A downloadable agreement

Update 18 Jan. 2022 10:56AM:
Disco Elysium has been funded. More information shortly.

Unexpectedly, my last list 200 Games I Won't Play got some mixed reactions. Here, I will clarify my thoughts and retract the notion that I will not play any of these games. I will play these games for a price.

Illustration by Phillip Martin

Listed at the bottom are the games from my previous list with a detailed cost associated with playing each game to completion. As before, the hours are based on search results from HowLongToBeat. If anyone wants me to play any of these games, you will have to pay for the complete play through rather than paying me to try out the game for an hour or two. If you only want me to play an hour or two of the game, you can not expect me to have previously purchased it in order to play it for a small percentage of the time. For games that are only a few hours, this allows me to have the full experience. I do not want to play it for a small while, not be paid for the rest of the game, and be told that it only gets good x hours in. If the game can be fully experienced in a few hours and is much longer, this should be a moment of reflection for developers that make bloated games.

I apologize for including the games that I crossed off of the last list in this list. I will not remove games from this list unless they are paid for. I realized what my boundaries are now and I hope to be consistent in what I owe other people and what other people owe me.

'Pur' refers to the purchases I will have to make in order to play the game. My estimate for each purchase was made by first searching each game on Steam 's store. If the game was not available to be played on PC, I would then, based on casual knowledge of what platform I could play each game on, either search for the game on GOG, Apple's App Store, Amazon, or eBay. If a physical purchase would be required to legally play the game, the purchase price is based on the first used copy price plus shipping. If used copies were not available when I searched for a game, the purchase price is based on the price of a new copy. If the console required to play a game is not in my current apartment, I included the first used console price that I could find on either Amazon or eBay.

Illustration by Phillip Martin

The hourly rate is loosely based on several job hourly rates, how much I want to play each game, and where I want a game to appear in this list. If games did not appear in an order that I felt was evocative I increased or decreased the rate in increments of $5 until I felt satisfied.

I asked two friends who live in single bedroom apartments with one pet in Brooklyn what an approximation of their hourly rates are. I wanted to make sure if I was being paid to play many these games I would make more money than they do at their full time office jobs. I wanted to make sure it was worth my time as I have a master's degree, two cats (1 year old previous strays Calendar and Shoelace), and live in a 6 bedroom apartment with 5 roommates. I borrowed a large sum of money in order to pay for veterinarian appointments and would like to pay it back. One, with a master's degree told me that they make approximately $45 an hour, and the one with an undergraduate degree told me that the master's rate was close to what they make.

For games that I particularly do not want to play, I based my rate on the upwards hourly rate of an NYU Adjunct Professor. I have an MFA in Game Design at NYU, so if I am playing something I really do not want to play, I want to at least monetarily one up some of the folks that taught me how to make games. This is not as a gotcha, but as a tribute. Every teacher should wish for their students to surpass them, and monetary gains feels like an easy measurable method of success. For some games that I feel more strongly about not playing, I multiplied the rate by 2, 3, 4, etc.

Illustration by Phillip Martin

Disco Elysium is the game I wanted to be the cheapest to play. Part of the reason I made the previous list is because I feel the most tormented by the recommendations to play this game. Because of this, I want it to be the most likely for someone to pay for me to play. People have recommended me play this game probably because of the political statements it makes in regards to Communism. Coincidentally, I have not wanted to spend $40 to play it, even though I am sure that is an equivalent cost to the labor put into the game. I would like to stream this game with my roommate Eva Khoury, someone who describes themselves as a fan of Disco Elysium. Streaming this game on my Twitch would entail me controlling the game, making narrative decisions while Eva provides conversation and additional narration. While playing this game, I will be bound with rope to not only symbolically represent a hyperbolic torture of playing a game I do not want to, but as a reference to the gig economy, and the relationship between the cultures and modes of pay of sex work websites such as Chaturbate and game streaming websites like Twitch. The rate of $30 would be evenly split between Eva and I to be equivalent to Bernie Sander's suggested $15 an hour minimum wage

Part of why I would not like to play Disco Elysium is because I reject the genera of game that it is a part of and I see no clue to how it significantly differs from other games in that genre mechanically. I am allergic to long narrative choice driven games. Games like Super Mario Bros. if something bad happens, if you lose, it feels as though it is the player's fault. Many narrative games, when sticking to genre conventions, are in comparison arbitrary and authoritarian. The frustration of playing word based puzzles is exaggerated in my free game abc2 (apple). If I am paid to play this game, I hope that I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of narrative interaction.

If you donate to this itch page now, you will help fund my playing of Disco Elysium. If the full $655 is raised, I will then post a schedule for the game and start playing it accordingly. Because of Eva and my respective work schedules, we will attempt to stream as frequently as we can. Hopefully, we will work out a schedule where we can play through the game in a couple of weekends. If over $655 is raised, the additional funds will go towards streaming other games on this list that I will announce. If you donate, you will receive a signed agreement that also reveals the next game I would like to play for money.

