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Hey, GOGgers,

We're not perfect, we're exploring new frontiers, and we make mistakes. We thought DRM-Free was so important that you'd prefer we bring you more DRM-Free games and Fair Price was less critical and that it could be sacrificed in some cases. The last two week's worth of comments in our forums (nearly 10k!), show that's not the case. We didn’t listen and we let you down. We shouldn't sacrifice one of our core values in an attempt to advance another. We feel bad about that, and we're sorry. Us being sorry is not of much use to you, so let’s talk about how we will fix it.

One: DRM-free forever. Abandoning fixed regional pricing means it will probably take longer to get some games, but you've made it clear that sacrificing fair pricing for more DRM-free games isn't acceptable.

Two: We will adamantly continue to fight for games with flat worldwide pricing. If that fails and we are required to have regional prices, we will make up the difference for you out of our own pockets. For now it will be with $5.99 and $9.99 game codes. In a couple of months, once we have such functionality implemented, we will give you store credit instead, which then you will be able to use towards any purchase and cover the price of it in full or partially. Effectively gamers from all around the world will be able to benefit from the US prices.

This will apply to every single game where we do not have flat pricing, such as Age of Wonders 3 (full details here), Divinity: Original Sin, and The Witcher 3. If you remember the Fair Price Package for The Witcher 2, this will be exactly the same.

Three: We still intend to introduce the pricing in local currencies. Let us explain why we want to do it and how we want to make it fair for everyone. From the very beginning our intention was to make things easier for users whose credit cards/payment systems are not natively in USD. The advantages are simple because the price is more understandable and easier to relate to. There would be no exchange rates involved, no transaction fees, and no other hidden charges. However after reading your comments, we realized we have taken an important element away: the choice. In order to fix this, we'll offer the option of paying in the local currency or the equivalent in USD. This way, how you pay is always your choice.

Four: You are what matters, and we will be sure to involve you all more in what we're doing and why we're doing it. Let's start by meeting you at GDC - we’d like to invite you to meet us face-to-face Monday the 17th at GDC. Obviously, not all of you can come to San Francisco, so we want to invite all of you to an online event with us early in April to ask us whatever you would like. More details soon.

The bottom line is simple: there may be companies that won't work with us (although we will work hard to convince the most stubborn ones ;). Yes, it means we might miss out on some games, but at the same time GOG.com will remain true to its values and will keep on offering you the best of DRM-free gaming with Fair Prices.

Once again thank you for caring so much about GOG.com. We will work hard not to disappoint you again.

--Marcin "iWi" Iwinski & Guillaume "TheFrenchMonk" Rambourg
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paulrainer: thats a shame!
(...)
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Pheace: Not exactly. Basically things have remained the same. There's still going to be regional pricing, and possibly regional versions of games, but they're more committed for compensating somewhat for the difference.

However, I don't consider fair pricing = [example of regional ripoff follows]
It's still not fair, but it's as fair as GOG can make it, and that's what's important when a customer is choosing a store to buy a specific game from. Triumph are still dickheads for making preorder-exclusive content and distributors' bitches for having regional pricing. But if you're looking to buy AoW 3 anyway, GOG has made every effort to be and is currently the best place to get the game even if you're uninterested in DRM-free.
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paulrainer: thats a shame!
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Novotnus: (...)
you must be TeT's mum

only a mum could have such blind faith :P
At a quick read, tempted to say hi again, and thank you, and hope we'll all be putting all the mess behind us.

But trust's hard to rebuild, so let's see how the details will work out in time. I mean, first point would be to make sure that no other games (at least not except the 3 mentioned) will carry regional pricing, yet the article says you'll try to have flat prices but will make up for it if it won't work out, and I thought the point is to fight the practice, not to make you take losses so the publishers will still be able to carry on as usual.

Awesome if the different currencies of the rest of the catalog will be optional though. (Assuming I understood it right and it won't be another kind of regional pricing, worried about that "or the equivalent in USD" bit. Does that mean the regular USD price or that'll remain only for those from there and everyone else will get the direct current conversion of the set EUR/AUD/etc. price to USD? If first, awesome. If second, that's regional pricing and we're back to square one.)
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Chebwa: Although this is great, I feel that you're caving to the "community" (the vocal minority) a bit too easily. The entitled gamers that were throwing a shit fit don't always need to be placated.
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BKGaming: Eh I think GOG should have stuck with there decision honestly. Now we will all likely miss out on games that we could have had here DRM free because certain consumers couldn't exercise there ability to not buy something that was overpriced but instead complained and threaten to leave GOG which would have been unlikely because GOG still gives the better value and nowhere else has flat regional pricing.
1) If there were thousands of posts complaining about the change, and hardly any approving it, I think it is unlikely that there is a "silent majority" who actually was happy with that change.

