Topic: Humble Indie Bundle - Purchasing with Bitcoin? (Read 3356 times)

Update: I've finally sent the payment/donation to Alex Amsel who contributed to the game Eufloria. Not 1BTC as I don't have one. So what I donated was 0.18BTC, that's pretty much by today's Bitcoin buy/sell "standards".(not really a "standard" since this freakin standard changes like every half minute!  )

This is the public address of Alex Amsel https://blockchain.info/address/13SXYiGtuUTnuVG6JXnrHLbw4Lwc8BEgmv

This is the first game dev that I know of that contributed to a game(EufloriaHD) in the humble bundle, Humble Indie Bundle for Android 4, that accepted my donation in BTC. This for now, I can add that Alex was enthusiastic about the 'pay what you want' model for Bitcoin, though it will remain to be seen if this is just a wish or if it could be realized.

If Humble Bundle inc. starts accepting BTC officially then the problem will of course be solved 

This is a general thing for companies why they may not consider BTC. The simplicity lies in that they can't purchase services that they are interested in. Let's take hosting. Hosting the games on https://www.humblebundle.com/ costs money for bandwidth. Let's assume that the company the HiB inc pays doesn't accept BTC.

Now something more real and serious: Let us assume that the game devs of the games included in the bundles don't use Bitcoin. Hey, HiB inc could pay them in Bitcoin, I don't say that would make it final so that would make them switch instantly but it's a helping thing.

Now you may see why I think it makes sense contacting the game devs contributing to the bundles. Just a little insight    

Since Jan 13 I've contacted some indie game developers of HiB7, offering 1 BTC. No great interest, the most positive response I got was from Shank 2 developers, who took my tweet as rather flattering. That's good. When they ask for the BTC I promised they'll have them, but for my donation total for HiB7 not to stay on 0.01 USD, I've donated my 1 BTC somewhere.

I've given 1BTC to DreadKnight to fix the shield found here http://opengameart.org/content/osare-weapon-icons for the game flarerpg. It's not 100% certain that improved art will get into the game but I'm happy all the same that some new art has been added. Here's the art http://opengameart.org/content/flare-buckler-improved. All(there's actually only a buckler) of it is under CC0 if it makes any difference.

Will be interesting when HiB8 comes out...

Klei Entertainment who made Shank 2 in HiB7 favourited a tweet where I offered 1BTC. This doesn't necessarily mean anything, and the tweet is only about 3 hours old, so I'll wait and see if they want my BTC.

https://twitter.com/PKBitcoin/status/293032544058896384

At https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/closed-humble-indie-bundle-7-133622 "[CLOSED] Humble Indie Bundle 7" vuce wanted to buy 3 bundles for Bitcoin through chris200x9 by paying 3*6.53*1.2 = 23.508$ = 1.77BTC.

That means vuce pays a 20% fee to chris200x9 for the effort and service of being the middleperson for the purchase, thus paying 1.77BTC. Though if it was done today it would be 1.5BTC since you pay more dollars for Bitcoin at this moment.
I would do something similar if it wasn't for the change of tactic that I've begun to employ.

Some people sell bundle keys for Bitcoin in the Marketplace.

We understand each other now. Great! I need to send them no more e-mails now  

I did good in contacting the indie game devs and artists who contribute to HiB(that could help in getting Bitcoin more well known  ). Recently I've contacted an artist(of Swords & Sworcery), who is interested in the idea though will research how Bitcoin works first before he gives it a chance.

Swords & Sworcery
capybaragames.com queried. capybaragames reply was

I continue playing Cave Story+. No word from Nicalis, now I contact Pixel, Cave Story's Developer.
I appreciate this game which was part of HIB7.

Now I sent another message to Humble Bundle inc.
So in short I explain why my amount will stay at symbolic 0.01 USD and also my own willingness to help them learn about Bitcoin if they so want to try it out some time. Though I added some stuff about counting from 1 to 10 in the last minute and I quite regret it now, but done is done, damn.

For Humble Indie Bundle 7 I once again boycotted the USD, but today I contacted Nicalis who made Cave Story+(a great retro style game which I quite enjoy!) and told them that I like their game and that 1 Bitcoin will go to them if they're interested.
So for
HIB4FA: 0.01 USD and 1 BTC for Eufloria devs(Thx for a great game!)
HIB7: 0.01 USD. No BTC takers! Fine with me, I've donated my bitcoin elsewhere, actually to a free open source game which had nothing to do with the bundle, though it had to do 100% with indie game developers 


Anyone else had any luck contacting any game devs of the Humble Indie Bundles?

Regarding "Humble Bundle for Android 4" I contacted AA, a developer of Eufloria and I was asked if I would still like to give 1 Bitcoin(I had offered in a previous email to give a Bitcoin) as he would like to give Bitcoin a try. That's freakin awesome that somebody of a game of the bundle is interested, though he said he's not ready yet to spend time trying Bitcoin out as he's helping in porting Eufloria to Android.

I donated the same amount 0.01 USD for the latest bundle(HIB7 which will end in about ~45 hours). I want direct support or at least support from game devs of some of the bundle's games.(see above)
I didn't post the 'official standpoint' so here are parts of the reply I got for HIB4(Android):

Ok there's the official message. I'm continuing my 0.01 USD donation. The people I contact when I offer my Bitcoins are the developers of games(which I like!) which are made available through the bundle.

