Update []:
First Press Games has issued its own statement regarding the situation around its contract with Goodboy Galaxy Ltd. (Rik Nicol), posting a lengthy diatribe shifting the blame entirely over to the developer of Goodboy Galaxy. It states that it will pursue a lawsuit over a breach of contract alongside defamation of reputation and damages, citing offensive and harmful remarks posted online by Nicol.
Crucially, First Press Games also states that the money taken from customers' pre-orders has already been invested in the production of the physical products, so it's likely that anybody looking to request a refund, as per Nicol's advice, won't receive anything. That said, First Press Games stresses that issues with its printing partner are now resolved, and shipping of Goodboy Galaxy will commence once the firm is done shipping its previous product, Chained Echoes.
It's all a bit of a mess, really. It's likely this legal battle won't be resolved for quite some time, so we'll be sure to keep you updated with any significant developments. We did reach out to Nicol for a bit more context behind his official statement, but he understandably declined to comment due to the potential legal ramifications.
Original Story: Goodboy Galaxy Ltd., the developer and publisher behind – you guessed it – Goodboy Galaxy, has confirmed it has ended its contract with physical distributor First Press Games.
The latter has been offering up physical bundles of the title on Game Boy Advance, though has been running into frequent significant delays culminating in a blog post lamenting "broken promises" by its printing partners. It's currently not known whether this issue has directly led to the decision from Goodboy Galaxy Ltd. to end its contract with First Press Games, but we have reached out directly for more information.
For now, Goodboy Galaxy Ltd. has posted the following statement on social media:
The publisher has pledged to fulfill all Kickstarter pledges without First Press Games' involvement, though has not yet specified how it intends to do so. More information on that will be released at a later date.
In the meantime, backers are encouraged to reach out for refunds either directly through First Press Games or via the Kickstarter campaign. Goodboy Galaxy Ltd. has also offered its own support should no satisfactory resolution be obtained.
Did you put in a purchase for the GBA version of Goodboy Galaxy? What do you make of this whole mess? Let us know with a comment down below.
[source x.com]
Comments 51
This bodes poorly for my long awaited copy of Chained Echoes, doesn’t it 😭
Wowza! That’s not what I wanted to see this morning!
I really enjoyed Goodboy Galaxy on the Evercade (even though it wouldn’t save properly) and LOVE First Press Games products (although I’m still waiting 3+ years to get some stuff yeeesh)
I wonder when I’ll get a message from First Press? (I preordered)
As a backer of this game, I'm disappointed in the publisher and satisfied with the devs' transparency. Hopefully they can find a better manufacturer soon.
@S83 I have a bad feeling… I knew something was up when they sent us all codes to play Chained Echoes via Steam…
@S83 yeah, I’m also waiting on that one, I think 1,5 years now, though we’ve received a Steam code for the long wait. It has not even gone into production.
First Press Games is absolutely terrible. They also point towards their distributors only (and blame it on ‘printing errors’ of the packaging or some sht) , and absolutely don’t want to take any blame themselves. I will never order there again. They’re not trustworthy nor committed.
Man, time flies. It's almost two years ago since i beat chained echoes and immediately ordered the collector's edition because i loved it so much.
That was probably a waste...
First Press Games had a period of activity in September where they showed signs of life and apparently finally manifested some PS4 physical copies of Chained Echoes, but since then have fallen silent again.
Things are looking terrible, and I'm hoping the best for Goodboy Galaxy going forward.
I'm still holding out that FPG will fulfil my pre-order for Chained Echoes Switch physicals, but I'm not hopeful.
@Friendly
If anything, I think this really goes to show that FPG's strategy of "every single release has special packaging and a collectible coin" has been really bad, when the most important thing, an actual physical game, gets stuck behind all of that.
Doing so has probably bit them hard logistically and financially, struggling to get sales and capital to do any of the fancier releases.
I am not surprised in the least, I am still awaiting my physical of Mindseize from them.
Its not like the game has been out since 2020 or anything. Ah wait yes it has....
@S83 Chained Echoes seems to be one of the few games FPG have been posting updates for. The blog on their website seems to suggest it was in stock back in September (although they haven't updated the blog since so no idea if they actually started shipping)
I'm not exactly surprised by this to be honest. I backed Goodboy Galaxy, but as soon as it was announced that FPG were publishing the physical GBA carts I knew it was likely I wasn't going to see it for some time.
I was holding off playing it until I got the physical, but that might be a while off now. Oddly, not knowing who's going to now publish the physicals gives me more confidence I might actually receive it at some point give FPGs track record.
