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

×
high rated
Mentioned this in the Sinking City thread, but I think it's worth a thread of its own on GOG.

Frogwares advertises Sinking City being "DRM free" on their website. I purchased it with that understanding, only to find that it requires activation and using their app to play. Launching from any .exe in the folder with the app uninstalled returns an error message, "please launch from frogwares app" or whatever.

I immediately bought the game when I saw their legal troubles and their claim of a DRM free download. To be conned like this is very sad. I left replies on their social media, but I doubt they ever respond. I demanded a refund from the provider, but I doubt they give me one. So... this is a warning and a rant.
I wonder what's the situation with Gamesplanet. Direct download, DRM free, digital key for Steam/GOG, etc?
avatar
StingingVelvet: I demanded a refund from the provider, but I doubt they give me one. So... this is a warning and a rant.
What I would do if I were you is:

a) if you paid via Paypal, file a dispute through Paypal and explain that you didn't get what was advertised and ask them to refund your money.

b) If you go through that process and Paypal denies your refund, and/or if you didn't pay with Paypal, but if you did pay with a credit card - either through Paypal or not - then file a chargeback dispute with your credit card provider on the same grounds.

They don't have any legal right to sell you a game advertised as DRM-free if it actually isn't (I'm going on the assumption that everything you said in the OP is true). And you have legal rights not be scammed by being sold a different product than what you were told you were getting. So best to make use of them.
Post edited August 25, 2020 by Ancient-Red-Dragon
Frogwares is usually very helpful. Am sure they will respond to you.
avatar
Ancient-Red-Dragon: What I would do if I were you is:
I used Amazon Pay. I just chatted with them, they don't shut down payments themselves but they put in a refund request for defective product and false advertising, then said I could escalate it if the company doesn't offer me one. I am assuming they'll tell me to jump in a lake, but we'll see.
Going for a swim is not a bad idea anyway, to cool down your anger a bit. ;-)

Of course false advertisement is infuriating if you bought the product.
avatar
Themken: Going for a swim is not a bad idea anyway, to cool down your anger a bit. ;-)
Hahaha. I'm usually a pretty calm guy but this has me livid for some reason. Wife is telling me to "calm down" which is a rare event. Probably because I rushed to support them after they posted about their legal troubles and feel like I got scammed for caring.
avatar
StingingVelvet: I immediately bought the game when I saw their legal troubles and their claim of a DRM free download.
I understand wanting to support them but to be honest I'm not sure I see the devs as the victim here. On the one hand, it's a pity that the developer seems to attract bad publishers, but on the other hand, PCGW has confirmed since 1st July 2020 that there is literally no DRM-Free version in existence at which point the devs are not exactly being honest either:-

"Despite being listed as DRM-free on the storefront, the game uses an account-based DRM and requires installation and launching through the Frogwares Launcher"

Verified by User:Aemony on 2020-07-01 - "Verified myself by purchasing the game through the official website. The Frogwares Launcher looks to be a variant of the Xsolla Launcher, and is seemingly only used to launch and update The Sinking City. Launching the game outside of the launcher is not possible as the executables throws the error message: "Please use Frogwares Launcher to launch the game."

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/The_Sinking_City

I do hope you get a refund StingingVelvet though, as it's clearly a case of false advertising.
Post edited August 25, 2020 by AB2012
avatar
StingingVelvet: I immediately bought the game when I saw their legal troubles and their claim of a DRM free download.
avatar
AB2012: To be honest I'm not sure who I see the victim here. On the one hand, it's a pity that the developer seems to attract bad publishers, but on the other hand, PCGW suggests there is literally no DRM-Free version in existence at which point the devs are not exactly being honest either:-

"Despite being listed as DRM-free on the storefront, the game uses an account-based DRM and requires installation and launching through the Frogwares Launcher"

Verified by User:Aemony on 2020-07-01 - "Verified myself by purchasing the game through the official website. The Frogwares Launcher looks to be a variant of the Xsolla Launcher, and is seemingly only used to launch and update The Sinking City. Launching the game outside of the launcher is not possible as the executables throws the error message: "Please use Frogwares Launcher to launch the game."

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/The_Sinking_City

I do hope you get a refund StingingVelvet, though as it's clearly a case of false advertising.
From their official statement :

"In 2017 we signed The Sinking City contract as a licensing agreement with BigBen/Nacon, 2 years after the start of production. In exchange for a financial contribution to the development, we gave them the right to sell and commercialize the game on 4 platforms – Xbox One, PS4, Steam and later, Epic Games Store. The intellectual property would still belong to Frogwares, which has always been the only producer and owner of its games, including The Sinking City. "

Call me a grouch if you will, but I admit that I'm a bit bothered that GOG was officially never considered for the first sales. I know that GOG sales are usually just "cheap change" compared to the big bucks from steam. But still I always hate when devs and publishers act as if the store is invisible or DRM-free versions are some sort of taboo stuff.
high rated
avatar
karnak1: Call me a grouch if you will, but I admit that I'm a bit bothered that GOG was officially never considered for the first sales. I know that GOG sales are usually just "cheap change" compared to the big bucks from steam. But still I always hate when devs and publishers act as if the store is invisible or DRM-free versions are some sort of taboo stuff.
Yeah I find that annoying too. It's the same old circular problem of "Game is not on GOG due to lack of GOG sales, but GOG sells less because devs take far too long to bring it here..." The Epic version of the game is also confirmed to be DRM'd. I don't even think a DRM-Free version of the game actually exists anywhere...
avatar
AB2012: I understand wanting to support them but to be honest I'm not sure I see the devs as the victim here. On the one hand, it's a pity that the developer seems to attract bad publishers, but on the other hand, PCGW has confirmed since 1st July 2020 that there is literally no DRM-Free version in existence at which point the devs are not exactly being honest either:-
I saw them as a victim of a bad publisher, and they posted a "support us by buying the game DRM free here" link, so I decided to support them. Since they outright lied, I no longer feel they're a victim, no. I feel scammed by them.

Obviously buyer beware applies, I should have googled before purchasing, but hard to believe a dev would outright lie on something like that.
Thanks for the warning, sounds like a bad experience.

Is this influencing anyone else to maybe pass on the game if/when it comes here to GOG? I had been interested like a year and a half ago or whenever it was announced, but between the trouble getting here and now this "non-DRM-free DRM-free" business you discuss, it seems like maybe it's not worth supporting. It's a quandary, as I would prefer GOG get games like this one.
That sucks hope you get it sorted maybe they will get round to fixing glow in the dark watson in their other games sometime.
avatar
rjbuffchix: Thanks for the warning, sounds like a bad experience.

Is this influencing anyone else to maybe pass on the game if/when it comes here to GOG? I had been interested like a year and a half ago or whenever it was announced, but between the trouble getting here and now this "non-DRM-free DRM-free" business you discuss, it seems like maybe it's not worth supporting. It's a quandary, as I would prefer GOG get games like this one.
Time has moved on, there are far more interesting things coming out now. Wouldn’t expect this to be a big seller. I might pick it up on deep sale.
low rated
you probably misread , drm free - meaning you get the drm for free