhaps to the point where you would buy it on release. The release comes, but it comes with a reverse sale at launch. In other words, say for the first week the game is out, the game is 50% more expensive than the base price (and the store page makes it very clear that this is what's going on). Do you buy the game now at the higher price, or do you wait until the reverse sale ends and the price drops to its base price?

(It's worth noting that itch.io would actually allow a developer to do this; itch.io actually has reverse sales, which were introduced as an April fools joke but are essentially a permanent feature of that site.)

i wait and never buy it
btw when will your game be released?

Sounds like a great way to poison your success by turning off your fan base from the word go. I'd not buy the game. I'd sail under the Jolly Roger to spite them.

Of course i wouldn't pay extra for the game. I'm not going to get exploited.

Why not put the release price at 1000€, then after every purchase it drops down 1€, so 999, 998 etc. until it reaches the base price. That way you get a lot of money in early sales and only the most ardent fans get to play it (realistically) on release date.

I am serious, of course. Not at all is this a hehe.

Nope, I wouldn't buy it knowing that the price is inflated for no other reason than a gimmick 'sale'.

This question is weird. Seems more like a question of the day that would be posed by a community member-that-must-not-be-named.

Except in this case, it sort of is what happens with hardware - it's just not made explicit as a "reverse sale". Prices are higher on release as a sort of early adopter tax and then come down.

Also, while we can't discuss he-who-must-not-be-named, dtgreene's questions and threads get the benefit of the doubt from me.

It's the only reason I even clicked into this one. ;)

Sometimes I think of weird questions.

I can see the business logic of doing something like this. Since games tend to get a large portion of their sales shortly after release, why not get more money from those sales?

I guess it's sort of what happens now, anyway, actually. Everyone knows that the release price is going to drop not long after the game comes out (not as short a time frame as you propose, but still a relatively short time frame). So maybe not such a weird question after all.

Only if that game happens to be Devotion.

But would you get Devotion if the game got really horrendous reviews (unrelated to the controversy surrounding that game), or if the game did not look like the sort you would enjoy?

Reviewers are bustas. Straight bustas.

I played the devs' previous game and it was great. That's all I need to get me interested.

Besides, if a game looked like something I wouldn't like, why would I consider buying it in the first place - let alone buying it at a higher price? That would be kinda bizarre and irrational, right?

It's a psychological matter. All games prices are already inflated considering later sales prices. But calling the launch price 150% rather than 100% would lead people not to buy even if they were the same price.
It reminds me of a USA clothing chain who decided to sell directly at sales prices, if was a failure because people want to feel smart knowing they had a good deal on an item.
Now, it is possible that a reverse sale might have more people buying at 100%? I don't think so, because those games would not be so new anymore. Maybe it would even push possible customers to ignore or pirate the game being angry at this policy.
While simply asking more at 100% so the discounted price is still a good profit is more discreet and doesn't seem to anger people so much.
I might buy if it's to support a small dev and the base price is so low that the 50% more is not a big deal.

This is a big problem as most people don't read descriptions.
There are 3 big factors to sell items online. Title, photo and price with a big red flashing discount.

I'm as guilty as anyone here...