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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. :)
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As a GOG fan-boy and customer I must say I am disappointed.

As one of the customers who usually buy games here on a release day (as long as it costs less than 20$, unless it is a game I really want to have immediately, no matter the price), this might affect whether I´ll buy the game right now or I will wait till some kind of a discount,

But screw the price, I am more disappointed/ worried about GOG abandoning one of their core-values - as many pointed out already.

Just this Thursday I was loading up GOG page in the work, where I am not signed up, so the nice little banner with DRM-free, Fair pricing and Free-goodies popped up on me, and I was thinking to myself: "Good that at least somebody is upholding these values."

I suppose I won´t see the "Fair-pricing" this Monday anymore.

C´mon guys, you can do better.

I will stand by you anytime, but if you will go this way, you will loose your uniqueness among others.
I´d rather wait several years till that game(s) will get cheaper and publisher/developer would not mind publishing it here than you losing one of your values.


Sincerely,
Concerned citizen of GOGlandia.
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Ichwillnichtmehr: How does me redeeming my codes colour me?
Logic says it sends a message:
- We want your game on GOG. That's why I redeem my backer's reward on GOG.
- We don't want regional pricing and that's why we refuse to buy regional priced games.
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HypersomniacLive: Eh, I’m not in favour of this change. Firstly because, according to GOG’s own admittance of lack of power, it’s more likely than not that it's going to be the same model we see everywhere else which is not any better in my eyes, and secondly because it fills me with concerns about what else may be deemed necessary in the future in order to keep signed publishers happy and to sign new ones.
I fully expect it'll be the same pricing scheme we see on Steam. It's a pain and it sucks, but one I'm willing to put up with if it means getting more games released DRM-free from the start - especially big-name/AAA titles.

I do hope that GOG will encourage developers/publishers to use worldwide pricing though, possibly by offering incentives of some kind.

The drop of DRM-free is my biggest concern as well and sadly, it’s not completely unthinkable after this move. The success or impact of dropping DRM-free depends on three things – when it’s going to happen, how it’s going to be introduced and the form it’ll have.
If it’s introduced gradually and as absolutely necessary to sign on a few more games that couldn’t have been signed on otherwise (but hey, it’s only a couple of games, not a completely U turn); if that’s done after having brought in an influential enough number of Steam users (or of other similar platforms); and if it’s a form comparable or even less intrusive than Steam, then it may be received the same way this announcement was – a portion will vocally oppose it and a portion will say “I don’t care so long as I can get more games with less hassle, lol”.

After this announcement and the horrible way it was done (I just can't stop repeating that), my mind has gone to alert and will remain in that state, even if it's in a very small corner in the very back of my head.
I'm certain it'll never happen. DRM-free is GOG's main selling point and the reason behind their decision to accept regional pricing. It's the main thing that sets them apart from other distributors. For this reason I don't see them ever compromising on it. Plus, if they did ever compromise on their stance on DRM, what would that really accomplish? If any DRM gets accepted then we all might as well just run off to Steam - that would be far more convenient at least.

Lack of DRM is the main reason I buy anything from GOG. I'd rather buy a game from here DRM-free than elsewhere with DRM even if it's cheaper and more convenient elsewere, and if GOG ever start to accept DRM then I'll never buy anything here again.
Post edited February 23, 2014 by adamhm
100+ GOG.com titles user here and safe for Blizzard's games, GOG.com is my only source of games.
Please, do not abandon your values.

Thank you!
You know, I like GOG for many aspects. But... you people are currently arguing about "fair pricing" with a company that kinda presents its prices like "only nine dollars and one hundred cents".

It's a decent company, compared to the usual standards, but GOG is not exactly your pals either. They're here to "sell" us stuff, in all the sense of the word...
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HypersomniacLive: P.S. I’m posting/ replying gradually as I’m way behind reading posts and still trying to catch up.
I feel your pain mate. Now I have a whole thread in my backlog.
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Telika: They're here to "sell" us stuff, in all the sense of the word...
I think too much people forget gog is more interested in taking our money than taking us to diner.
Post edited February 23, 2014 by Potzato
I read TET's responses to users in this thread and I can only say I'll trust GOG and hope things go the way they envisioned it (so, the way it would benefit us, the customers, too).

As for me, I'll take GOG over Steam any day of the week, regional pricing or not. I'll either circumvent that problem somehow or just hope the pricing's fair. As long as DRM-free stays, I'll stick around for sure.
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Reever: I read TET's responses to users in this thread and I can only say I'll trust GOG and hope things go the way they envisioned it (so, the way it would benefit us, the customers, too).

As for me, I'll take GOG over Steam any day of the week, regional pricing or not. I'll either circumvent that problem somehow or just hope the pricing's fair. As long as DRM-free stays, I'll stick around for sure.
I concur!
There, I'm prepared!

Who can tell what I did? :)
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Pheace: There, I'm prepared!

Who can tell what I did? :)
Same as I do once in a while?
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Giving up the one world - one price principle is deeply disappointing to say the very least in the most polite manner. It is disgraceful news. If you give up on one of your key principles, GOG, you are betraying your loyal customers.

I suggest that there is a sort of referendum among the users/customers:

Option 1: Yes, regional pricing is ok. I want to see brand new games on GOG (good old games).

Option 2: No, regional pricing is not ok. If a publisher demands regional pricing, he cannot publish on GOG.

Also please consider that your fairness (no DRM, no regional DRM) enhances customer loyalty and honesty. The betrayal of the introduction of DRM on GOG (regional pricing) might make ppl think well then, I can just distribute the game among my friends to make up for the loss - friends, who would have bought a truely DRM-free game (no regional pricing) with their own account.

This is a sad day for GOG.com.
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Pheace: There, I'm prepared!

Who can tell what I did? :)
Oooh! Oooh!

You've finished erecting a high rise building, and are planning on conducting bizarre rituals up on the roof intended to bring about the end of the world, and hope that it actually happens before three scientists and a fireman come along and ruin your plan!
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Telika: You know, I like GOG for many aspects. But... you people are currently arguing about "fair pricing" with a company that kinda presents its prices like "only nine dollars and one hundred cents".

It's a decent company, compared to the usual standards, but GOG is not exactly your pals either. They're here to "sell" us stuff, in all the sense of the word...
I think this is a part of the reason for the backlash. Too many people decided that GOG was their buddy, rather than what they actually are...a store that wants to make money. Nothing wrong with that, and many stores have friendly staff that you might enjoy interacting with, but in the end they are a store. They aren't your friend. I've never understood why people attach themselves to a retailer like they're pals. You aren't. You're their customer. That's it. Making it more than that is just setting yourself up for disappointment.
http://www.polygon.com/2014/2/23/5439848/gog-returning-to-regional-pricing-for-upcoming-games
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Crazy_Borg: So, instead of paying 9,99$ we europeans are about to pay 13,99$.
Man, that really sounds fair for all of us, doesn't it?
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d2t: If you had to add 20-sth % of VAT tax on top of the price of a product when you sell stuff in Europe, would you cover that from your own pocket? Why would a developer or publisher sacrifice part of his income, because your or mine government taxes all products?
Nice one.

GOG/Valve/Microsoft/Apple/Whatever sets a regional price based on the average VAT across Europe. The average is about 18%, and they increase prices at 35% (with 1$=1€ conversion). Fair price.

GOG/Valve/Microsoft/Apple/Whatever have set up European businesses based in low VAT jurisdictions such as Luxembourg, which charges a 15% VAT rate and a reduced 3% VAT for some digital products. So they're pocketing 35%-15%=20%. Poor publishers.