You may remember the unfortunate saga of Planet Centauri, an indie 2D sandbox game that took over a decade to develop. With more than 130,000 wishlists accumulated, anticipation was high for its 1.0 release earlier this year. However, a bug in Steam led to a missed opportunity, as the announcement email indicating the game’s launch failed to reach those who had eagerly added it to their wishlists. A tough break for the developers at Permadeath.
In a commendable gesture, Valve offered a small remedy to this oversight by featuring Planet Centauri as one of Steam’s Daily Deals, aiming to restore some of the visibility lost due to the earlier mishap. After careful consideration, Permadeath accepted Valve’s offer and scheduled the Daily Deal spotlight for November 12, as reported by Polygon.
Timing and Challenges
On the same day, Valve unveiled its new Steam hardware, including the Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller, which dominated the gaming news cycle. The announcement overshadowed everything else, including Planet Centauri, and left many wondering about the timing of the Daily Deal. Laurent Lechat, the developer behind Permadeath, reflected on the situation, acknowledging that the date was chosen almost at random. “It’s just bad luck and we must accept it,” he stated, recognizing that Valve likely could not have foreseen the clash with such a significant announcement.
The unfortunate coincidence raised questions about Valve’s scheduling practices, especially given the vast number of games available on Steam. Yet, amidst this double dose of misfortune, the Daily Deals spotlight proved to be a silver lining. During its feature, over 5,000 copies of Planet Centauri were sold in a single day. While this figure fell short of the studio’s expectations, it provided a crucial boost for the team. “It’s enough for us to survive for at least a year and allow us to finish our second game,” Lechat remarked.
Although details about the upcoming title remain under wraps, Permadeath plans to bypass early access and aim for a full release, complete with a demo to be available soon. Additionally, the studio is committed to releasing updates for Planet Centauri, despite Lechat’s candid admission that he sometimes feels the game is “cursed.”
Currently, Planet Centauri is available on Steam for .49/£6/€7, reflecting a 50% discount, making it an opportune time for new players to explore this long-awaited title.