@dmcc0
The Goodboy Galaxy devs have been retweeting Bitmap Bureau's GBA physical release of Xenocrisis, which was actually realised and people actually have in their hands.
https://youtu.be/-poj-YHXAc0
There's a good chance that Goodboy Galaxy will be getting a physical release in collaboration with Bitmap Bureau, or the company that did the physical GBA release on their behalf.
@dmcc0 I’ve seen some people have received their PS4 copies, but the lack of any news since September is pretty grim.
Waitasec, that isn't Commander Keen.
@Dr_Corndog that's what I keep thinking of when I see this game!
I'd seriously like to see a Commander Keen collection though.
Another peed off FPG customer here, who ordered Chained Echoes two years ago and Crimson Clover World Explosion even longer ago than that, I think.
No sign still of either yet, I wonder what hope we all have of ever getting our money back?
I really loved this game, would have loved to got a GBA cart.
I placed my order for Crimzon Clover in September 2021 and still don’t have it.
That’s not a typo.
I have been watching their releases of Underhero. That game looks sick as heck, but something about that website seems fishy.
I’m sad to hear this release got caught in the middle
@ScalenePowers
Regrettably, they used to be alright in the start and actually fulfilled a number of my Switch and Game Boy Color physical orders.
It appears they were taking on more releases than they were financially able to however.
Unfortunate to hear and while luckily it's not my case because I went for the digital versions (GBA ROM, PC and Switch) when I supported the game on Kickstarter I feel for those having issues because of this!
I’m sorry who and who?
I backed the physical Switch version and digital GBA version. So had no problem with FPG thus far. I hope the developers have more luck with the next publisher. I wish them the best.
@Servbot_EJ There's one dirt cheap on Steam, though it lacks Episode 6 and Keen Dreams.
I'm sure this is somehow still Josh Fairhurst's fault
Oh no that’s sad to hear, I love the game on evercade.
Hopefully they will be able to find a new and better partner to work with on the gba release.
Preordered Psychotic Adventures Origins back in 2019.
Five years later...still waiting...
This is frankly the best news I've heard about Goodboy Galaxy in years. I'd already long since given up hope of ever actually getting a physical edition of this game.
I don't know if it's possible anymore at this point, but hoping Chained Echoes can be contracted to ANYONE else. That is one of the biggest games people want.
First Press Games is far the worst company compared to Limited Run Games.
First Press Games is Ponzi Scheme and anyone who has preordered from this scummy company (physical games of Goodboy Galaxy and Chained Echoes for example) would have to wait YEARS before we will see those games released (no exaggeration).
"A Ponzi scheme is an investment fraud that pays existing investors with funds collected from new investors."
Yeah a game I was thinking about to get from 1st press games is still "coming soon" and it's been like 2 years or so. Never buying from them.
@Dr_Corndog I also thought this 😂 I hope the aliens didn’t eat the doggies’ babysitter
@PessitheMystic I ended up cancelling my order for Crimzon Clover nearly 2 years ago after it was pushed back in the schedule again. They said at the time the new date was a 'worst case' and the game would likely be out before then - its since been pushed back at least twice more (and obviously still not been released) 🤦♂️
Oh Crap, I forgot about Underhero, ordered that from them in Nov 2020 and Mindseize in June 21 both still Coming Soon? Erm yeah
Sorry but they are investing peoples cash in other orders? Pretty sure that is a type of fraud.
First Press Games' statement on the matter doesn't instill any confidence in them at all. Diatribe is absolutely the best way to describe their response.
We don't have the full picture though, and given FPG's track record I'm more inclined to trust in Goodboy Galaxy's side that FPG has let them down.
The key part that sticks out to me is their claim that FPG has been selling Goodboy Galaxy "against our wishes and without our permission since 30th September", but FPG claims that they're continuing with physical production with aims of shipping goods ahead of Christmas. What's going on there?
@Bunkerneath
Income from other projects being used to help secure future work isn't unusual, but to this degree of taking orders without fulfilling them is rightly suspicious.
For Goodboy Galaxy fulfilment specifically though they're claiming they processed the funds from the Kickstarter campaign for backers that specifically went for a GBA physical reward.
Backers still had to pay a shipping fee separate to their pledge, though.
So yeah, as I predicted, First Party Games blames it on ‘3d party printing issues’, and all of a sudden they’ve now been resolved.
This company’s a scam.
Lol FPG sounds so butthurt in that statement. Their 3+ year backlog of unfulfilled orders suggests to me that they seem to be more interested in spending all their customers' money on fruitless legal attacks on their partners than on delivering the goods they promised.
