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toxicTom: The point of Galaxy was - at first - to make day one releases - most notably Witcher 3 - stress-free, with all the updates coming in. I was there, part of the team even, somehow.
I was talking about Galaxy 2.0 obviously. I was in the early closed alpha before Galaxy was even publicly available back in what was Dec 2015 I think? So yea I was there too.

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toxicTom: They can either promote their own store - and Galaxy 2 does that already - or they can promote other stores. It's really mutually exclusive, because each user dollar can be spent only once.
Or they can give you an option and let you see games from all stores or just buy from GOG.com. Like they are currently planning.... see attached image. Each dollar can only be spent once, doesn't mean I can pick where the dollar is spent or spend more than one dollar in each store.

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Disclaimer: I do not work for GOG.com, nor am I paid by GOG.com. All views expressed in this post are my own, and do not represent the views of GOG.com or it's employees. My views are expressed as a fan, gamer, and fellow GOG user... that is all. Thank you
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Post edited October 04, 2020 by GameN16bit
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GameN16bit: Each dollar can only be spent once, doesn't mean I can pick where the dollar is spent or spend more than one dollar in each store.
Yeah, the user picks where they take their money. The store - GOG - should encourage the users take their money to GOG, not the competition.

As "spend more than one dollar" - people usually have a budget for entertainment. If they spend that money on an EGS game, they can't spend it in the GOG store. It's really that simple.
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adamhm: Anyway, this adds to my point: GOG Galaxy *is* GOG, there is no such clear distinction between GOG vs GOG Galaxy as GOG are trying to make as an excuse for their newfound support of DRM. Many people don't even realise the standalone installers exist, and I've often seen people simply refer to the Galaxy client itself as "GOG".
Why would they need an excuse? To you? To me? To 500 or 1000 or 2000 "DRM free only" purists? For what - they could have made Galaxy mandatory from the start, why do it over long period of time with tricks and little nudges?

Most of us or some of us, older members of GOG community, don't use GOG Galaxy, and don't care about it. Because it's an app with things appealing to DRM free agnostics. Soon with Epic games we don't care about. So we are not gonna buy them. And those who want to buy them, will - on Galaxy or Epic Store or Steam or Origin or Uplay.... But we have GOG.com store with 99,9% DRM free games.

Despite plenty of GOG.com problems like outdated forum, or weird web design or some not up to date game versions, it is still only web shop with 99,9 % DRM free games that work (updated to the latest version or not) on modern PCs. Despite once or twice a year "the sky is falling, GOG.com is fake, DRM free is dead" narrative, we are still having regular new DRM free releases, weekly price cuts and (relatively) free platform for more or less civilized conversation about games and stuff... But, it is just a niche web shop. And an app that wants to have broader appeal. And market rules that apply to every distributor of digital games in an economically unstable climate.
Post edited October 03, 2020 by krakataul
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toxicTom: As "spend more than one dollar" - people usually have a budget for entertainment. If they spend that money on an EGS game, they can't spend it in the GOG store. It's really that simple.
This only comes into play when the the game is on multiple stores including GOG, if GOG doesn't carry the game for whatever reason then this is a moot point really. And the entire issue GOG is having is they don't have enough users to justify releasing on GOG plus additional stores.... which brings us right back to what I said above about how getting more users is paramount with Galaxy then using marketing to encourage buying from GOG directly.

As I said, catch 22... you are making my point.

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Disclaimer: I do not work for GOG.com, nor am I paid by GOG.com. All views expressed in this post are my own, and do not represent the views of GOG.com or it's employees. My views are expressed as a fan, gamer, and fellow GOG user... that is all. Thank you
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Post edited October 04, 2020 by GameN16bit
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adamhm: It's clear that GOG are focusing on the "Don't ask questions, just consume product and then get excited for next products" audience now.
Took several years for people to realize. They were heading to this direction even before the release of The Witcher 3 and the GOG site revamp of their store. I think I've posted a similar thing over 5 years ago. Hell, people said similar things when TheEnigmaticT left the staff and people began to understand that GOG was heading into a new direction. Not to mention that the GOG staff did many great things aswell during the past 7 or so years when I've became more active and interested in GOG as a storefront.

Or perhaps consumer interest simply shifted and GOG is simply responding to what they know and understand. Its hard to tell considering the sample size through this board is awefully tiny and not representative regarding of what the "core audience" of GOG is really made up from. It could be tens of thousands of people who're angry right now or just the people posting on this topic.

If the majority of people want this, then its fine. Perhaps GOG sees the core audience as so insignificantly small that they can allow to not please them anymore, which would be a huge shame (and I doubt that it represents reality but I could be wrong). And as me and other posters have written, I would rather want things to be opt-in and optional in general as it was previously advertised. GOG always was the store that provided options without making consumers to feel enforced to feel and act in a hypercapitalistic way (consume, be happy, consume more, etc.). Nowadays I'm not so sure about that anymore, but perhaps its an inherit flaw that pleagues all companies who strive for becoming bigger but thats probably a story for another thread.
Post edited October 03, 2020 by Dray2k
Can't say I didn't see this coming, when they introduced the Galaxy client which seemed to be the big solution to the problem, except it wasn't the consumers problem, it was GOG's because until that point it was almost impossible to add games that had online multiplayer because DRM-Free MP options are rare. Suddenly No DRM meant No Single Player DRM and the erosion has basically continued from there (as it was already doing in other ways before that).

