Critical Role Critical Role show kickstarter update: Backers have to get Amazon prime to get the show

[Ancalagon]

Well that is... kinda cruddy isn't it? So I (who didn't back but do have prime) can get the show for free, but someone who backed the project but doesn't have amazon prime has to pay...

This is not as bad as kickstarters that fail and all the money is lost and no product is made but... I don't think this is right.

Critical Role Kickstarter Update Recommends Amazon Free Trial To Access Series, Fans Disappointed

In an update yesterday, Critical Role recommended that backers of its Kickstarter get an Amazon Free Trial to watch the series they backed.

www.belloflostsouls.net

 

[Nikosandros]

I'm in the same position as you (I didn't back the KS and I have Amazon Prime), so for me it looks advantageous, but I agree that it doesn't feel right, unless an outcome like this was clear during the KS (I haven't followed the campaign).

 

[Weiley31]

I can see how it's cruddy, but this could be a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" type deal. There's no way Amazon would let all that potential Prime money off for free like that. Especially with how large the Crit Roll fanbase is. If there was a way for Mercer and co to let backers skirt that aspect, they probably would have. But Amazon is Amazon and it wants its' money.

 

[darjr]

I think the time to be upset about Amazon was when they got involved. However I would have also thought the time to make the distribution aspects clear should have been back then too.

Disappointing all around.

 

[Weiley31]

Ya I will agree that the whole "By the way about that Amazon Prime subscription........." should have been made clear if it wasn't beforehand.

But nobody is without sin and neither is Crit Roll. Even they make mistakes/mess up.

 

[S'mon]

They should host the first 10 episodes and let the backers download them without dealing with amazon. Otherwise the backers can rightfully feel cheated.
It does not seem right at all that (eg) I with my amazon prime can watch something someone else Kickstarted, when they can't!

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

It does not seem right at all that (eg) I with my amazon prime can watch something someone else Kickstarted, when they can't!

I'm family linked to my parents' Prime account, so I'll be able to watch this with no money out of my pocket, but a lot of the people that actually backed it won't.

 

[MNblockhead]

The Kickstarter rewards never included downloads or DVDs of the show. The Kickstarter was originally help them produce basically a pilot episode and was successful enough to fund a series. Then it got picked up by Amazon. All of the rewards were things like ringtones, plushies, and things like that.

Those that do not have Amazon subscriptions can sign up for free 30 days access via a link provided to backers, so all backer will be able to see it for free. Sure, you won't possess your own copy but that was never promised.

No rugs were pulled out from anyone.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

I'd be demanding a refund if I had backed this. What a slimey move!

 

[MNblockhead]

They also arranged with Amazon for backers to sign up for pre-screenings before general release.

 

[Amrûnril]

I think there are two forms of complaints, that are, to some degree, being conflated with one another.

The first is frustration with backers not receiving a permanent/owned copy of the series. While this is something that's certainly reasonable to want, it's also something that was never advertised as a Kickstarter reward.

The second is frustration with needing Amazon Prime to view the series. Here I think there's a much stronger case that the CR team is in the wrong. The opportunity to view the series was advertised to Kickstarter backers, and while CR seems to think the availability of the show through a free trial fulfills this, the free trial isn't actually free- it requires providing financial information and precludes using that free trial for some other purpose.

They also arranged with Amazon for backers to sign up for pre-screenings before general release.

Yes, but only for the first 2 episodes, whereas the Kickstarter funded the show through the Briarwood arc.

 

[MNblockhead]

I'd be demanding a refund if I had backed this. What a slimey move!

Not unless you were illiterate and didn't understand what you were backing. As a backer it was always clear what I was backing. I was not placing a pre-order for the show and that was never a backer reward. You may think it is dumb to throw money to support the creation of a show that I'm not going to get a copy to own out of it, but then you probably wouldn't fund many Kickstarters, especially this one. Which you didn't. No need to get upset on my behalf. I'm happy the bit of money I threw at this helped in a small way to see this get made.

 

[Bolares]

Not unless you were illiterate

This sure is an agressive way to make your point....

