The cramped, claustrophobic world of Iron Lung got a bit more expensive. Developer David Szymanski recently raised the price of the critically-acclaimed indie horror game from $6 to $8, prompting a wave of criticism from players who felt the hike was unwarranted.
In a series of tweets, Szymanski didn’t mince words in his response. Taking to Twitter, he bluntly stated that the price increase was solely motivated by his desire to earn more money for his hard work. It’s a reasonable argument, he made the game so he should be able to decide what he charges.
It’s true that Szymanski partially raised the price because the popularity of the game improved thanks to Markiplier. Mega YouTuber Markiplier is currently directing and starring in a film adaptation of the game, bringing the suffocating atmosphere and eerie aquatic horrors to the big screen. The movie doesn’t yet have a release date, but the first blood-drenched teaser promises a faithful and terrifying translation of Szymanski’s haunting vision.
“If you don’t think the things I make are worth the money I charge, that’s completely ok. Don’t buy them, or wait for a deep sale, or go the sneaky route and get them for free or whatever, and please tell me that so I can adjust the prices for whatever I release next.”
David Szymanski
Most games that are hugely popular aren’t only $6, they’re normally $15. So a raise of two dollars is pretty reasonable. According to SteamDB, Iron Lung hasn’t taken any hits, follower or player-wise. So, it seems like the core community doesn’t mind the price hike. We doubt there will be any long-term impact either since Markiplier’s movie will likely boost the sales of the game.
