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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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Naev: It's a step back for a greater step forward later...
'Yesterday we stood at the edge of a cliff. Today we made a big step forward'
:)
I cooled down a bit... so first of all I'm sorry if I was too sarcastic in my previous posts. I don't want to behave like an ungrateful, spoiled moron. I'm here for a bit more than two years and I've seen you doing a lot fantastic things. Charity promo alone is a strong enough proof that you are awesome unselfish people. So even though I still have a bad feelings about it I know and trust you that you are doing it because you think it will help you offering us more awesome games. And heck, life is full of difficult choices, we can't avoid it. I too made some choices in my life that were (to various extent) against what I was believing in. Sometimes I was very glad that I did so, sometimes it was difficult to judge whether it had been good or not, a few times I was ashamed because of that. But the point is - I made a lot of difficult (if not questionable) choices myself so who am I to judge you?
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BreOl72: And like I wrote in my comment: If anything that really matters changes (in my case: DRM-freedom) - I'll turn my back and never look back.
Well spoken, grumpy old man. ;)
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groze: I honestly think people are overreacting. It's not as if GOG is ditching worldwide pricing -- indeed, one of the core principles that keeps me coming here, instead of other digital retailers. I believe most of the games will not be region priced, only newly added ones, if the publishers so choose.

Honestly, is this that big of a deal? People just like to complain, I guess, get that bit of attention out of "hey!, I'm a unique, special snowflake, and I'm angry!" GOG will continue to be GOG, most of the games will keep with the pricing plan they have now.

I wonder whether if GOG said something like "we have been negotiating with LucasArts/Disney and the only way they're letting us sell Grim Fandango is if we sell it with regional pricing" that would generate the same backlash and negative reaction. I'd rather have to compromise and give in on regional pricing for some developers/publishers, if that means having more great games DRM-free. All you Bethesda lovers out there, what if this means we'll get their overrated Elder Scrolls games on GOG?! Would you still complain just for complaining's sake, then?

Maybe it's me, perhaps I'm the gullible one, but I believe in GOG and though I'm not ecstatic about these news, I can see the good in them. And, to be honest, there's more good than harm coming from this.

All I ask is for you to think about it: sure, it's a compromise, but isn't it worth it, if it means finally getting our favorite games in here?
You don't compromise on your core ideals and principles. That is called integrity.
( Who will buy a DRM free release of a game if it's already on Steam from the early alpha stage since months ? )
I gave my opinion of this (don't like it). I will know say that I think it was an absolutely horrible idea to announce it this way. "Hey guys, we've decided to ditch one of our major principles! But it's OK, because in return, we'll be able to release some great games! ... No, I can't tell you which ones. But they're totally worth it, trust me."

I can respect that you wanted to prepare the community, but all you did was dump a bunch of bad news on your community (in a thread whose title certainly didn't lead them to expect that) and then scurry off without actually giving any concrete good news to balance it out.
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TheEnigmaticT: Divinity: Original Sin is an example of the kind of game we're talking about; it's already launched on Steam for early access with regional pricing, and it wouldn't be very fair of Larian to give our EU and UK users a better value for the game if they buy it from GOG.com later as opposed to Steam now.
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Dreadz: I don't see how having a single, worldwide price is somehow unfair to anyone.
because there is no single worldwide income level.
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Ghorpm: I cooled down a bit... so first of all I'm sorry if I was too sarcastic in my previous posts.
Nothing wrong with sarcasm :) I'm trying to be sarcastic and I'm not even angry :)
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Gandos: However, before I decide how to proceed in light of this, I would like to ask two questions and I hope someone from the GOG team will be willing to answer me:

- Does the introduction of regional pricing also mean the introduction of regional lockout? Meaning, are we going to start seeing things like games not being available for purchase in certain regions or only being available in censored form?

- Much like how GOG has been trying to offer complete games whenever possible in spite of the introduction of DLC, will GOG also try to negotiate for flat pricing whenever possible?
For the first one, I dunno. We don't currently have any agreements in place where this is going to happen. If it ever comes up in the future where someone can't find the rights for, I dunno, Mauritania or Turkey, yeah. I can see us doing that.

For the second question, we will most definitely press for flat pricing whenever we can. We're from Europe after all (well, everyone in the company but me. w0rma, and TurnipSlayer), and we know how regional can be handled poorly sometimes.
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Darvond: As I said, you'll be paying 3 credits, no matter where you live. This includes Brazil, where if regional pricing were used, you'd be taxed to death.
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Novotnus: I'm already taxed to un-death :)
Tax Freedom Day 2013, US: Apr 18
Tax Freedom Day 2013, Poland: Jun 22
:)
I don't believe in freedom from taxes, I believe in redirection of taxes. In that NASCAR and the NFL should be taxed. One of them is spending more money than NASA has a budget, and the other is a grand marathon of waste.
Even though I'm not thrilled about regional pricing, I'm all for having more games on gog DRM free.

I guess we will just have to see how it ends up.

Edit: I think I'm starting to change my mind on this one, if you are going to start to sell different versions of the games in different regions, like censored versions, then I'm definitely against this.
Post edited February 21, 2014 by Ravenvolf
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stoicsentry: Why can't we keep it "one fair price" all around the world and then just charge the Europeans and Australians the taxes they're supposed to pay? I think that would still be cheaper for them.
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HypersomniacLive: Honest question - wouldn't that also apply to US users regarding Sales Taxes?
Sales taxes aren't levied on online transactions across state (or international) borders.

At least, for the moment. That may change in 2015 or 2016.
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Nergal01: I'd rather have regional-priced but DRM-free Metro 2033 + Last Light or Dead Island, myself.
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RS1978: Me too, but you know what you get if you search on German Steam store for "Dead Island"?
But you don't have to buy on the German Steam store.
I bought Dead Island on GMG (or GG?) and it could get activated on my German Steamaccount, without any hassle.
And, as far as I can tell by the gore, it's the uncensored version.
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jforte: It seems to me that people are overreacting.

It is apparent that these three games would not be coming to GOG if it weren't for the region pricing. No region pricing = these games wouldn't happen; ergo, if you don't like region pricing, refrain from buying these three titles. Unless I missed something, GOG never said they're bringing region pricing to their entire catalog.

Also, for those who are whining about getting some kind of compensation to make up for the price difference, re-read the announcement: "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"
Your sanity is most refreshing.
Very sad news. And I thought GOG was the last bastion, after Humble caved in. :(

I can understand that you're excited about these new releases (whatever they are), but what kind of argument is "the decision on pricing is always in our partners' hands, and regional pricing is becoming the standard around the globe"? With the same explanation you could also do away with your DRM-free USP ...

And there was me believing that GOG had a mission to try and change bad industry standards, instead of surrendering to them.
Post edited February 21, 2014 by Leroux