Going to repeat - Bulwark Evolution: Falconeer Chronicles.

Not only we're missing the DLC from 12th February, we're ALSO missing patches that came since. Last update that ever graced GOG was 4 months ago, while the game still gets regular patches on steam.

Seems yet another dev decided to make GOG his no effort passive income generation.

He has been doing this since the game launched on GOG, taking forever to provide us with the latest patches compared to Steam.

Hi there , the developer of Bulwark here, and you are right, but perhaps I can offer some explanation and an apology.

First off I am a solodev, not someone with a team of freelancers, every 3d model, every animation, every bit of writing, all the programming for gameplay and so forth , it's just me. Hi' I'm tomas ;)

Now as you are right Steam has received several updates and GOG, but not just GOG, EGS, XBOX and Playstation receive updates much less often.

Actually they receive the updates only when a big "free expansion" is released.

Why is that? well there are two things I cannot do myself 1) music, this is by Benedict Nichols, and 2) Porting to other platforms.

My ADD is pretty off the charts but I can hyperfocus on 3D art and making games , it's very rewarding, you make something cool and that sets off a short term reward, and poof you are focused.

But porting to GOG is not fun, its less hard than say Playstation, but its a lot of work and I've outsourced that to the publisher who hires an expert to make the patches.

So I don't manage the other platforms, ONLY steam, cuz there I can release patches fast, like I've released a dozen patches there the last two months. BUT this is also the platform where people report bugs and the main platform, GOG is just (sadly) a few percentage points of people),, I think your comment is the first time I ever googled the game and got a hit of the GOG forums.

But with me trying out new patches also comes risks, I also have to fix a lot of stuff, cuz new features break stuff and cause bugs. So I have a beta branch there and regularly hotfix the live version when I feel its ready to hit a wider audience.

Now over the 12 months since release (so march 2024) every platform has gotten the updates either immediately for the giant updates or 1 or 2 months after Steam for the smaller ones. Simply cuz I release a big free expansion that leads to more user feedback, and it takes a month of hotfixes to get it "good" . And then the porter (Stefan Wijnker) goes to work doing like 6-7 platforms.

But as you noticed after the "edge " update in february. The patches have not been ported.

reason 1)
I took a break, I was on the edge of burning out, I had worked non stop for the 12 months since release and the years before. And I was tired. Very tired. And I started a side project actually involving the Falconeer.

reason 2) I only truly started adding new features about 6 weeks ago, as I was better rested and had lots of idea. And you can see that those new features have not been ported. the simple reason for that is that many of those features are preparations for the "behemoth" FREE expansion that is coming later this summer. Which will be ported to GOG and so forth likely very close after. (perhaps all at the same time if the porting goes well)

So that's why the schedule has been behind,, I want to kindly also remind all fans here of two things

1) I am only one person, and managing every store and community is like a dayjob so I pick steam cuz it gives me the most feedback. But I work with my publisher to get everything out eventually to all the other platforms. But doing every hotfix, every feature request I get I spontaneously do to GOG is impossible. there are 7 storefronts besides Steam and It just isn't possible for a solodev

2) I release all these free expansion now 16 months after release for a game that isn't a huge hit, I make enough to continue, but actually haven't earned enough to keep making more.. It is commercial suicide to even release and support GOG. In my latest royalty statement I earned 350 euros from GOG over Q1 2025. That isn't passive income that's losing money to support GOG.
I add some small DLC yes to have some extra revenue, but the big free expansions, like Evolution and the Edge are always fully free and have always released on GOG. It's like a live service game, but made by a single person and without actual profit on this platform;)

That the game is getting supported 16 months post-release (with a big break for me earlier this year), is a bloody miracle. That I get to do so, is sadly mostly thanks to the people buying it on steam, GOG being less than 1 percent of sales. Now I realize that if I made GOG my main platform to beta test and experiment upon I could probably do a lot better. But again it would still be a fraction of my audience and I cannot clone myself. I can only make these experimental games by myself by applying focus and not trying to be a big studio. If I were to start a studio again, then I would have to make boring "Safe" games again. Don't want to do that.

