Dreams of Another Failed Because It Cost Too Much

If you enjoy independent indie game coverage, consider supporting Indie-Games.eu on Patreon. It helps keep the site independent.

In the initial review we published on Indie-Games.eu about Dreams of Another, we had many positive things to say. Without a doubt, it delivered a very unique experience both on VR, PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. Instead of shooting objects to destroy them, you actually create things. The game arrived with promise, ambition, and a strong artistic vision, especially since multimedia artist Baiyon is well known for making games that look experimental but still meaningful.

However, despite this potential, Dreams of Another failed to gain real traction, and the main reason was its price. When I first saw the price set at 34,99 €, I was honestly confused. Why does such a simple game, with gameplay that is not very deep, cost that much? Yes, the story is emotional, the narrative is consistent, and both are of decent quality, but that alone does not justify the price.

It is almost half the price of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a game that won Game of the Year, and it is far above the price of Hollow Knight: Silksong, which sits at 19,50 €. I simply do not see a strong reason for a game like this to be priced so high. While it does offer a fair amount of gameplay, the value still does not match the cost.

From the very beginning, the price created a barrier between the game and its audience. Many players were interested, but felt that the price did not reflect what was being offered. Today, people compare value very carefully, and even fans of experimental games hesitate when something feels overpriced. Because of this, interest rarely turned into actual sales. For the same 35 €, you could easily buy three or more indie games, such as R.E.P.O., RV There Yet, Megabonk, and many others that offer more fun and clearer value compared to a very niche and experimental game like Dreams of Another.

The issue was not the quality of the game itself and those who did play it often praised its creativity, originality, and emotional depth. But positive feedback from a small group could not make up for the fact that most players never tried it. When pricing blocks curiosity, word of mouth struggles to grow, and the game loses momentum. Even worse, since the game is playable on VR, that market is even more niche, and everyone who plays games on VR is going to think twice before actually buying a game that costs that much.

Competition also played a big role. The game launched in October, a month packed with releases like Ball X Pit, Escape from Duckov, Digimon, Arc Raiders, and many others. In this context, a 35 € price point became even harder to understand. Faced with many choices, players naturally picked games that felt safer or offered more content for the price, such as Arc Raiders, which can easily provide over 100 hours of gameplay. Compared to these options, Dreams of Another felt more like a risk than an invitation.

This situation highlights an important lesson: pricing is not just about money, but about strategy. A high price can suggest quality, but it can also push away the audience a game needs. For Dreams of Another, that balance was lost. I am confident that if the game had been priced around 15 €, it would have attracted far more players. We have to remember that Dreams of Another is not a AA title. It is an indie game that is polished, bug-free, has an interesting idea, and offers a unique view on gaming, but nothing beyond that.

In the end, the failure of Dreams of Another was not caused by a lack of creativity or effort, but by a gap between vision and accessibility. It stands as a reminder that even the strongest artistic ideas need realistic pricing in order to truly succeed.