2) Most people here never cared to buy new games, but mostly old games. Whether either pricing method has any effect on how many older games show up on GOG can be guessed either way, however the number of people buying those older games will be much lower with regional pricing.

3) I find it kind of funny that 99% of the people who post comments which either favor the proposed new pricing or show no understanding for the community response to it, has "From United States" under their avatar (be that their real location or not).

4) Most of us are happy, and want to spend more money on fairly priced old games again.
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Maighstir: I'd bet GOG still has to pay the rights holders for the games "sold" even if the codes aren't actually used.
I don't think so... GOG can't pay "the rights holder" (which one?) before I pick my game. The codes aren't activation keys that GOG has to "order" from the publisher (give out key = game sold). They are just GOG codes.

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justanoldgamer: I'm no accountant but I don't think that's how it works. It seems to me that GOG will have to put money aside (in a "don't touch" account or in escrow) for each code given to make sure they'll be able to pay the publisher of the game the client might eventually choose. This is insurance against being flooded with thousands (or hundred of thousands?) of people using their code at once.
Hmm... I think you could be right with that one.
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-Wolfschmiddy-: This is the best example for listening and understanding customer needs.
Well, it shows some understanding and for listening: there were a lot of posts about it. Hard to not listen.

I'm really so curious about pre-order numbers from the high priced regions. I guess they have been really low. I just hope they will be better now to show GOG that going in the right direction is kind of the right thing to do.

Damn now I feel almost obliged to spent the money to encourage them further...
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sunrrrise: Wow!

You established new HD level of customer relationship!:)

Gratz!
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paulrainer: no , they have watched their sales plummet this last 2 weeks dispite running a few promos so they have been forced to apologise for making a mess of regional pricing..... dont mistake this as gog being good guys...they tried to rip us off and it didnt work so now they are begging us to buy their stuff again.
Now aren't you on a bit negative mood? I'm not saying that world's perfect, or GOG for that matter, but cheer up a little! I at least think they have some honesty and common sense in them, which is good. =)
OK, this is good news. Even just the fact that the tone of the message is a lot more respectful makes me feel better.

Now, if only they can find a way of supporting Linux, I can buy all of my games here rather than just the ones that don't have a Linux version.
Thanks gog for listening to us. The only company to do that. Thank you again.
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paulrainer: you must be TeT's mum

only a mum could have such blind faith :P
That would be hard to do... I'm a guy :)
And it's not faith - I'm just aware that regional pricing wasn't the PR guy's decission and it was impossible to defend in this community.
And sacking someone for something that isn't his fault is kind of unfair :)
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Novotnus: There is no way to not love you, GOG :)

TET is here to stay.
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paulrainer: thats a shame!
GOG will have more marketing issues in the future...guaranteed.
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Could we quit bashing each other based on the 'from X country' bit? It is getting a little tiring.

Yes, I am from the US - but I certainly don't go around bashing other countries/people and I try my best to see all sides of an issue - the whole pricing kerfaffle was a shame and it is great that GoG has decided to stick to their 'roots' and be fair again. Just because some people with 'From the United States' don't see what the big deal was doesn't mean that the entire US user base of GoG can't. Don't see anyone bashing on people from other countries (and painting them with one big brush) if they don't see the fuss.

Yeah, flame me - don't care. Tired of this whole painting of entire nations/regions/etc under single brushes.
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paulrainer: no , they have watched their sales plummet this last 2 weeks dispite running a few promos so they have been forced to apologise for making a mess of regional pricing..... dont mistake this as gog being good guys...they tried to rip us off and it didnt work so now they are begging us to buy their stuff again.
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nuuttiT: Now aren't you on a bit negative mood? I'm not saying that world's perfect, or GOG for that matter, but cheer up a little! I at least think they have some honesty and common sense in them, which is good. =)
its being called a realist .

A well written statement dressed up as an aopology would not be here right now if regional pricing had driven sales up...simple as that.

sales have fallen , now they need us to buy more of their stuff to help them out of a hole they dug for themselves.
watch this space for more promos ;)
I really hope this has no negative effect on getting more older games here.