Creator of $2,000 Steam game says don't buy it if you can't afford it

[midian182]

WTF?! There are some expensive items for sale on Steam, though most of them are pieces of hardware, such as the Valve Index VR headset and the Steam Deck. It's not like you'll find similarly priced games. That's technically true because 'The Hidden and Unknown' is even more expensive at $1,999. Even its creator warns against buying it.

Created by indie dev ProX.team, founded by someone using the alias ThePro, The Hidden and Unknown is text-based and described as a "story-based game, that aims to widen the perception of its audience in the areas of psychology and philosophy."

PCGamer played the title, noting that it begins with an eight-minute-long Star Wars-style scroll describing an imbalance between masculine and feminine energy that's turning Western men infertile due to testosterone depletion. It's also causing women to become increasingly masculine, which will ultimately lead to the end of humanity. There's also a time-traveling AI entity in there somewhere.

The Hidden and Unknown is primarily a visual novel, though only the locations, not the characters, are shown, and they appear to have been created using an AI-powered image generator.

In all fairness to ThePro, who is originally from Slovakia and now living in Switzerland, he did tell PCGamesN that they don't believe anyone will buy their game, and even wants to "discourage anyone from buying it if they can't afford it, I don't want to cause trouble." It's also a lot shorter than the two-hour playtime limit Steam allows for games to be returned, so anyone who does decide to spend two thousand dollars on The Hidden and Unknown should be able to get a refund once they complete it.

As for why they decided to charge so much for their game, ThePro said much of it is based on their own life story. "I wouldn't want to just sell my own life for pennies, as to me, the story means more than just a pure 'game,'" they said. ThePro added that the project initially started life as a book before evolving into a game.

Charging $1,999 for a game is certainly bringing plenty of attention to The Hidden and Unknown, so kudos to ThePro for what has turned out to be a clever marketing strategy. I've not played it so can't comment on the quality, but judging from other reviews, it sounds as if your enjoyment of the game could be measured by how much you like Andrew Tate.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/97391-creator-2000-steam-game-dont-buy-if-you.html

 

[UdyrL]

Developer: "Don't buy it if you can't afford it"
Player: -doesn't buy the game-
Developer: -surprised Pikachu face-

 

[EdmondRC]

Okay, you had your fun, now drop the price to $.99 and all the curious people will purchase the game to see what the fuss was about. Others will buy it because it will inevitably show up on the most discounted list as 99.95% off. Disappointed, some will inevitably still request a refund, but others will just let it go since it's only a dollar. The psychology experiment will be over and Steam will change it's policies to make sure others don't try something like this in the future.

 

[nnguy2]

Sounds like $2k for bad alt-right fan fic but you do you.

 

[envirovore]

Cringy.
Those that think they're clever by calling others 'beta' or 'cucks' would probably love this. Or a Proud Boy.

 

[kira setsu]

Gamers actually not buying something? color me surprised...

 

[ferrellsl]

This reminds me of the recent debacle at G4TV when Frosk ranted at her viewers and said, "If you don't like us, don't watch us!" Hardly anyone was watching anyway. I think there were fewer than 1500 viewers worldwide and even they took her up on her offer and the rest is history. It'll be the same story for this game.

 

[envirovore]

This reminds me of the recent debacle at G4TV when Frosk ranted at her viewers and said, "If you don't like us, don't watch us!" Hardly anyone was watching anyway. I think there were fewer than 1500 viewers worldwide and even they took her up on her offer and the rest is history. It'll be the same story for this game.

G4tv sucked anyway even before the relaunch that no one knew about.
Zd/tech TV, however was good.

 

[Dimitriid]

PCGamer played the title, noting that it begins with an eight-minute-long Star Wars-style scroll describing an imbalance between masculine and feminine energy that's turning Western men infertile due to testosterone depletion. It's also causing women to become increasingly masculine, which will ultimately lead to the end of humanity

Focus on this bit because its important, as I am calling this now: This is part of a marketing scheme for an Andrew Tate-like red pill scammer. Nobody is expected to actually buy the game outright from steam discovery but I bet any amount some type of red pill "Motivational speaker" will sell it as part of their get rich/get laid scheme.