@RupeeClock Yes, I had to pay the shipping fee (to First Press Games) for my physical Mindseize which was also from Kickstarter
@Bunkerneath This is how businesses work though - you invest money from previous projects into the next project. I'm not saying this is definitely what's going on, but in FPGs case - at least from the outside looking in - is appears that they don't have enough cash to fulfil a specific order until they take the cash for the next game (or 2). The problem with this business model is that you are relying on the next game being at least as popular as the last otherwise you have to cover the cost using funds from 2, 3 or even more games. It creates a vicious cycle where everyone holds off pre-ordering anything because you have a reputation for long delays so you can never fund the previous game.
What a mess. I had no problem with FPG before (I think they even sent me a game for free), but I admit I'm torn here. As a matter of fact, I happened to have checked their blog a few days ago and they haven't posted anything about the problem being resolved, so I find very convenient to claim it is now, while claiming they can't fulfill the shipping "because" of the developer's behavior... And that problem was always weird to me since there are many other publishers of homebrew games that provide quality releases.
To be fair, I only sent $9 of shipping fees to FPG, but I don't see how the developer could have other physical editions made without getting their Kickstarter money back.
First Press Games deserve some jail time. They owe me orders from 2021. They block from X anyone that rightfully and respectfully ask when will they ship a 3 year old order. They don't reply emails. They just run a Ponzi scheme.
@S83 Not as bad as me waiting for my Goodboy Galaxy physical release!
FPG are lying through their teeth. Do not give them any money, and pursue refunds or legal action if necessary.
FPG are so scummy. I made the mistake of ordering Chained Echoes from them but I will not repeat the same mistake twice, that is for sure.
Whenever anyone says Limited Run Games is the 'worst boutique physical game company' it makes me think I am the only one that ever ordered from First Press Games.
It helps my sanity seeing this that atleast more than one person (me) has had such an awful experience 'pre-ordering' games from First Press.
Still waiting 4+ years for a game is absurd and worse than anything Limited Run has done to me...
I do have to say though, the few games that did arrive from First Press were at least nice quality.
@GOmar My take on (some) of these companies
Limited Run: great to absolutely not great. Whale chasers. Inconsistant as f, but they have always honoured orders. I don't like that they're getting bigger and bigger. At all.
Strictly limited games: a mess, but they aren't thieves.
Superrare: very good policy of selling games in hand instead of promises. Good Customer Service. A few foam practices here and there.
1 print games: they are still alive, apparently. Nice editions. But takes too long to manufacture.
1st print game: absolutely nothing positive to say about them
B-side: good while it lasted.
Game Fairy: re-born, one of those selling goodies that no one asked instead of standard copies, like Abylight from Spain.
Pix'N Love: their graphic designers are top tier. the rest is very questionable.
NGDEV: had an issue solved in a very unpractical way. Nice games.
Fangamer: they don't belong here. I have nothing but praise for them. Lovely editions, they print on demand; no FOMO. Great. plus, they opened an EU store
on the other hand..
Iam8bit: awful practices, awful shipping policies. Game lost; get lost.
Hypergun store (Nicalis): can't say nice things about TR.
Premium Edition: I only buy from VGP. On the "takes too much time" side, but they make nice editions
Ultracollectors: OKish
Pixelheart: good. Some good vintage stuff sold as well.
VBlank: had no issues with them.
Special reserve games: gorgeous editions.
RedArt games: great, but they release one game per minute; Lost track.
Dispatch Games: Next!
Warned collectors: I hope you had diarrhoea with the contaminated Margarita you hopefully had with my money.
probably missing a few.
@Pipulitoch
I've got my worries about 1Print Games at the moment, as they haven't had any activity since "site maintenance" in May 2024.
They've yet to complete their triple pack of games for their 2023 bundle, the first two titles "In Other Waters" and "Sky Racket" are ready and have shipped, but nothing's come of their third title "Slap City", which is the Ittle Dew dev's Smash Bros type fighter and was supposed to launch 2023 itself.
@RupeeClock they said this to me yesterday "We are finalizing things with the final game of the triple pack as we speak and hope to get it shipped out as soon as possible! We want to be able to ship out the best product without cutting corners. Keep your eyes on our socials for when we have any updates or announcements."
@Pipulitoch
That's great to hear, I just dropped them an email too since I'd meant to chase it up, and hoping that I hear the same from them.
@RupeeClock An "official statement" that starts with a lowercase letter certainly doesn't inspire confidence.
@brakeman90
There's a lot to pick apart in that statement, and it's a far cry from their usual output in their historic email newsletters or blog articles.
It gives the impression that an angered CEO wrote it themselves and didn't have someone on hand to write it on their behalf or reign things in.
So… any heard anything? Curious if I’ll be getting a refund or a game…? …or anything?
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...