Bandcamp is one of the few sites still in existence that allow you to purchase things without making an account. I expect this will be the first feature to go. So long, Bandcamp.
Epic Games acquires Bandcamp
391–400 of 485 posts
Re: Epic Games acquires Bandcamp
#392Earlier quoted context omitted.
Historically, Epic's aquisitions are given freedom to do whatever they were doing beforehand, so I wouldn't be worried. Quixel now just gives out tons of free materials and assets, Sketchfab is untouched, Artstation forums don't behave any differently, Hypersense's tech was likely leveraged and used in Metahuman. People concerned over the "Exclusivity deals" on the game store end aren't looking at the "Developer" acq…
Tell it to "Rocket League" or look at what happened to PUBG when they used Epic's engine. Epic only makes those things "free", it only buys popular software, because it's goal is getting more people locked into it's walled garden Epic store. It is not because they are nice. As soon as they believe they have a critical mass of Epic store users you can damn well bet they'll treat Quixel, Sketchfab, and Artstation forum…
>As soon as they believe they have a critical mass of Epic store users you can damn well bet they'll treat Quixel, Sketchfab, and Artstation forums
Maybe. But Unity is technically still used in more games and is being just as aggressive in acquisitions between Parsec, Syncsketch, Ziva, and even Weta Digital. It's definitely not going to be a battle won by outspending the competition.
Re: Epic Games acquires Bandcamp
#393This feels like a major blow, as someone who just semi recently (probably around pandemic start) started getting into purchasing flac music from indie artists, Bandcamp was a great source of music. I understand nothing will change in the short term, but long term I am very concerned. Especially as streaming becomes more dominant and companies are less willing to provide flac based music and physical discs (where I ca…
Are you willing to fund Bandcamp?
Re: Epic Games acquires Bandcamp
#394This feels like a major blow, as someone who just semi recently (probably around pandemic start) started getting into purchasing flac music from indie artists, Bandcamp was a great source of music. I understand nothing will change in the short term, but long term I am very concerned. Especially as streaming becomes more dominant and companies are less willing to provide flac based music and physical discs (where I ca…
I've had good results over the years with Juno Download, although I generally shop there for electronic music.
Re: Epic Games acquires Bandcamp
#395Earlier quoted context omitted.
Either I didn't explain it correctly or you didn't read what I said entirely. If an album has a free song or single, you cannot add the free song to your library unless you purchase the whole album. Even if you are allowed to purchase individual songs on the album.
It could be argued that the artist could've released that free song as a single/its own "album". It's not uncommon to see that.
In general they don't add free stuff to your library, they just let you download it. I can't recall any free album that could be added to my library (I don't personally mind, I just download stuff anyway). There used to be a $.50 minimum to add something to your library but I think they might have dropped or reduced that at some point (you do need to pay something, though).
Re: Epic Games acquires Bandcamp
#396I make music and sell it on Bandcamp as a way to raise funds to donate to nonprofits. It’s been a reliably honest website, and a fantastic source of both music and validation. Although it’s really tempting to speculate otherwise, I really hope they stay the same.
Re: Epic Games acquires Bandcamp
#397It's been fascinating to see a wider audience being introduced this way to the behemoth that has been absorbing so much in the past years and hearing Epic being described as a "gaming company", it's like saying Amazon is a bookstore: sure it started this way, but it's already so much more now.
They already try to own the entire pipeline for 3D creation, not just for games but anything 3D.
They don't see Fortnite as a game, but as a platform (Errant Signal had a good essay on that topic two years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNukmNDq60Q) and it's only been more visible ever since, acquiring key tools like Sketchfab, RealityCapture, Quixel, and Artstation.
Re: Epic Games acquires Bandcamp
#398Earlier quoted context omitted.
That already happens with Bandcamp. If the artist removes a song/album, you have no way of downloading it again even if you've purchased it. You only get a license to download the music while it's still available on the website. I've lost a few tracks/albums this way, thankfully I had local copies already.
I haven't had this problem, unless artists can do something that looks identical to this on the face. I had an artist take "Album 1", "Album 2", "Album 3", and "Album 4", which I purchased through a whole-discography purchase, and merge them into "Album 1-4". It turns out I was able to download the originals anyways.
I purchased a few albums from Ghost Mice, who deleted the albums or their account (and made a new one?). They are no longer downloadable. In the entry in my purchases history, it says:
> Deleted Artist
> Sorry, Strays by Ghost Mice is no longer available. Please contact Ghost Mice for more information.
Re: Epic Games acquires Bandcamp
#399Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Now I'm not sure what to do I mean, why not continue doing what you are doing until the thing that you like actually goes to shit?
Because, and fairly so, people don't want their spending to go into the pockets of companies that get kids interested in gambling or buy exclusivity.
But there is no gambling in Fortnite and shortly after Epic acquired Rocket League they removed their loot boxes too.
The only gambling there was in Fortnite was in the paid version of the game that nobody really played anyway. The game that is actually popular doesn't have it.
Re: Epic Games acquires Bandcamp
#400Earlier quoted context omitted.
Thank you. Ok, I guess have heard of them then. I played Unreal! And I've heard many mentions of the Unreal engine. > but most of their previous aquisitions are hands-off Thanks. Given the immediate negative reactions that people have to this news (see the countless "what is a bandcamp alternative?" posts going around right now), I wonder how it will impact one of Bandcamp's most important assets: their Daily blog. F…
My negative reaction is related to Epic's microtransaction (aka gambling, often aimed at children) and DRM use as well as being 40% owned by Tencent so your puchases now will help fund genocide.
I mean, mine too. I’m very disappointed and worried about this. I’m less worried about the possible tech changes than I am about supporting a crappy company that I hate.