 

[Vaalingrade]

I was under the impression that backers got to see the whole show early.

As long as that wasn't the case being promised, I don't really see a problem. Not every kickstarter offers free product. It's great when they do, but I'm not mad I didn't get any of that dude's potato salad.

 

[Bolares]

This sucks, but realisticly, I don't know how it would end up any different than that. The CR people should be more upfront about that though...

 

[Mort]

I think there are two forms of complaints, that are, to some degree, being conflated with one another.

The first is frustration with backers not receiving a permanent/owned copy of the series. While this is something that's certainly reasonable to want, it's also something that was never advertised as a Kickstarter reward.

The second is frustration with needing Amazon Prime to view the series. Here I think there's a much stronger case that the CR team is in the wrong. The opportunity to view the series was advertised to Kickstarter backers, and while CR seems to think the availability of the show through a free trial fulfills this, the free trial isn't actually free- it requires providing financial information and precludes using that free trial for some other purpose.


Yes, but only for the first 2 episodes, whereas the Kickstarter funded the show through the Briarwood arc.

Since the kickstarter NEVER promised free access to the (full) show, they're not doing anything wrong - merely inconvenient.

The kickstarter basically promised knick-knacks for the privilege of funding the show - that's all.

The show got picked up by a streaming platform - and most of those have a cost to subscribe. Certainly any platform that would have picked this up (Netflix or HBOMax for ex.) would also expect a subscription to watch.

 

[MNblockhead]

Sorry for responding to you post in reverse and breaking it up a bit, but here's how I think about it.

Yes, but only for the first 2 episodes, whereas the Kickstarter funded the show through the Briarwood arc.

Sure, but its just a nice gesture for a pre-release party. It is not something I as a backer ever expected. Given my timezone, I'll probably just RSVP for the VOD.

I mean when I give to, say, PBS, I don't expect to get early access to the shows.

I'm sure there are contractual and logistical reasons why it is not good for them, or they just can't, give early access to the entire series. Personally, I don't really understand anyone upset that they don't get early access.

I think there are two forms of complaints, that are, to some degree, being conflated with one another.

The first is frustration with backers not receiving a permanent/owned copy of the series. While this is something that's certainly reasonable to want, it's also something that was never advertised as a Kickstarter reward.

Agreed.

The second is frustration with needing Amazon Prime to view the series. Here I think there's a much stronger case that the CR team is in the wrong. The opportunity to view the series was advertised to Kickstarter backers, and while CR seems to think the availability of the show through a free trial fulfills this, the free trial isn't actually free- it requires providing financial information and precludes using that free trial for some other purpose.

Well, okay, I can see the point about having to enter a credit card to create an account. But as a backer, having this picked up by Amazon or Netflix was the best result. I backed it because I wanted to support something like this getting made and now there is a good chance that more than one season will be made and the creators will have the funds to create more content that there is a good chance I'll enjoy.

I am sure there are some people that backed this that will be upset enough to never support Critical Role again, but I think the number is small and insignificant compared to audience that the Amazon deal will bring.

 

[Vaalingrade]

At least it's a service some people reasonably have and not Peacock, Paramount Plus or HBOMax

 

[darjr]

Since the kickstarter NEVER promised free access to the (full) show, they're not doing anything wrong - merely inconvenient.

The kickstarter basically promised knick-knacks for the privilege of funding the show - that's all.

The show got picked up by a streaming platform - and most of those have a cost to subscribe. Certainly any platform that would have picked this up (Netflix or HBOMax for ex.) would also expect a subscription to watch.

I dint think the complaint was about the full show.

I’ll read it again.

 

[Bolares]

Since the kickstarter NEVER promised free access to the (full) show, they're not doing anything wrong - merely inconvenient.

The kickstarter basically promised knick-knacks for the privilege of funding the show - that's all.

The show got picked up by a streaming platform - and most of those have a cost to subscribe. Certainly any platform that would have picked this up (Netflix or HBOMax for ex.) would also expect a subscription to watch.

This. BUT they were never really clear about that. They even said backers would get to see it sooner. That is not the same as saying backers would get to see it for free, but can cause the confusion.