It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
Community
General discussionAnnouncement: Big Preorders & Launch Day Releases Coming!(4041 posts)(4041 posts)
(4041 posts)
Pages:
1
50
100
133
134
135
136
137
200
250
270
This is my favourite topic
Posted February 21, 2014
The DRM-Free Revolution Continues with Big Pre-Orders and Launch Day Releases!

Good news! GOG.com is going to bring you more fantastic launch day releases, preorders, and other exciting new content from some of our favorite developers. We've lined up 3 big titles that we will be bringing to GOG.com in the next couple of months for sale or preorder that we think will be hits with all of our gamers; and we have more equally exciting games coming up soon.

If you've been a member of the site for a long time, you may recall that when we launched sales of The Witcher 2 on GOG.com, we had to add in regional pricing. The game cost different amounts in in the US, the UK, the European Union, and Australia. We're doing something like that once again in order to bring you new titles from fantastic bigger studios. Since we don't accept currencies other than USD on GOG.com right now, we'll be charging the equivalent of the local price in USD for these titles. We wish that we could offer these games at flat prices everywhere in the world, but the decision on pricing is always in our partners' hands, and regional pricing is becoming the standard around the globe. We're doing this because we believe that there's no better way to accomplish our overall goals for DRM-Free gaming and GOG.com. We need more games, devs, and publishers on board to make DRM-Free gaming something that's standard for all of the gaming world!

That brings with it more good news, though! As mentioned, we have three games we're launching soon with regional pricing--two RPGs and a strategy game--and while we can't tell you what they are yet because breaking an NDA has more severe penalties than just getting a noogie, we're confident that you'll be as excited about these games as we are. For a limited time, we will be offering anyone who pre-orders or buys one of them a free game from a selection as a gift from GOG.com, just like we did for The Witcher 2.

If you have any questions, hit us up in the comments below and we'll be happy to answer (to the best of our ability).

EDIT: Since we've answered a lot of the common questions already here (and lest you think that we've ignored you), it may be handy for you to check out the forum thread about this and search for staff answers by clicking this link here. (hat tip to user Eli who reminded us that the feature even exists. :)
Posted February 23, 2014
high rated
A short reminder:

Q: Isn't your name Good Old Games? It seems kind of silly to sell new games on an old gaming website.

A: We've always been about our core values: DRM-free games, flat prices worldwide, and extra goodies included in our releases. So don't think about us as "Good Old Games"; think of us as "GOG.com", and perhaps you can work your way around that objection. ;)

Q: I see your terrible plot! When you guys start selling games with DRM, I will leave the Internets in disgust and never return.

A: Don't worry: we're devoted to those three core values that we mentioned above, and we know that if we ever abandoned them we'd quickly become just another digital distributor. Our goal is to become the best alternative digital distributor out there: the guys who do it differently, who respect their customers, and who can help change what the industry is doing as a result. [my emphasis]
Source: http://www.gog.com/news/gog_coms_plan_for_the_future_gets_some_news
Post edited February 23, 2014 by Lemon_Curry
Posted February 23, 2014
avatar
MichiGen: So Risen 1 and 2 it is? I liked the first 1, haven't played Risen 2 yet, even though I have it on STEAM because it was in some Humble Bundle long time ago. If there is going to be some very interesting launch promo like with the STALKER series I may buy it here as well.
Yes. But you would be disappointed by Risen 2. They literally dumped down one of the best action RPG combat system. Basically it is now just click & win. No need for dodge, no timed parry or something like that. It is really a shame. Graphics haven't really improved so haven't the animations (some look even weirder). I don't know what kind of sick shit they have been smoking during development.

Wanting a "piraty" scenario is one thing I'm completley fine with, but eliminating some great mechanics from the first title is just BS.
Posted February 23, 2014
high rated
avatar
Trilarion: I would also see it as a side effect of excessive DRM because usually you need DRM to enforce region restrictions, but once you can do it, you do it.
Very true sir.

Regional pricing is the first step to DRM.

1. You put regional prices on your products. In order to do that you need to locate your customers

In order to make sure you have your regional prices, countries that fall out of a specific region will not be able to get the game which comes to:

2. Region Locking

GOG, you can not introduce regional pricing in a decent way without any backdoors without DRM. I mean we would all love to get the new games too, but stick to your core principles.
Posted February 23, 2014
high rated
avatar
Wishbone: Are there any of your so-called "principles" you didn't throw out the window today?
avatar
TheEnigmaticT: I understand that this change is one that people will be concerned about, particularly because the nature of this announcement is that we can't give complete answers to every question simply because we don't have answers to all of your questions ourselves.

But I guess it's worth asking: when we rolled out new games in 2012, a lot of people were really concerned. I saw a lot of comments like the ones here in this thread. Since then we've released games like System Shock 2, the WIzardry series, the Leisure Suit Larry series, Neverwinter Nights 2, I Have No Mouth and I must Scream, the complete Wing Commander series, and many more classics. I think we did an excellent job of adopting a new type of release on GOG.com while still sticking to the classics that we have been known for since we started. I think users who trusted us to keep our word that we would continue to release great classics even though we were releasing newer games as well found that we have rewarded that trust in spades.