So I wouldn't be surprised if it collects some sales because the main channel will be the high pressure, cult-like scam seminar this guy or someone associated with him will offer.

 

[bviktor]

Developer: "Don't buy it if you can't afford it"
Player: -doesn't buy the game-
Developer: -surprised Pikachu face-

Actually, no one's surprised, but whateva

 

[ZedRM]

Creator of $2,000 Steam game says don't buy it if you can't afford it

I have a solution. Two middle fingers standing erect for this clueless dev!!

 

[Julnor]

Ah the usual right wing graft. Next he'll find a way to get taxpayer money for it, from programs that are funded to help those in need.

 

[BadThad]

describing an imbalance between masculine and feminine energy that's turning Western men infertile due to testosterone depletion. It's also causing women to become increasingly masculine, which will ultimately lead to the end of humanity.

At least he does tell the truth here!

 

[Kashim]

"Star Wars-style scroll describing an imbalance between masculine and feminine energy that's turning Western men infertile due to testosterone depletion."

Ah, but there's already a solution for this problem. Tucker Carlson (a well known character from the Fox New cinematic universe) will happily sell you a testicle tanning device that will reverse your testosterone depletion.

Seriously, I'm not joking about that, look it up.

 

[Marco Mint]

And my answer to him is. "don't give me advice unless I ask for it"

 

[Endymio]

Ah the usual right wing graft.

After 20,000+ games based on Left-wing tropes of the world ending due to everything from climate change to genetic engineering, I think you can handle one of the feminization of men.

And, come to think of it, I believe I first heard that claim from Greenpeace, 30+ years ago. They blamed it on "hormones in cow's milk", IIRC.

 

[Julnor]

After 20,000+ games based on Left-wing tropes of the world ending due to everything from climate change to genetic engineering, I think you can handle one of the feminization of men.

And, come to think of it, I believe I first heard that claim from Greenpeace, 30+ years ago. They blamed it on "hormones in cow's milk", IIRC.

It's been longer than that, you can read Ancient Greek stuff and they talk about it too, and it's in several speeches during the Roman Empire. Most things just repeat, it's not actually something new. Tech changes but people don't.

 

[Beerfloat]

Estrogen and testosterone levels are something you can objectively measure, that much is true. Everything else that is quoted here about 'masculine and feminine energies', gender roles and strength vs weakness sounds like the unqualified opinions of a proto-incel who has discovered he is obsolete and decided to blame it on others.

 

[envirovore]

Tucker Carlson (a well known character from the Fox New cinematic universe)

I absolutely love this and am stealing it.

 

[envirovore]

Okay, you had your fun, now drop the price to $.99 and all the curious people will purchase the game to see what the fuss was about. Others will buy it because it will inevitably show up on the most discounted list as 99.95% off. Disappointed, some will inevitably still request a refund, but others will just let it go since it's only a dollar. The psychology experiment will be over and Steam will change it's policies to make sure others don't try something like this in the future.

There's a full playthrough uploaded to YouTube already, so no one else has to play it.
Godspeed should you decide to watch it (I'm gonna opt out).

 

[PEnnn]

"Star Wars-style scroll describing an imbalance between masculine and feminine energy that's turning Western men infertile due to testosterone depletion."

Ah, but there's already a solution for this problem. Tucker Carlson (a well known character from the Fox New cinematic universe) will happily sell you a testicle tanning device that will reverse your testosterone depletion.

Seriously, I'm not joking about that, look it up.

And there are enough cretins who will do just that!

 

[Hodor]

It's a digital equivalent of that coffee that was eaten by cat, pooped by cat, and then sold at very high price. Why would anyone buy coffee that was pooped by a cat is beyond me. But unlike gamers, rich people have more money and less brain, so they are buying that crap (yeah, literally crap).