I had mentioned earlier about from the moment they accept Bitcoin I will give them lots of money. I take that back actually as I try to contact individual developers of the games that they release, and give them the Bitcoins and in that way I feel I've "paid my debt", so this idea of being in debt is no longer an issue for me. Of course once they start accepting Bitcoin I'll buy the bundles from them and stop this kind of "1 cent USD boycott".

If this bear fruition, yes.

A while ago I said:
And so I just did.

I appreciate WalletBit's initiative, and I hope it helps getting them to accept Bitcoin (and increase global acceptance of Bitcoin in general). But personally I prefer to send a more direct message and incentive to Humble Bundle.

So $1.00 it is, and eager to add some $25 or whatever IN BITCOINS, as soon as they publicly accept it.

If anyone from Humble Bundle is reading this: please, give Bitcoin another thought. It's good for everybody (except banks/paypal/visa/mastercard and oppressing governments). It's free, fair, safe, simple, open, independent, and unlike euros and dollars it doesn't suffer from fraud, manipulation or forgery. Thanks for your consideration.

Wow, this is excellent. Thanks for this. Will this also be in place for future humble bundles?

You might be interested in this.

https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/ann-get-the-humble-thq-bundle-with-bitcoin-128772

http://blog.walletbit.com/2012/12/buy-humble-thq-bundle-with-bitcoin.html

Just adding that The Humble Bundle for Android 4 is over. I had thought about buying some extra "gifts" but well it only stayed as an idea. Maybe next time.

I contacted the people behind many games that were released in the bundle but I got no reply on their stance of me wishing to donate some Bitcoins...well it's their loss after all. I contacted at least the makers of Eufloria and Waking Mars. Still I enjoyed some of the games.
My favourite is I think Waking Mars, which also is a pretty stable game on linux(doesn't crash much often). This game reminds me somewhat about Aquaria in the physics and graphics aspect. Then there's the game Eufloria which also is pretty stable. A fun strategy game, but maybe a bit too challenging at times. It sure has it's beauty.

Or someone could sell Humble Bundle giftcodes for bitcoins:


And then that seller can share with HB the volume of giftcodes which where paid for in bitcoins and show that even in this roundabout way there are bitcoins that want to buy Humble bundles.

Let's see if things change now after WordPress is onboard.   It really makes taking the EFF's stance look foolish now.

A little news: Some games got added to the bundle I already purchased today: Avadon: The Black Fortress, Canabalt, Cogs, Swords & Soldiers HD and Zen Bound 2. These games shouldn't have appeared as they show that one must pay above the average, although I don't feel that applies to me because I was and am ready to send them my 1 BTC once they open up donations in BTC.

Right, but that's clearly offtopic...This is what an employee of Humble Bundle inc. told me:
"We like BitCoin and would love to accept it, but after contacting the EFF" and you know how it goes. Let's show 'em we do care.

You know what? Join this campaign, all of you who like the Humble Bundle purchase it for 0.01 USD. Do what I did, I sent them an email explaining why I did so and also put a link to this thread.
If you send them dollars then maybe that proves you don't care enough and you are just "bought in" to the dollar.
Instead boycott(!) the dollar by sending minimum amounts (ie 0.01 USD) and link to this thread. Do what I did or do it your way, as long as you boycott USD, EUR etc. and ask them to support Bitcoin.
If they get enough of 0.01 USD's they'll soon know what they are losing out on when not accepting BTCs.

You may be discouraged, but think like this:
Q1: 10 users 0.01 USD, Q2: 100 users 0.01 USD, Q3: 1000 users 0.01 USD. Of course we may be masked by all those who don't want to give more than one penny, but HIB should know that accepting Bitcoin will give them huge incomes, no kidding because from that day I'll be thinking about what I owe them in Bitcoin(for bundles I gave 0.01 USD) and since I'm a linux user they should expect about double the average. I may not keep my 'personal debt' eternally but for at least the last 4-5 bundles, that's the plan.

Hi HumbleBundle.com doesn't accept bitcoins
they seem to be afraid of it

I send them an email a few months ago and they replied that they
only used the payment methods currently available.

For the future check out Coinlab for bitcoin related games

Got a reply from someone at Humble Bundle and they said that they like Bitcoin and would like to accept it but because they contacted the EFF legal team they hesitate to get involved yet. They also said they are looking at working with Bitcoin startups and will be trying to learn more about Bitcoin in the future.

Note:I got no comments if I can publish the message they sent me nor any comment on my thread(this one!) here on bitcointalk. Still I have the feeling that if more people make a "boycott of the USD, EUR etc etc." when getting bundles by giving 0.01 USD as a donation, this may get noticed and ultimately Humble Bundle's interest may grow to start accepting Bitcoin.
Ontopic advertisement note: The Humble Bundle ends in about 7 days!

I'm contacting developers of the various games that are part of the bundle(but only games that I like and that DON'T crash for me on linux) to get out the message that there is 1 BTC(~10.90 USD) waiting for them as my appreciation of their work. For the moment my focus is on the EufloriaHD game.