In the ever-changing landscape of digital gaming, the withdrawn sale of titles isn't uncommon. 22Cans, the game development studio, has recently pulled its games Godus and Godus Wars from the Steam storefront. The company has cited an upcoming technical overhaul of Amazon Web Services, which would interfere with its ability to deliver essential game files to fresh users, as the primary reason for their action.
Released back in 2013, Godus entered the gaming world through a Kickstarter campaign where it managed to secure a funding of over half a million pounds. It was marketed as a grand revival into the god game genre by its creator, Peter Molyneux, who had earned a reputation for crafting this style of gameplay. However, Godus quickly became mired in controversy due to a slew of broken promises and an apparent abandonment of development after a series of failed updates.
The controversy further escalated when the winner of Molyneux's 2012 mobile game, Curiosity - What's Inside the Cube?, was promised the role of a deity in Godus, which included influencing the game's rulebook and sharing its profits. This promise, however, was significantly toned down and utterly discarded when Godus did not perform commercially as anticipated.
Seeking to rebuild trust within its community, 22Cans released a "free" downloadable content (DLC) for Godus in 2016, which was given the title Godus Wars. Even this attempt backfired when players noticed a microtransaction option for a premium feature within the still-in-development game, which cost additional money. This feature could unlock a new continent, but due to the immediate backlash from the community, 22Cans rescinded the option a day later.
Neither the addition of the DLC nor the subsequent removal of the microtransaction could salvage the negative perception that had mounted against the game. Despite these setbacks, the company expressed gratitude towards their players for the support over the past years in their statement about the games' removal from Steam:
"22cans would like to share important news regarding our games, Godus and Godus Wars. Regrettably, due to an upcoming technical change to Amazon Web Services, affecting our ability to serve necessary game files to new users, these titles are to be withdrawn from the Steam store. Please be assured that existing players can continue to enjoy these games without interruption. We sincerely appreciate the incredible support from our players over the past decade and extend our heartfelt thanks to you all."
For those who currently own Godus or Godus Wars, there is reassurance from the developers that gameplay will remain uninterrupted. The decision to withdraw the games only means that new players will not have the option to purchase them through the digital platform going forward.
While this marks the end of Godus and Godus Wars' journey on Steam, it's a reminder of the volatile nature of the gaming industry and the impact of player feedback and technical dependencies on a game's life cycle. Developers rely on platforms like Amazon Web Services to deliver their content to users effectively, and when such platforms undergo significant changes, it can directly impact the availability and sustainability of games on digital storefronts.
Decisions like the one made by 22Cans demonstrate the delicate balance between maintaining a game's presence on popular platforms and responding to the underlying technical frameworks that support these games. Though the decision to remove Godus from Steam may disappoint potential new players, it also underscores the importance of game studios staying adaptive and responsive to changing technical environments. Discontinuations such as these are a natural part of the gaming world's evolution and highlight the need for developers to constantly innovate and adjust to the technologically-driven landscape of the industry.
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