With a ton of Witcher players probably using the client as well as Gwent players, the core no-DRM crowd on GOG has probably long become a relatively insignifcant minority. If it wasn't for the Witcher IP's I'm not sure GOG would even be around anymore. In that sense, that means GOG, as a no-DRM store has pretty much become expendable from a business perspective. It's basically there so CDP gets to keep their cut from the IP's they sell and the rest just seems to maintain it.
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Pheace: Can't say I didn't see this coming, when they introduced the Galaxy client which seemed to be the big solution to the problem, except it wasn't the consumers problem, it was GOG's because until that point it was almost impossible to add games that had online multiplayer because DRM-Free MP options are rare. Suddenly No DRM meant No Single Player DRM and the erosion has basically continued from there (as it was already doing in other ways before that).

With a ton of Witcher players probably using the client as well as Gwent players, the core no-DRM crowd on GOG has probably long become a relatively insignifcant minority. If it wasn't for the Witcher IP's I'm not sure GOG would even be around anymore. In that sense, that means GOG, as a no-DRM store has pretty much become expendable from a business perspective. It's basically there so CDP gets to keep their cut from the IP's they sell and the rest just seems to maintain it.
Agreed.

But why will gog not come straight out and admit it?
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adamhm: The crux of the matter is:

* GOG launched back in 2008 on a platform of treating customers fairly, with a number of "core values", the main one being their opposition to DRM.
* They built up their brand and userbase on these core values.
* Over time these "core values" have been eroded and dropped one by one, leaving just one: DRM-freedom, which they have repeatedly assured us that they would never back down on, stating that they view DRM as an anti-consumer and unethical practice that they would never support. "DRM-free" essentially is/was GOG's identity.
* Meanwhile they've been working on a client, GOG Galaxy, which they insist is entirely optional.
* However they've been working towards making GOG Galaxy the primary focus of GOG to the extent that:
- It's heavily promoted everywhere on the site and many users don't even know that the standalone offline installers are a thing because Galaxy is pushed so hard. For many users there is no distinction; "GOG Galaxy" == "GOG".
- They've used deceptive tactics to try to trick users into installing the Galaxy client (such as a BIG download button for Galaxy + hidden or small links for the game installers, or bundling the Galaxy installer with game installers and installing Galaxy by default, etc.)
- The standalone offline installers are now getting neglected in many cases; missing updates, broken updates not being rolled back, etc.
- Users of the standalone offline installers requesting support are routinely told to use GOG Galaxy as the first suggestion and have to be persistent to get proper support for them.
- Linux versions of many games are not being released here because of the lack of Galaxy support, etc.
* As a result of the above, it's clear that GOG Galaxy isn't as optional as they claim, and that GOG's "traditional" userbase/people who use the standalone installers are now effectively second-class customers. Linux users are pretty much third-class; an afterthought.
* At the same time, GOG's communication with the userbase has mostly stopped. It used to be that staff members would regularly interact with the community & seemed like GOG actually cared about gaming & their customers... now there's mostly silence, except for the occasional "good news" (tm).
* And now GOG plans to drop the last of their "core values" and start selling games with DRM. They'll be promoting and profiting from DRM'ed games, and apparently they think this is ok because it'll only be offered through their client - the same client that they've made the primary focus of their store & direct their customers to as much as possible - and because they'll only be the ones selling the games & won't actually be the ones supplying them.