So I understand your frustration, and I hope you can see where the delays are coming from.
I now have a GOG account so I can respond if google shows me there is a conversation. But best is to talk to me on https://discord.com/invite/falconeer

There you can learn exactly about the state of any update and what's next and I have developed tons of features based on requests there.

I am trying not to be a money hungry corpo,, and be a good solodev. There are just physical limits to what I can do and support..

I believe you and will support this now, assuming the updates will appear here. Whether it's in two months or half a year is irrelevant to me personally; I'm patient and have had my eye on your game for a while, as I really liked the predecessor.

So, thank you for your trust (in releasing DRM-free) and your complete understanding regarding overload and personal life. There will be people who are less understanding, because they demand a decent product for the money they pay and want to be treated the same as customers on Steam, and that's understandable, but I still wish you enough composure to not let such comments get to you personally and the strength to continue.

And of course, I wish you more paying customers.

PS: In addition, I would like to remind you that you currently work in a sector that is struggling with fierce competition from the mobile phone sector, free-to-play models, and giveaways from major providers (a double-edged sword). But you know that yourself.

Thank you for your detailed explanation. While I can only speak for myself, I can forgive the lack of frequent updates, as long as we get the (cumulative) updates eventually. What I find hard to forgive is lack of DLCs. Wired said that the "Verne Bannerless Pack DLC" won't be coming to GOG. Please do your best to release it on GOG. I can wait, but it has to come eventually.

Can you please ask Benedict Nichols to allow Wired to sell the soundtrack on GOG too? The Falconer soundtrack is being sold on GOG, so why not this?

It says that you had your account since December 2021 ;). Thank you for the discord link though. I may reach out to you there.

And that's perfectly understandable - as long as the updates/patches make it to GOG eventually, I'm fine with waiting for however long that takes.

Unfortunately most people nowadays, especially the younger generations seem to be of a certain mindset when it comes to basically everything:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zcVnNwAHys&t=142s

Thank you for the thorough explanation of the problems you face, one can see that it isn't all as simple as it seems because many aspects are involved.

However, I don't understand why Bulwark Evolution: Falconeer Chronicles still doesn't have the latest DLC, the “Verne Bannerless Pack”, can you assure us that it will also arrive on GOG?

The game's soundtrack would also be missing. Even if as you say the game sells less than on Steam, there are still people who would gladly buy it, and bringing the soundtrack is a matter of sending simple files.

Lastly, GOG is missing the “Game Manual” DLC for The Falconeer. It's a simple PDF that can easily be added to the game extras since it's also free on Steam, without having to set up a full page on GOG with all the bureaucracy attached.

Thank you for posting here. Some info was quite needed.
I only wishlisted the game, so I'm in no hurry, but I can imagine that paying customers were a bit annoyed.

I guess that releasing on too many platforms at the same time is a bad idea, for small devs?
Maybe it should be Steam first and then the other places only when the game is completed.

I'm sorry that the profit hasn't been much here, but all digital stores are tiny compared to an old giant like Steam.

The publisher handles the DLC porting, I can ask them,, but I think the organic limit off DLC has been reached on steam as well, in that too much DLC is also a bad thing, I will bring it up,, But I guess also the cost of porting of each DLC is higher than the returns, so it's a no go area.

With regards to the OST, not sure tbh, will ask, could be some sort of rights issues, things with music tend to get very complicated.

The game manual for DLC, I believe for the other platforms it might just have been included with the base game files. Or a slimmed down version, not entirely sure. There will be big Falconeer news soon tho.. so first busy with that.
With regards to completing the game, I support all my games for a long time, for as much as my passion can ;)
And you cannot learn anything better than from actual players. So in that sense , there is no good time.

I would like to do early access in the future, but that would mean only on 1 platforms. which is also hmmm not great.

