Greetings,

I gave a try to Heartbound's demo and I am interested in the complete game.

However, when I looked for it, I found it only on Steam.

I boycott Steam because I don't like how they bound games to them and make games and players dependent on them instead of just selling games no string attached like GOG or any DRM-free distribution platform does.

So I ask you the question: You don't want to sell Heartbound DRM-free? You want to bound it to Steam and make it dependent on Steam?

Why do you offer the demo on Itch and Gamejolt if you don't want to sell the complete game on these platforms?

You know, that feels insulting to bait Itch and Game Jolt's players with a demo then tell them "You like it? Well if you want the complete version, you have to buy it from Steam because I'm not going to make it available here, I am just here to bait you to Steam."

Moreover, you also use the Humble Store's widget to sell Heartbound on its official website but you bound it to Steam as you use it only to sell a Steam key, not the game, you try to force Steam on players again.

Why not sell the game on the Humble Store independently from any unnecessary third-party, DRM-free?

I'm sure you know how much players hate DRM and you still try to force Steam on them, do you want to make many players reject the game that you developped with love just because of mean commercial choices when you could make everyone happy by selling it DRM-free?

Especially when there are more than one option: Itch, Game Jolt, the Humble Store, GOG...

Since you already share the demo on Itch and Game Jolt, you could propose the complete version on sale on them as well and since you also already use the Humble Store to sell Steam keys, you could also sell the complete game on it without forcing a third-party DRM, that's just mean.

And there is also GOG which is the main sanctuary for players quitting Steam, which means the wealthiest source of income from DRM-free players.

You really don't need to depend on Steam, you have other options available to you, think about it. ;-)

As far as I'm concerned, I am interested in Heartbound and I am willing to buy it at a fair price but I will not as long as it is not available on sale DRM-free because I'm not willing to give up on my independence and I can tell you that I'm far to be the only player who boycotts DRM-bound games.

By the way, speaking of independence, I read what you wrote: "Heartbound has been a project of passion for me over the last year and the main reason I chose to go indie in the first place."

Does it make sense to you that you chose to go indie, meaning independent, because Heartbound has been a project of passion for you but you chose to bound it to Steam and become dependent on them? I leave you to ponder this now.