TBH, I would prefer that if they released an expansion version. I mean it is basically a massive fix to the engine, plus maybe several hundred files, why not just do the same as it was done the last 2 expansion, sure make it cost $20 but not $40.

$40 is cheap at the price considering it contains all of Trinity as well. And the big plus, it is one of the few games currently out that I can consider a "grown up" game. All too many games now are flash bang graphics displays that entertain bears of small brain for a weekend. Sins focuses on game play while having wonderful graphics and can entertain someone with a brain for years. I only wish Ironclad were 10 times larger so they could add even more stuff quickly.

$40 is fine for me.

The problem with the pre-order. I saw too little to justify pre-ordering it for the discount.

I'm with ice27828 on this.  $40 is cheap if Rebellion were a brand-new game, but considering most of the content is copy/pasted from Trinity, I shouldn't need to shell out $40 for content I've already paid for with my purchases of Sins, Entrenchment, and Diplomacy.  If Ironclad were re-doing every model and texture to higher standards, sure I could justify the cost, but not when most of the content is just going to be a straight port.

they really removed the pre-order discount for previous Sin owners?  WTF?  

I fell in love with Sins on coop vs AI and dumped a lot of time into it, but really I agree with others that $40 is a lot for a few small changes.  I was all ready to buy my two copies at the original 30 mark, and while $10 may not seem like much.. I am still out of $40-50 from my elemental purchase that will most likely never be usable.

Com'on Stardock or I guess now capitalist gamestop!

Last I checked most businesses are. As for the removal of the pre-order discount, they had it up on the board for a long time saying that the discount was temporary. There was plenty of time to take advantage of the deal.

I can appreciate that it was posted to the board; however, what little time I have to game is spent gaming.. not reading forums.     And yes, almost all corporations shaft their users and while Stardock did not create Rebellion there is still a pretty bad taste in my mouth after Demigod and Elemental.   So, maybe it is best to wait till it gets released on Steam so only IronClad gets their cut.

I'm sure that it will go on sale one day soon. 

A few months after it's released, probably, which itself is quite a few months away.

The bright side of things ... it will contain many balancing tweaks and less bugs! 

People who are complaining about Rebellion being to expensive, the way i look at this game is it is a directors cut of Sins of a Solar Empire. It's got all of the original content and more. Honestly it is not that bad of a deal. 

Hello

Honestly i don't understand why i would have to pay 40$ for this expansion.
Some people said it's because it will be a "stand alone". lol... No it will be a now Steam and Game Stop software game again. Where is the stand alone ? ah ! The point you don't need to have buy the previous expansion but you will get them anyway for that price ? + the new one Rebellion ? I call that a pure joke ! and i don't like it.

What is left for me ?
A customer who have first buy Entrenchment at a decent price, then Trinity at a decent price.

Are you seriously saying i will have to pay AGAIN for the same game content i have already paid for to get the new expansion ? Or we will have a decent price for the expansion if we already have Trinity ? I see no reason to pay 40$ to get 3 new ship (i have no idea i am asking by the way) or this expansion will rock so hard with new content that i have no reason to complain about the 40$ ?

Well.. I already paid for something and i think it's unfair if new people can have all this + more for LESS than what i have already paid and have me paid MORE than them to get the new expansion. Because if i understand it right, you think i will pay 40$ for this next expansion ?

Thanks.
I love this game, but i don't like people who think i am a retard, so i wont buy this if it's that way.

For those of us who already have all of the original content, plus Entrenchment and Diplomacy, we aren't getting that many new features (maybe an expansion or two expansion's worth) but are having to pay about what 4 expansions cost.

For those who are getting the game for the first time, $40 makes sense. For those players who have already bought from Stardock Vanilla, Entrenchment, and Diplomacy, and are being told to pay $40 more, it doesn't make much sense.

I'm hoping that they'll come to their senses and reward loyal fans who've purchased all of the previous content, at least accounts that have been around since before the Diplomacy expansion, by making it $25.

well... many of you had the chance to pre-order at $30 dollars with no risk as you could cancel your pre-order before the beta started. 

Still it makes sense for them not to give away Rebellion early on until they know if it's worth it or not. It's possible the market won't support $40 and will quickly drop to compensate. Then again it's possible the game will be so vastly improved and enticing that it will suck in even those that didn't pre-order.

Yea, we've been pushing the date back as needed.

Basically, someone at Stardock or Ironclad comes up with a cool idea and once accepted we calculate the time needed and push back the date.  We just want to make sure what comes out is a home run.

There's also the issue that someone mentioned that Rebellion coming out around Christmas could make it appear more overshadowed by other games, than were it released at a more strategic time...

but still, $40 is a bit much. For those who have bought the previous 3 versions as well, at least.