Illustration by Phillip Martin

That Dragon, Cancer is listed as the most expensive game, not because I think playing it would be that painful, but because I would like the money made from it to go directly to charity. If someone wants me to play this game for $99,999 I will start looking into advisement for what charity I should donate the money to. However, I will not accept money for this game unless the funding for Disco Elysium is successful.

If you would like to see a the total hours or cost for all of these games, you will have to add those things together yourself or use your imagination. I did not want to include those numbers because I do not want anyone to think that I will play all of these games. Playing some of these games for money seems like it would be worth my while. I am not interested in becoming a full time streamer or game player. I would also like to have the free time to work on my own games and play games that I am interested in. These reasons are why I am fund raising for one game at a time.

If you would like to see me play Disco Elysium or if you just enjoy my work and would like to support me making more things in the future, I would appreciate you donating $5 at minimum. If you like Eva, support them with $5. If you do not donate to me or Eva, think about financially supporting other independent game developers that you appreciate. I appreciate you looking at, glancing over, or reading this writing and chart that took me approximately 10 hours to write and format for $0 an hour.

TitleHrsRatePurTotal
Disco Elysium20.5$30$40$655
Thief: The Dark Project13$50$7$657
Firewatch4$160$20$660
What Remains of Edith Finch2$320$20$660
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons3$215$15$660
Telling Lies4$160$20$660
A Way Out6$105$30$660
Crysis 37$90$30$660
Crysis 29$70$30$660
Wolfenstein: Youngblood9$70$30$660
God of War: Betrayal2$330$1$661
Dear Esther1.5$435$10$662
God of War 310$65$13$663
Shovel Knight6.5$100$15$665
The Evil Within16$41$10$666
INSIDE3.5$185$20$667
Dream Daddy4.5$145$15$667
Little Nightmares3.5$185$20$667
Crysis Warhead5$130$20$670
Crysis10$65$20$670
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus10.5$60$40$670
Dead Space 313$50$20$670
Tacoma2.5$260$20$670
The Red Strings Club4$165$15$675
Into the Breach5.5$120$15$675
Alan Wake11$60$15$675
Child of Light11$60$15$675
A Plague Tale: Innocence10.5$60$45$675
Dead Cells13$50$25$675
Jericho7$95$13$678
Furi5.5$120$20$680
Ruiner5.5$120$20$680
F.E.A.R. 36$110$20$680
Guacamelee7$95$15$680
BioShock 211$60$20$680
Pyre11$60$20$680
Prey (2006)7.5$90$7$682
Far Cry Primal14.5$45$30$682
Oxenfree4.5$150$10$685
Red Faction II4.5$150$10$685
Ori and the Blind Forest8$85$5$685
Slay the Spire11$60$25$685
The Banner Saga 211$60$25$685
The Outer Worlds12.5$50$60$685
Colony Wars6.5$105$5$687
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon4.5$150$15$690
Super Time Force Ultra4.5$150$15$690
Call of Juarez8$85$10$690
The Banner Saga 39.5$70$25$690
Red Faction: Guerrilla13.5$50$20$695
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak10$65$50$700
Far Cry New Dawn11$60$40$700
Star Wars: The Old Republic10$70$0$700
This War of Mine10.5$65$20$702
Jak X: Combat Racing10$70$3$703
The Banner Saga10.5$65$25$707
FreeSpace 215.5$45$10$707
Helldivers11.5$60$20$710
Homefront: The Revolution11.5$60$20$710
Diablo14$50$10$710
Metroid Prime 314$50$13$713
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night13.5$50$40$715
Far Cry 315.5$45$20$717
BioShock Infinite11.5$60$30$720
Ori and the Will of the Wisps11.5$60$30$720
Outer Wilds15.5$45$25$722
Far Cry Instincts12$60$6$726
God of War II12$60$6$726
Dead Space 29$80$20$740
Dragon Quest II16.5$45$5$747
Vagrant Story23.5$30$45$750
Prey (2017)16$45$30$750
Fallout 116.5$45$10$752
Rogue Legacy16.5$45$15$757
FTL: Faster Than Light12.5$60$10$760
Hard West12.5$60$20$770
Far Cry 217$45$10$775
Pinstripe3$260$15$795
Titan Souls3$260$15$795
Dying Light17$45$40$805
Far Cry 417.5$45$30$817
Uncharted8$85$143$823
Uncharted 210.5$65$143$826
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes17.5$45$39$827
God of War: Ascension8.5$80$148$828
God of War: Ghost of Sparta6.5$100$197$847
Far Cry 517.5$45$60$847
God of War: Chains of Olympus5.5$120$189$849
Mass Effect: Andromeda18.5$45$30$862
Uncharted 39$80$145$865
Conker's Bad Fur Day10.5$60$247$877
Prison Architect19$45$30$885
Watch_Dogs19$45$30$885
