Pre-ordering what will be a widely-available product months in advance makes little sense as a general rule.  If you're retaining someone to sculpt a monument or paint a picture that's different.  In this case, there isn't even a risk that the product will only be available in short supply, reducing the need for reservations.  (It's not like they're going to run out of downloads.)

From my perspective, I didn't want to commit $30 several months in advance for a product that may or may not have anyone playing it in online multiplayer.  I've been burned before with sequels and I like to hear other people's feedback first.  If the online multiplayer PvP crowd concludes that Rebellion is bad (bug-filled, inferior game play compared to Diplomacy, etc.) and returns to playing Diplomacy then I wouldn't want to spend much money on it.

What we're complaining about is having to pay to re-purchase intellectual property content we already own.  It's basically going to be the same game as Diplomacy--same engine, same user interface, etc.--with some added features as opposed to being a bona fide Sins-2 with an improved engine and multithreading.  So, it's a little bothersome that you have to pay to repurchase content you already own for the same price as someone who has never before owned a Sins game.

I'll probably end up buying it for $40 or at the earliest sale if I read good reviews from players I trust and if I hear reports about high online player counts.  If it's as good as Diplomacy and has higher player counts (300-500 people online at once) I won't feel badly about spending the $40.

You got a point about re-purchasing content you already own. However, it is still useless to complain about something you haven't even seen yet... Maybe Rebellion will be so different that you don't feel like you are playing the same old Sins game (or a large part of it) at all. In that case, why bother about the few things that remained unchanged?

I bought Sins plus both expansions, but will likely pass on Rebellion.  It is not worth $40 to me.  The combat in the current game is fine, and I do not pay for bug fixes.  I am willing to pay $10-$20 for the upgrade like I did for entrenchment and diplomacy, and that is it.  I will vote with my dollars and save them for the new RTS games coming out.

Sins Trinity cost $40 dollars on initial release IIRC. It only dropped to $20 quite a few months after the initial release which happens with the majority of games.

Just wanted to say, I think Rebellion will offer up new modding opportunities and am looking forward to it.

I trust IronClad that for $30 I'll be getting plenty of new content worth that money. Sins is my favorite PC game ever, I love it so I'd even buy it for $60.

I too was one of the people who saw the $10 discount on preorder after it had expired.

So I didn't preorder, as that already left me with a bit of a bad taste.  Why leave an expired promotion as the top news offer a month later?

Also, it's great to reward people who visit your site every day, but you might have sold more pre-orders if there was some more warning/press.

I'm all for the idea of easing non-players into the franchise, and a standalone is perfect for that.  But you have to understand when us veteran players, who have supported you for years, are upset.  You want to give away content?  Fantastic!  Just try maybe throwing a bone to the people who paid for it!

You are in effect having the Veteran players PAY for new players' free content.

Now, with the invasion of my computer by GameStop (and to think I was reluctant initially installing impulse years ago...wonder why?)

Well why bother?

There are other options.

I got it for 20 euros (with that discount they had a few months ago). Pretty cheap for a new game in my opinion.

Yeah, it's news to me too.

Here is a great reason. You get to play the beta.

I have to admit that I don't quite see the problem. Soase is already quite inexpensive. Trinity is now $20, or about $30 for a phisical copy from Stardock. Rebellion will be $40 new. These prices are pretty low compared to other AAA titles. As for the "loyal fans" who think they should pay less than new players, consider that Rebellion has been in development for at least a year now, so there are clearly significant costs there, regardless if development started from the foundation laid by the previous expansions. Also, players who bought years ago have ben enjoying the game for years, so it is not like they are not getting value...

I just don't understand the attitude, games cost money. Why try to demand a discount to an overtly affordable product?

It is also important to consider Stardock's view. The more money is made with rebellion, the greater the chance that Sins II will have enough invested in it to make it great. Of course, you could argue that a price drop for long time fans will result in a net increase in profit, but I doubt it.

Sigh. I probably should not have commented, but there it is.

Do you really think the two expansions were pointless?  At the very least, Entrenchment wasn't pointless and added a lot to the game.  The single player types might argue that Diplomacy was worthwhile.

In teh meantime, WOOT!

                   Click it! ^