Here we have said, "This is a big change, and it's one that we know will worry you. We're excited about the games that will be coming to GOG.com, and we're promising that we will do everything that we can to keep our regional pricing fair for everyone." At some point, doesn't the fact that we've been fighting the good fight for 5 years give us any earned trust on the part of our community? We will do what we can to make regional pricing as fair as possible. Trust us, for the moment, and see what happens.
five years of the "good fight" is ok but still doesnt mean you can drop your principles in a heartbeat and expect everyone to like, the whole purpose of keeping up the good fight is to prove you wont change from it..
Posted February 23, 2014
avatar
Senteria: I guess I am better off buying a physical copy of a game. Or directly from the developer.
And that sounds like a plan to me.
I think I mentioned this before, but being one of those that had always stuck around for the classics first and foremost, my main motivation for buying them here was (hopefully) giving something back to the original creators of those games, instead of lucky collectors on ebay (most of the time it's publishers not developers seeing the cut obviously, but sometimes it is the devs, like Cyan with the Myst games, Chris & Aaron with Tex Murphy etc.).

But I think Kickstarter is the better platform for that now, with many of those devs coming back that way. And GOG sacrificing one of their other, original core principles in favour of something that wasn't one, and isn't something I'm personally interested in (among seemingly putting less and less focus on pulling those classics out of limbos, content to leave those battles to the Night Dives of the world; and at times questionable "selection process")... well, as an old timer put it, "they've lost me" I think.

avatar
Aliasalpha: From Gizmodo Australia

Take the Creative Suite Master Collection, for example. A quick price comparison between Adobe’s US and Australian online stores shows a deplorable price disparity of $1735. Almost $2000 difference on a piece of software distributed through an online store. It’s still cheaper to fly from here in Sydney to Los Angeles, buy it there, and come home. By doing that I’d save $601, and I’d get Virgin Australia frequent flyer points, too.
Holy guacamole.
Post edited February 23, 2014 by MoP
Posted February 23, 2014
high rated
avatar
TheEnigmaticT: If we ever add DRM to GOG.com, I'll eat my freaking hat. And video it for you all to see. ;)
Although I am fully aware that you're merely joking I find the 'If we ever add DRM...' part more than somewhat troubling.*

Like others I reserve judgement until I know how it's all going to be implemented but (at least partly) abandoning a core principle doesn't bode well for the future.

What has me worried aside from the obvious concerns regarding issues such as censorship, regional inaccessibility, unfair pricing etc. is that the decision significantly affects GOG’s trustworthiness; one of its strongest and most well-regarded company characteristics. One that you can’t put a price on.

* Just in case… may I humbly suggest that Monsieur tries the Hatatouille?:
[url=http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/HowTo:Eat_Your_Hat]http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/HowTo:Eat_Your_Hat[/url]
Posted February 23, 2014
avatar
Luc2k: I must have missed the fine print* when I voted to bring newer games to GOG a while back.
*You hereby agree to regional pricing.

I also believe this will hurt "the DRM-Free Revolution" since some people at least won't have a problem with downloading and plastering your installers all over the internet now that you've lost your credibility.

What is your take on this Mr. Marketing Hat?
avatar
DAlancole: You mean like they did before the announcement?
It's still fairly difficult to find all the GOG installers with goodies if one is not very knowledgeable of piracy. They're also a lot less popular than cracked releases and they rarely get updated when patches/goodies are added, unlike cracked releases.

I have a feeling GOG "releases" will become a lot more popular once regional priced games start hitting the store, especially if they're day-1. I also know that cracking games is a dick measuring contest for the groups that do the cracking, but the actual pirates will not care about that and with GOG having no DRM, they may even beat those groups to release.
Post edited February 23, 2014 by Luc2k
Posted February 23, 2014
avatar
JohnnyDollar: How are they going to do that without breaking German censorship laws? ...
avatar
Trilarion: No way. These laws are usually quite simple. If something is forbidden it is regardless of the way you try to circumvent it. I guess he doesn't really care about german censorship laws.
Well kind of off-topic I guess, but I care in the way that I do not like to be patronised and I detest the anticipatory obedience by the distributors. Regional restrictions done via DRM or in this case done during the purchase, are one of the big problems of digital distribution these days. I would be sad to see GOG go down that route as well.

For one they could for example implement an age verification system via PostIdent or something like that. Something that Steam for example refuses to implement since years. You have to be aware that these "censored" versions are usually for youth protection reasons, but it is not illegal to buy those uncensored versions and own them if you are an adult. Steam ignores this completely ever since and simply only offers the "censored" version which always annoys me.

I am sure that other countries, like Australia for example, would also benefit from such a system as I think they are sometimes in a similar situation concerning censorship.
Posted February 23, 2014
avatar
jorlin: I managed to save the video at his link for posterity, video AND audio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6P3yOTR2Vc&t=1194
This video is lengthier, but it goes into much more detail as to why regional pricing is a bad idea.
OMFG hearing this now, what are you trying to become GoG?
This needs to be reposted again and again.
Attachments:
abandoningprinci.jpg (159 Kb)
wheresthecustome.jpg (83 Kb)
Posted February 23, 2014
avatar
Johnmourby: You're acting like American rednecks who see real heath-care as the start of a soviet style dictatorship.
avatar
TheOperaGhost: That's racist and absurd.