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City19.5$45$10$887
Watch_Dogs 219$45$50$905
Far Cry Instincts: Evolution7$95$259$924
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II20.5$45$23$946
Hades20.5$45$25$947
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei21.5$45$0$968
Shin Megami Tensei If...19$45$115$970
L.A. Noire21.5$45$20$987
Far Cry Instincts: Predator15$45$369$1,044
Final Fantasy IV23$45$16$1,051
Fallout 323$45$20$1,055
Journey2$520$15$1,055
Red Faction: Armageddon8$130$20$1,060
The Witcher 224$45$20$1,100
Night in the Woods8.5$130$20$1,125
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri25$45$6$1,131
Mass Effect 324.5$45$30$1,132
Mass Effect 224.5$45$60$1,162
Ghostbusters (2016)6$110$512$1,172
Hollow Knight26$45$15$1,185
Uncharted 415$45$513$1,188
Path of Exile26.5$45$0$1,193
SOMA9$130$30$1,200
Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword26.5$45$10$1,202
Dragon Age II26.5$45$20$1,212
Torment: Tides of Numenera26$45$45$1,215
Shin Megami Tensei Nine27$45$0$1,215
Dragon Quest IV27$45$15$1,230
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands26.5$45$50$1,242
Fallout 427$45$30$1,245
Dragon Quest III27.5$45$10$1,247
Fallout: New Vegas27.5$45$10$1,247
Final Fantasy XV28$45$35$1,295
Watch Dogs: Legion17.5$45$522$1,309
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic29$45$10$1,315
Final Fantasy III30$45$16$1,366
Fallout 230.5$45$10$1,382
Dragon Quest V30.5$45$15$1,387
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords31$45$10$1,405
No Man's Sky30.5$45$60$1,432
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner27$45$218$1,433
God of War (2018)20.5$45$514$1,436
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga32$45$23$1,463
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor31$45$74$1,469
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 232$45$32$1,472
Dark Souls 331.5$45$60$1,477
Final Fantasy V32.5$45$16$1,478
Dark Souls 232$45$40$1,480
Don't Starve33$45$10$1,495
Planescape: Torment33$45$20$1,505
Fallout 7634$45$40$1,570
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 234.5$45$25$1,577
Final Fantasy VI35$45$16$1,591
Diablo II35.5$45$10$1,607
The Witcher35.5$45$10$1,607
The Last of Us 224$45$529$1,609
Ghost of Tsushima24.5$45$545$1,648
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord36.5$45$50$1,692
System Shock13$130$10$1,700
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers29$45$418$1,723
Fire Emblem: Awakening30.5$45$378$1,751
Dragon Age: Origins40.5$45$20$1,842
Dragon Quest VI41$45$15$1,860
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim31$45$563$1,958
Baldur's Gate44$45$20$2,000
Shin Megami Tensei II42.5$45$128$2,040
Final Fantasy 7 Remake34$45$527$2,057
Bloodborne34$45$529$2,059
Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition46$45$20$2,090
Dragon Age: Inquisition46.5$45$40$2,132
Skies of Arcadia Legends41.5$45$280$2,147
Final Fantasy XIII48.5$45$16$2,198
Fire Emblem: Three Houses48.5$45$44$2,226
Dragon Quest IX48.5$45$51$2,233
Red Dead Redemption 248.5$45$60$2,242
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE49.5$45$40$2,267
Skies of Arcadia45$45$250$2,275
Mount and Blade51$45$10$2,305
Shin Megami Tensei IV43$45$400$2,335
The Witcher 351.5$45$40$2,357
Neverwinter Nights53$45$20$2,405
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne53$45$20$2,405
Days Gone38$45$700$2,410
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey54$45$50$2,480
This is the Police19$130$15$2,485
The Last of Us15.5$130$509$2,524
Darkest Dungeon56$45$25$2,545
They are Billions56$45$30$2,550
Dragon Quest XI57$45$40$2,605
Horizon Zero Dawn22.5$130$50$2,975
Xenoblade Chronicles68.5$45$40$3,122
Dishonored12$260$10$3,130
Dragon Quest VIII62.5$45$380$3,192
Persona 470.5$45$27$3,199
Dishonored 212.5$260$40$3,290
Dragon Quest VII73$45$40$3,325
System Shock 214$260$10$3,650
Apex Legends93$45$0$4,185
Rust94$45$40$4,270
Persona 597$45$60$4,425
Pillars of Eternity35.5$130$30$4,645
Mount & Blade: Warband118$45$20$5,330
Final Fantasy XIV233$45$20$10,505
Mount & Blade: Warband - Napoleonic Wars900$45$10$40,510
Dota 21595$45$0$71,775
League of Legends1476$49$0$71,778
That Dragon, Cancer2$49,995$10$99,999

Sincerely,

Blake Lee Andrews

StatusReleased
CategoryOther
Rating
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
(4 total ratings)
AuthorBLA?

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