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

×
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
avatar
fronzelneekburm: I never left Germany. Well, my legs never did... :(
avatar
JudasIscariot: Ohohohoho :)
What about "paying the difference"? Will this slow down releases any more than they've been for years past? I'd be content with the status quo, but I do hope GOG releases more classics and indies alike, perhaps some of these "AAA" titles you've talked about, without slower than normal releases due to GOG directly paying for the said difference. I for one don't want a bankrupt GOG because they want to make the masses happy, and I don't want you or anyone else losing their jobs because the company can't afford to keep you.

There are PC titles that I don't own that I won't buy unless I get them DRM free and specifically on GOG. I hope some of those show up here sometime in the future, even if not tomorrow or even years end.
Post edited March 11, 2014 by JinseiNGC224
Excellent news! Thank you very much GOG for having listened and reconsidered during these last two weeks.
This is so great! You're probably the most user-friendly company I've ever met.

Keep up the good work and thanks a lot!
avatar
JudasIscariot: Ohohohoho :)
avatar
JinseiNGC224: What about "paying the difference"? Will this slow down releases any more than they've been for years past? I'd be content with the status quo, but I do hope GOG releases more classics and indies alike, perhaps some of these "AAA" titles you've talked about.

There are PC titles that I don't own that I won't buy unless I get them DRM free and specifically on GOG. I hope some of those show up here sometime in the future, even if not tomorrow or even years end.
I am not sure of all that myself so I'll recommend a wait-and-see approach for now :)
I want a downfall video starring Marcin "iWi" Iwinski.
Excuse me if i make mistakes, english is not my native language
I'm a newbe here on GOG, but i really admire your idea of selling drm-free games!
i fear this is a bit off-topic, but i want to share my thought on Gog.
This is one of the best DD platform on the internet, and is Gog that i seeked back in a day when i was re-introduced to pc gaming some years ago; when a stumbled upon Steam and Origin i was horrified by the restrictions they imposed me, and so i started relayng on piracy for maybe 2-3 years; not because i was a lazy bastard, but just because i couldn't accept it. of course i got used to it after a while (i had to XD), but my point is that someone had to invent this system: by doing so you opened my eyes and reminded to me and others how freedom and fairness are important also in pc gaming.
for the reason above, imo GOG is for the pc gaming what Linux and the Free Software Foundation are for the IT: a revolutionary alternative started by an incredible choice; both are so fundamental and astonishing because they put freedom and justice above profit.
sure there may be few or old games on Gog, but is not so important: is what lies beneath, the concept, that make this site unique.
avatar
yyahoo: Not buying games that aren't available DRM free sends no other message to a publisher other than the game simply isn't popular/good enough.
Not buying any DRM games, and complaining to seller/publisher if accidentally buying, DOES send a message.

It worked with copyprotected CDs. There aren't too many around anymore, as people simply stopped buying those and returned already purchased CDs to the store. Of course that was a bit easier, because copyprotected CDs aren't even CDs by technical specification (they don't have the official Compact Disc logo, and so on), even if they are in some cases playable in CD players.

The problem is that somebody IS paying and NOT complaining about DRM games.

Imagine how fast all DRM would be dropped, if EVERYBODY stopped buying DRM games today?
Thank you GOG for listening - you really are the best. +1 to all the team :)
avatar
PixelBoy: The problem is that somebody IS paying and NOT complaining about DRM games.

Imagine how fast all DRM would be dropped, if EVERYBODY stopped buying DRM games today?
Amen to that. Just imagine a week with zero sales for games not available DRM-free (or which are regionally priced for that matter). Just one week. Preferably around the launch of something major, or better yet during the holiday season.
You guys are completely awesome. I can't think of another company that would be willing to take a hit to their bottom line to ensure that nobody is paying more than anybody else for the products on offer.
I do love a person (company) that knows how to listen, apologize and compromise. ;-D Good going, GOG Gods!
avatar
yyahoo: Not buying games that aren't available DRM free sends no other message to a publisher other than the game simply isn't popular/good enough. Publishers couldn't possibly determine from low sales that it didn't sell because it wasn't DRM free. The only way to convince publishers that DRM free works is to show them positive sales when a game is made available DRM free, which is what GOG is able to do when it releases a game here. GOG opposing regional pricing will have no other effect besides simply not being able to sell the game here.
avatar
Cavalary: And not selling the game of a rotten publisher is the right message either way. You don't rank your core values that you touted all these years and decide that holding on to one is worth throwing away the other. They haven't sold regionally priced games (excepting the court-ordered Witcher 2 snafu) so far, so that'd definitely be no change whatsoever, and I hope that (with the exception of these already contracted now) they'll continue not selling them.
Those who don't care for principles are free to make their purchases from other stores that have none (which is to say, nearly all of them). If this actually means that they'll properly go back to their policies in full then those of us who do can return here.
Agree to disagree. I'm glad you're happy.
avatar
Pheace: Another more likely reason then would be that perhaps other distributor's (such as Steam) might complain about what GOG's doing, giving them too big a price advantage and then laying that with the publishers who would then have an issue with GOG.
That's not "more likely", it's part of the stuff I'm talking about. What I'm saying is just that GOG still isn't really playing by the rules that the pro regional pricing devs and publishers wish to enforce and a wider spread or larger popularity of GOG's new policy would inevitably be extremely harmful to all parties interested in maintaining the status quo.
Great news! As I had mentioned on the other topics I don't really mind regional pricing if we get the difference as store credit.
Thank you GOG for listening to the community. You are an example for other organisations to show how to treat their customers correctly :)