Critical Role Critical Role show kickstarter update: Backers have to get Amazon prime to get the show

[guachi]

I backed the MST3K Kickstarter a few years ago and one major plus is that you could get disks of the season so no matter what ended up happening you'd get something. Turns out they were picked up by Netflix but I still have my disks (signed, too!)

I'd have shied away from contributing to this particular Kickstarter simply because the distribution means weren't clear and I couldn't outright own what I backed.

 

[darjr]

I view this much the same way I view the recent gift set. CR has a fantastic opportunity and to make it work this is what they needed to do. I’m not even going to blame Amazon here because their model kinda requires this.


Now I do see this as a DnDBeyond kind of compromise. If Amazon ever decided to stop hosting these or not having shows or blocked a particular backer, then the backers are out. And that would suck.

 

[Mirtek]

I just have higher expectations for multi-billion dollar companies and their capabilities then you do. That's by design. It seems like a lot to do, but for Amazon, it wouldn't be. Not at all. Automated systems do this stuff without problem.

But the multi-billion dollar company didn't run the kickstarter of communicated to their fans. That was CR who later partnered with the mega corp.

So it CR as the junior partner wants to pay for some such promotions for their loyal fans they're free to do so. But that is none of Amazon's business.

 

[Shardstone]

But the multi-billion dollar company didn't run the kickstarter of communicated to their fans. That was CR who later partnered with the mega corp.

So it CR as the junior partner wants to pay for some such promotions for their loyal fans they're free to do so. But that is none of Amazon's business.

We have different opinions of what should be Amazon's business and what shouldn't be.

 

[Lanefan]

Free has various meaning but I think most people understood it in that context to mean you don't have to pay money. Which you don't.

Well, you do have to pay money if you for whatever reason can't watch them all within a month, or if you want to re-watch them at some later date.

That, and Amazon hasn't exactly made itself popular as a corporation in some ways/places, meaning there'll be a cohort of people unwilling to deal with them in any capacity.

 

[Azzy]

Well, you do have to pay money if you for whatever reason can't watch them all within a month, or if you want to re-watch them at some later date.

That, and Amazon hasn't exactly made itself popular as a corporation in some ways/places, meaning there'll be a cohort of people unwilling to deal with them in any capacity.

Yar?

No, I'm not actually advocating anything.

 

[Bill Zebub]

A masterclass of victim blaming.

Except....there's no victim here.

"I've been robbed! My phone is missing!"
"You never had a phone. You're imagining you've been robbed."
"Victim blaming!"

 

[KahlessNestor]

So, who here backed the KS?

I backed it. Admittedly at a lower level, since I'm not wealthy enough to drop a hundred bucks or whatever on a Kickstarter. I also have a Prime account, because I use Amazon a lot. But I don't feel cheated. They're giving me the option for pre-release, which I probably won't anyway, because they look like they're at scheduled times, and I work nights, so can't exactly make an evening show. I also pay the Twitch subscription for CR, even though I never watch the live show and only occasionally watch the VOD before it comes out for free on Monday on their website/YouTube.

How am I cheated? I'm getting everything I paid for, and more, because I paid for 1 episode and swag. To be honest, a lot of swag I could care less about. (Stickers? Kind of stupid. I'm not a 12 year old girl. But okay). The dice were what I wanted and determined the level I gave at. The cards are kinda cool, though unused except to look at the pretty art. Ironically, I'm digging the free hat and use it every day.

#CRBlessed

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I agree it's kind of scummy... but it's also not a huge deal. I mean, Amazon Prime gives you first week for free, you can easily get the week and use it to binge the show.

If for whatever reason you can't watch it all in a week, pay for one month ($14?). Compared to the price some backers made, really not a huge expense.

I get being annoyed for the principles being violated, but in real $ and cents terms this is small potatoes.

 

[mewzard]

I'm a backer, not at a particularly high tier, only $20. I'm already a Prime member, so I'm not losing out on anything. Kinda sad I don't own the season, but that was never stated as an option.

I'm not particularly upset, though I do wish it would have worked out better for more fans.

The fact that it took so long to communicate this not ideal news makes me think they were trying to negotiate this better and Amazon gave them a flat no. If they were fine with potentially screwing the backers over, they would have dropped this news months ago to not potentially hurt the launch.