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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
Went to San Fran 3 years ago. Should have waited!
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yyahoo: I don't understand the positive user reaction.

GOG is going to enforce one world pricing more strictly going forward in negotiations with publishers, which means that games that would have been regionally priced are now simply not going to be here at all.

This is cause for celebration?

Couldn't we continue to have regionally priced games and the "choice" for GOG users is whether to buy them here or not?

I just don't get it.
You live in US, you should be first to know that the "choice" is an illusion once everyone is doing it like the whole Arbitration crab (thanks to supreme court for that), I would like to see you dealing with any US company now without accepting the arbitration, but hey it was all about "choice".

GOG dropped one of its core values which made people join the site, it may not be a big deal for you but it is for others (re-read OP). Secondly, if everyone implemented regional pricing then what "choice" is actually left?
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jforte: The crybabies that branded you greedy and traitorous should eat much crow today.
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Starmaker: The [American, unaffected by regional pricing] entitled milksop who fails reading comprehension should perhaps reread this bit:
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GOG.com: 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.
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Starmaker:
I read it and understood it just fine. GOG's announcement today is showing that they are listening to its customers rather than being just another greedy company, which was the entire point of my post. Why don't you tell me who fails reading comprehension again?
Grats to this decision... would have been really dissapointed in you guys, otherwise.
This sounds good to me. GOG is again my favorite on-line game store, not just one like any other. Thanks!
Thank You.
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yyahoo: I don't understand the positive user reaction.

GOG is going to enforce one world pricing more strictly going forward in negotiations with publishers, which means that games that would have been regionally priced are now simply not going to be here at all.

This is cause for celebration?

Couldn't we continue to have regionally priced games and the "choice" for GOG users is whether to buy them here or not?

I just don't get it.
If you're from the US, you might not be used to always getting the short end of the stick on the gaming market but the rest of us are. To us in the EU (though not just here, obviously) "regional pricing" typically means that we end up paying more for games. GOG has been one of the rare exceptions and fortunately remains so. That's the cause for the celebration.

What GOG has done here is a good thing. They will try to convince publishers to work with worldwide fair prices but I doubt they will lose business over it. New releases will have the option to opt out, as they explained in the post above.
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justanoldgamer: how about an option of not getting free codes for games with regional prices for people who are not fine with GOG loosing money?
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real.geizterfahr: Just don't use them?!
I'd bet GOG still has to pay the rights holders for the games "sold" even if the codes aren't actually used.
high rated
No worries GOG, we'll just go right back into whining about the lack of releases and all that jazz after the feel-good euphoria has gone.
Post edited March 11, 2014 by k1bell
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real.geizterfahr: Just don't use them?!
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Maighstir: I'd bet GOG still has to pay the rights holders for the games "sold" even if the codes aren't actually used.
I believe that's why they are going to implement store credit, so you have the choice of "not using them"
This is great and very caring, but I just hope it doesn't mean less games. I also hope you guys at GOG don't go over board with "paying the difference". That could slow down releases and updates, for sure.

I do hope for the best though and hope it works out. Lots of classics and newer games to release here still for years to come, for sure, slow or fast.
Post edited March 11, 2014 by JinseiNGC224
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jforte: I read it and understood it just fine. GOG's announcement today is showing that they are listening to its customers rather than being just another greedy company, which was the entire point of my post. Why don't you tell me who fails reading comprehension again?
This annoucement would have never happened if not for the "crybabies". So yes, if I have to write it twice, it's you. You fail reading comprehension.
I knew a response was coming sometime. Thanks for listening, and thanks for making the local currency price optional. If any company is too stubborn to accept both DRM free and a flat price, send them our way, we'll show them why we always buy, sometimes not only just for us, but for friends and for giveaways. :)

Anyway, I'm off to pre-order AoW 3 now ;P¨
The whole point of regional pricing was so we could get more drm free games,will this new system turn away publishers?
All i have to say is we better get more games after this huge mess.
Morrowind would be great.......(yes i know its not likely to happen)
Much better.