It's a complicated landscape and small game creators have to make dozens of insane choices to be able to survive and not stay stuck in "hobbyist" mode. I fear things haven't gotten better the last 2-3 years, but I am confident some new "proper" best practices will materialize that folks will generally accept as acceptable compromises.


I will bring up the DLC, with the publisher, they are in charge of that. No guarantees tho..;(

WIth regards to soundtrack, like I said rights get really complicated and the legal administration around requires some legal mumbo jumbo and new agreements and so forth, and sadly the sales on GOG might not be enough to cover that. But will also bring it up, I had no idea folks were such fans over here ;)

With regards to the 2021 Account, hmmm I couldn't find a login in my password manager, but I am fairly chaotic so it could be pre-password management... Or it is an account my publisher made to have it on file with GOG. Dunno.

It’s great to see you comment on the thread. I apologize if I seemed a bit rude in my previous post. I should have mentioned that you are a one-man team. This is why I never requested a refund for the game on GOG—I understand that you had to prioritize Steam first, then GOG.

Sometimes, people on GOG get a little frustrated because many developers go silent about why updates don’t arrive on GOG.

I hope you made lot of money for hard work you put into the game. No one should have to overwork themselves..

ooh and thanks everyone for responding, and glad you all read my answers. I can understand it's not ideal and having a conversation is a first step in changing things.

so thanks for the civil convo and it's good to engage with folks on GOG. I tend to do my best to communicate and work on any issues. even though a lot of that is indeed on Steam. I do believe this market would be better with stronger competition, providing a healthier landscape for devs and players alike. Will try to hang out more often.

If there is ever something, do DM me on the discord, I always respond (not directly but I go through everything)
no problem, I have learned (tho it took some time:) that being being frustrated with your game are actually folks who were passionate until they got disappointed. So no hard feelings whatsoever.

I have made enough money to continue, tho not to be stress free or to continue beyond a next game. But I am enjoying my life a lot, making weird experimental games, getting paid doing so (mostly) and all round being free from working for other people.

I am grateful for every minute and for every single player that tries my game, if they like em or not ;)

Uh oh...
You do realize that this is the difference between buying and not buying the game? Or getting a positive or negative review for it.
Maybe a reason for the low sales is also because people are cautious. What gamer would like to pay for an incomplete product?
You do you, but just don't be surprised afterwards if other places have low profits.
Hopefully you'll manage to bring all DLCs, but we'll see..

Nailed it, I get all the difficulties that come with extra store fronts, but to be blunt, we have other devs that do this alone as well without even having even a small publisher, so I get all the complexities and can even sympathise, but at the end of the day not having a game that is updated or even having doubts of getting its DLCs is obviously going to translate to lower sales.

I have the game in question, but WHY would I recommend anyone else getting it if it's not complete or even up to date? it doesn't make sense.

PD: I talked to one of the CMs from the Discord of the publisher and this is what i got:
"The Builds are very similar and include the very latest big updates - Steam gets updated way more with very small adjustments because thats the solo dev on the games way of working.

GOG/EGS/Console is missing the following DLC, as these were created specifically for Steam:
Mongres Trader Pack
Mad Lector
Verne Bannerless Pack"

All of which was incorrect as the only missing DLC is the last one, so clearly they don't care to even lie without getting caught.

I actually wrote exactly that a few responses above, so I am aware. Learning begins with a conversation:)

I also wrote that unlike other devs, each game is a passionate work of art (that is not unique) but I support my games for years post-release with big free updates. My games aren't ever truly finished, you can expect big news on the Falconeer even (a 5 year old game) later this year hopefully.

So folks keep bringing up that argument "unfinished game" but that is purely in the eye of the beholder. This is how I improve my games and support them as a solodev , with lots of conversation with the playerbase.

Sadly I am more or less forced to do that with the biggest community rather than the most vocal or engaged, and I do realize (now even more) that GOG users are very passionate, and it does make me think. ;)

In this case I didn't mean "incomplete" on Gog as "in development".
I meant "incomplete" on Gog compared to Steam (as the current main version).

Anyway, fingers crossed for us and good luck to you.