Only slaves and tyrants are afraid of Liberty.
So am I a tyrant or a slave? Well since I'm just an art student with no worldly power I cannot be a tyrant. So I must be a slave?
isn't it strange then that I'm the one who isn't following the crowd blindly? A gaming villain once said a man choices, a slave obeys. Well I choose to show a little faith that GOG haven't turned into mindless drones of Corporate commander at the drop of a hat and listen if to us if we are persistent but polite.

As for claims of racism. Redneck aren't a race but a group of (mostly while) people who have chosen to live a certain way. Regardless I apologise to the Redneck community. But seriously it's the 21st century guys. If you hate taxes so much then you'd best move out of the US because if you want to live in developed country You have to put up with a government that will tax you for stuff.
Call me crazy. But I don't feel like a slave for having my Sister, Father, Step father and myself all still alive and well for using heath care. I'm glad to know you wish my sister and step-dad were rather dead than "slaves" to health care ;)
Posted February 23, 2014
high rated
For fair pricing, paying VAT would be fair, but would be a nightmare to implement : every country has its own rate, and GeoIP isn't always correct in the European region. But the problem with regional pricing is deeper.

One can't compare the price of physical goods and digital goods. Digital is a trade-off, not a full replacement. It's not the same market, and never was. Digital distributors are in direct competition with both pirated versions and the cheapest physical version worldwide.

It's a matter of convenience:
regional pricing -> one buys it elsewhere,
regional locking -> one pirates it,
=> everybody loses.

Here's a simple solution for publishers to not hurt brick-and-mortar shops with lower digital distribution prices : don't just sell Steam/Origin/etc. keys in a box.

No poster, no map, no manual, no usable backup, nothing ? Seriously, WTF ? The only physical versions that still holds a decent value are the collector ones, because the Digital Special or Digital Collector editions are usually a joke.

I still hope that Gog will go back to their previous stance, as it's the most sensible one.
Posted February 23, 2014
avatar
jorlin: I managed to save the video at his link for posterity, video AND audio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6P3yOTR2Vc&t=1194
This video is lengthier, but it goes into much more detail as to why regional pricing is a bad idea.
avatar
N3xtGeN: OMFG hearing this now, what are you trying to become GoG?
This needs to be reposted again and again.
Nice find. "Even if we have to cover the difference out of our own pocket". That is why I loved GOG and recommended it. The highest core value I held close to my heart was fair pricing and customer love. The DRM free thing, has never been that high with me from the beginning but I was glad it was there. I trusted GOG and I remember recently watching a presention from GOG about their bussiness model and how they treat gamers the way they want to be treated. GOG was actually the only company I trusted not to turn their back on me.
Posted February 23, 2014
Back when I found gog, they were not a money-grubbing company, er sorry - business - not a Mammon worshipping one anyways. All games sold here were either $5.99 or $9.99. I've made over 350 purchases since and had another nearly 500 games not yet available here wishlisted. With this change I now see that gog doesn't appreciate customers like me and don't care to continue doing business with me in future. Oh, well...
Posted February 23, 2014
high rated
avatar
GOG.com: We need more games, devs, and publishers on board to make DRM-Free gaming something that's standard for all of the gaming world!...

...For a limited time, we will be offering anyone who pre-orders or buys one of them a free game from a selection as a gift from GOG.com...
You know what GOG? Why you just do not start to re-sell Steam keys, and also Origin and Uplay keys? You can get onboard all those great games you have trouble with so far... Having choices is always better!
And it is so easy and profitable! You don' t need to bother with patching system, testing games, having big support team... You can be still selling some DRM-free games after all! And for those not happy - just give them a free game when they pre-order such a key!
Gosh!!! Still can't get that bad taste out of my mouth!!!
Posted February 23, 2014
low rated
avatar
StickOfPlywood: You may want to go over some of the (quite rational) discussion which has taken place over the past two days, rather than jumping to your own conclusions. (Ironic, isn't it?)
Not really. I skimmed through nearly all the comments and from beginning to the time of my posting I saw the same pattern. High marks for cheap shots at GOG and low marks for saying "maybe this isn't so bad". I wouldn't call a response to reading 70+ pages of comments "jumping to conclusions".

And discussion implies a level of back-and-forth and debate. There has been none. 90% of the comment are elaborate statements of "You suck" (and less elaborate ones). The 10% that challenge that get downvoted. Not much discussion there.

Maybe you should be so keen to try snubbing people with waitless words. Maybe you should reread to first 70+ pages and try to find some rational discussion.
Pages:
1
50
100
133
134
135
136
137
200
250
270
This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionAnnouncement: Big Preorders & Launch Day Releases Coming!(4041 posts)(4041 posts)
(4041 posts)