In spite of all of the requests for you guys to hurry it up, deep down fans of the game want you to take all the time you need and then more time to polish it to perfection.  If it isn't out until August it's not ready until August.

I'm with Sanchezz, take all the time you need. As long as you guys remember to keep working on making ICO more usable/accessable!

To all the people complaining about the "excessive" cost of Rebellion I would like to say: you bought Sins or its expansions or Trinity for a price you obviously thought was worth it. You will make the same decision about Rebellion. Now, without even seeing the amount of content in Rebellion, you are complaining about the price. I know we would all like to have cheap games, but games require programming. Programming requires programmers, which require money to hire. Now, I just bought SoaSE: Trinity from the stardock store (I am trying to avoid Steam), and when I begin playing in a few weeks, I am pretty sure I will be happy with my purchase. I encourage stardock to make a great game, as Frogboy said, and I'm pretty sure I will buy Rebellion for $40. Of course, if the Diplomacy server were shut down soon after Rebellion came out, that would be bad, but I am pretty sure stardock, with its reputation for excellent service, would not do that for at least a few years yet.

I could also point out that people on the internet are complaining about CoD: MW3 (I haven't played it) being a "copy and paste," yet it is selling for full price, which I believe is about $60. I'm not sure where some peolpe think money comes from for game companies. Stardock is a business. Just try spending months developing a game, and then release it for $25. I have high hopes for Rebellion, and think it could well be worth $40.

Edited for grammar, spelling, and logic...good greif

We have seen the amount of content in Rebellion in descriptions from the devs / PR. For those of us who have been playing Sins for a long time, we aren't getting all that much new content (significant, yes, but not a while lot). On the other hand, those who haven't played Sins before are getting a ton of new content, it being an entirely new game for them.

That's why some of us think there should be more of a discount or at least something for those who already have most of the content Rebellion is delivering.

I understand your point, and I am not trying to pick a fight, merely pointing out the position the devs are in. The money you paid for Trinity (or the expansions, if you bought them seperately) is for that game development cycle. The cost of Rebellion has to be defrayed by the money they make from selling the game. It is mostly independent of the cost of developing Trinity. (Economists call it a "sunk cost," I believe.) I can see your complaint, but I don't think we have nearly enough information to judge Rebellion yet. The announced feature could be a tack-on, or they could be wonderful gameplay additions. Also, it has always been true that those who buy a game early pay more. If you are concerned that Rebellion is not worth $40 for one who owns Trinity already, you can wait a year and I am pretty sure the price will come down. (Perhaps those who own Diplomacy could be given the option to buy the game at the lower price a few months ahead of everyone else.) Those who are "early adopters" are always going to pay a little more for the excitement of haveing the game sooner.

Anyway, we will see if the content of Rebellion is just another "micro-expansion" or something more substantial.

I am so excited about SoaSE, I guess I don't want stardock to not have enough money to provide top-tier games. I am willing to pay the money, if the product is as good as what I have seen.

What bothers me most is the fact that the people that didn't us their pre-order discount (which only applied to owners of Trinity and owners of the original game plus the other expansions) keep complaining that they don't get to have a discount anymore.

I mean come on, Stardock offered you a chance to buy the game for 10 dollars less. If you didn't take that chance, the consequences are there for you to deal with. It's not like Stardock is some kind of charity case. Get over it.

It was $10 less for a limited time only when almost nothing was known about the game.  Are you surprised many people didn't accept that offer?

Well, this my take of the price. Since I did not purchase Diplomacy and enjoy what everybody else had. I am now waiting for Rebellion. They way I look at it is you will either pay the 10 dollars now or later. The price for Diplomacy, or factor in the 10 dollars for Rebellion.

When Rebellion is released, it will be fully optimized, integrated game with the new additions. Sort of a Sins 1.5.

And besides, let them take their time, case in point, the shit storm of fail when Sword of the Stars II came out. Depending on what you believe, they ran out of money and released a nearly none playable version of what maybe a great game, but right now, no. Here's a review.....

I was talking to a company today that wanted some work done and wanted us to do it.  When the conversation rolled to price the guy  said "as low as I can get it" and I responded with "Well I want as much as I can get!" and we both laughed.

As a barter (like any sale is) it becomes interesting. when people are looking for the long term potential opposed to a one-time thing.  Everyone asks themselves, "It is worth it to me?  And if it's not . . move on.  Maybe the other party will lower their price or maybe they'll call you on it.

If Rebellion at $39.95 isn't worth the HOURS of play you'll get out of it is too much, go without or wait for a sale.