A letter to bleem!

Okay.

First off, I want to ask this -- You guys were selling a bleem! for PC, right? I got this as a gift for my wife who very much loved the idea of the convenience of playing her Playstation games on her PC. First order of business is the lousy sound playback... Seems you guys forgot to mention on your packaging that bleem! doesn't work on a system with a CD-RW or a multi-read compatible drive in it. Okay, some might say that this sound is hard to emulate. Then what of other emulators out there -- free ones, might I add -- and a couple of PSX media-playing programs that work just fine and dandy in this field. Are there any plans to fix the problem with the sound or music on MultiRead compatible CD-ROMs?

This brings to mind another point... Are you guys going to work on the PC version anymore at all? It's been... what... half a year at least since you've updated it. Any suddenly you're gung-ho about the bleemcast project. This is great and all, but don't forget your roots, and the promises you made to a great multitude of gamers who sent you money or bought your product off the shelves. Promises that are a FAR cry from being filled. So what about the ones who listened to you and plopped down the $25 for your annoying little key CD (the reason it's so annoying is the wear and tear on our poor CD-ROM drives, and burners aren't cheap to come by). It would be a good idea to show the Dreamcast owners you're going to stand behind your less-than-stable word. I mean, how well do you think your new bleemcast will sell if everyone thinks you're going to abandon it? Unless something changes, I suppose we'll get to find out.

I'm really not trying to flame here... I'm just a concerned citizen and, currently, an unsatisfied customer. Please at least be good enough to let people know what is going on. I would simply just like to know if you have at this point discontinued the PC bleem! project for PC.

Thank you!
Kitsune

The response.
Kitsune,

We have not abandoned the PC product.

We're still working day and night trying to get the bleem! for DreamCast product out, so upgrades to the PC product are still going to have to wait. I know it has been a long (long, long) time since the last upgrade. Personally, I use the PC product all the time, and I would love to see an upgrade as well.

All I know is that the instant the PC upgrade is ready, it will be released. I DO know that there is no way that it will be released before bleem! for Dreamcast is released.

>>And suddenly you're gung-ho about the bleemcast project.

It is not sudden. The fact that we've been "gung-ho" about it for almost a year is exactly why PC product upgrades have not been released. We are just simply too small to do both at once, and Sony is doing its best to keep us from growing.

>>I mean, how well do you think your new bleemcast will sell if everyone thinks you're going to abandon it?

In no way to I mean to be flippant, but that won't be a problem, because the bleem! for DC games will have 100% compatibility or they will be locked out completely. Therefore, the product will not require upgrades in order to be effective. I say this because I recognize that the PC product DOES require upgrades in order to be effective, and I therefore recognize the validity of your complaint. However, please be aware that we really are working very long hours. I know that you, the user, has not really seen any of the results of those long hours yet, but hopefully you will.

I certainly hope that the DC product comes out soon so that we can start cranking out PC product upgrades again. The bleem! for PC customers deserve it.

Thank you for your letter. Considering how frustrated you probably are, your message was clear-headed and reasonable, and I thank you for it.

Regards,

Questions@bleem.com
bleem, inc.