It's completely hypocritical. Why should anyone trust GOG after this?
Thank you for this post.
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Pheace: With a ton of Witcher players probably using the client as well as Gwent players, the core no-DRM crowd on GOG has probably long become a relatively insignifcant minority. If it wasn't for the Witcher IP's I'm not sure GOG would even be around anymore.
Yeah, I'm gonna call bs on that one. Not buying it. What other reason would there be to buy your games on GOG if it wasn't to own DRM free copies of your games? That's SUCH a value to have these days, and you really can't get it anywhere else. You don't actually own a single game in your library on Steam or Epic.
Post edited October 03, 2020 by DrmSucksMaster
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rjbuffchix: Would you say this about any other type of website/software that uses this style of directing people to click on one download link over the other? This is what some folks here are referring to as a malware-like tactic.
Directing peoples toward the button they are the most likely to use is not "malware-like tactic" it's basic common-sense UI design.
I have had my issues with GOG and this is certainly one of them as well but if we all just abandon GOG instead of trying to help them do better then what is the point? We pretty much don't have anything else so I say we fight like hell and get as many people to buy their games through GOG instead of Steam or other platforms so GOG doesn't ahve to resort to stuff like this just stay afloat. If anyone is to blame it's us for not doing enough to make sure GOG is profitable and that more, modern games are released on the platform rather then years later when most of us have most likely already played them in one form or another. This is a huge blow and venting here I'm sure makes a lot of people feel good and I guess it does me too some but let's not forget what things are like outside of GOG. I encourage all of my friends to buy GOG as much as possible and whenever a new game is released I check out if it's coming to GOG or other drm free platform and thanks to that I found quite a few games that were being sold on GOG but never advertised it. I see a lot of games that are sold drm free that don't advertise they are on anything other then Steam when they are really sold on several platforms even if GOG isn't one of them. We need to fight to change that and maybe fix GOG to make it what it once was in the process. So I say do not abandon our home here, make it better.
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Pheace: Suddenly No DRM meant No Single Player DRM
It was not suddenly it was always like that, you had games with multiplayer disabled or needing a third party account or even requiring online activation for multiplayer years before Galaxy.
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GameN16bit: Honestly, I'm just really tired of the doom and gloom the users of this forum revel in. Anytime GOG does something users complain and moan and say GOG is abandoning DRM free and installers and is going to make Galaxy mandatory, etc etc. It gets old, no matter how many times GOG says that is not happening or that Galaxy is optional or that the GOG.com store will always be a DRM Free store. It's doesn't matter, users here only believe what they want to believe... and say there are going to leave GOG, etc, and yet most of them are still here complaining.
And it's not just you, I believe this is the sentiment among GOG staff as well. Not that perhaps the storefront is drifting away from its original promises which some people took to heart - just so we're clear, I know it was mostly marketing in the end, because GOG is a business and businesses are run to make money, not promises - but that there's an angry mob of whiny forum dwellers, causing a ruckus about nothing every damn time, like they don't have anything better to do with their lives but "bitch and moan". To be honest, we're really tired of that kind of treatment too, because it also gets old.

Grow your user base, GOG, make your money as you please, you do you, but don't spare any regrets when you'll be priced off the market once you get toes to toes with Epic and Steam. Because by then you won't have anyone passionately standing behind you, nobody to "whine" about this and that like in the good old days. No, you'll be in the company of new "loyal" customers, cheering you on, until a harsh self-interest tells them to jump ship for the lowest price, the better deal. The people that stayed through all... this, whatever you think you are doing... are ultimately people that care. For now.

Sorry to tire you, GameN16bit, it's just more gloom and doom. Don't mind me.

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haldrie: We pretty much don't have anything else so I say we fight like hell and get as many people to buy their games through GOG instead of Steam or other platforms so GOG doesn't ahve to resort to stuff like this just stay afloat.
I appreciate the sentiment, but these developments are a part of a greater well thought out strategy, not a desperate move to stay afloat. They are doing quite well, the information is public.
Post edited October 03, 2020 by WinterSnowfall
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rjbuffchix: Would you say this about any other type of website/software that uses this style of directing people to click on one download link over the other? This is what some folks here are referring to as a malware-like tactic.
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Gersen: Directing peoples toward the button they are the most likely to use is not "malware-like tactic" it's basic common-sense UI design.
It is not the most likely button to be used unless people are directed to it.

Whilst we are on the subject, care to explain why the offline installer options were at the same time hidden behind myriad menu options?
Post edited October 03, 2020 by lazydog
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Breja: No one at GOG even thought this deserves a news post or an official news thread.
There was one :

https://www.gog.com/forum/general_beta_gog_galaxy_2.0/gog_galaxy_20_is_now_enhanced_with_epic_games_store_official_integration

It was announced in the Galaxy forum. (Which makes since given that it's a Galaxy only features)
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lazydog: Whilst we are on the subject, care to explain why the offline installer options where at the same time hidden behind myriad menu options?
Because it's the option that the very vast majority of users are not going to use, the only one they will ever use for most of them. It makes sense to have this option being the most visible and have the other option, that will be use by more "power user" to be requiring a couple of extra clicks (and your "myriad of menu options" was two clicks) to avoid the former from being confused and risking clicking on the wrong one.

Again that's basic UI design (unless your are working on Gimp)
Post edited October 03, 2020 by Gersen
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haldrie: I have had my issues with GOG and this is certainly one of them as well but if we all just abandon GOG instead of trying to help them do better then what is the point? We pretty much don't have anything else so I say we fight like hell and get as many people to buy their games through GOG instead of Steam or other platforms so GOG doesn't ahve to resort to stuff like this just stay afloat. If anyone is to blame it's us for not doing enough to make sure GOG is profitable and that more, modern games are released on the platform rather then years later when most of us have most likely already played them in one form or another. This is a huge blow and venting here I'm sure makes a lot of people feel good and I guess it does me too some but let's not forget what things are like outside of GOG. I encourage all of my friends to buy GOG as much as possible and whenever a new game is released I check out if it's coming to GOG or other drm free platform and thanks to that I found quite a few games that were being sold on GOG but never advertised it. I see a lot of games that are sold drm free that don't advertise they are on anything other then Steam when they are really sold on several platforms even if GOG isn't one of them. We need to fight to change that and maybe fix GOG to make it what it once was in the process. So I say do not abandon our home here, make it better.
Well said!