GreedFall: The Dying World is currently available to try for free on Steam for a limited time, even though the studio behind it, Spiders, no longer exists and publisher Nacon is facing a severe crisis. The situation is further complicated by the French video game workers’ union calling for a boycott of Nacon products after the company shut down the developers of GreedFall and Steelrising.
The European games industry is having a difficult start to the year, and Nacon has become one of the more uncomfortable examples of how quickly a previously visible publisher can run into serious trouble. The company, one of the larger names in Europe, previously admitted that it was effectively close to bankruptcy, and that situation led to the announced closure of Spiders. The Paris-based studio is best known for GreedFall and Steelrising, but now its final major RPG, GreedFall: The Dying World, has returned to attention – partly because of a free Steam promotion, and partly because of a much bitterer labor dispute around its publisher.
Although many players may recognize the game from the earlier 2 attached to its title, GreedFall: The Dying World is the sequel to the studio’s first action RPG, this time with a stronger focus on tactical action and with the number dropped to communicate its identity more clearly to players. The project spent a year in early access before launching on Steam with significant changes intended to win back those who had tried it during the preview phase. That was not enough to satisfy the broader public, however: the game received mixed reviews, with technical issues and its combat system drawing a notable amount of criticism.
Nacon is now trying to revive interest in the title. GreedFall: The Dying World is free to play on Steam until Sunday, May 17, offering access to the full game without major content restrictions. Players who want to continue after the free period will need to buy it, but the promotion also includes a 30% discount, bringing the price down to €34.99. The move looks like a clear attempt by the publisher to generate renewed commercial attention around a troubled RPG, even as the studio that created it is no longer able to continue its work.
The French Union Is Calling For A Nacon Boycott
The closure of Spiders did not happen quietly or peacefully. Nacon first put the studio up for sale, but after failing to find another publisher or investor willing to take over the team, it decided to shut it down. In response, the Syndicat des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo, the French video game workers’ union, condemned the decision in extremely harsh terms, calling it “first-degree murder” and demanding a boycott of all Nacon products. The protest is not only about the studio closure itself, but also about allegations that Spiders did not receive proper royalties during its final years, while management practices allegedly endangered the team’s viability on purpose.
That background makes it hard for the current free weekend to function as a simple marketing campaign. GreedFall: The Dying World was already in a difficult position at launch: mixed reviews, technical problems, and a combat system that failed to convince a large part of the community all hurt its chances. Now the reputational damage surrounding Nacon and the affected studios adds another layer of difficulty to its commercial performance. The promotion does give players a real opportunity to try Spiders’ last fantasy RPG for free, but it also comes with an uncomfortable question attached: should they take that offer when a French union is morally urging them not to support the publisher?
Source: 3DJuegos
