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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
I have just one question:
Will you marry me GOG?
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GOG.com: [...] Abandoning fixed regional pricing means it will probably take longer to get some games, [...]

[...] 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. [...]

[...] 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. [...]
If I understand that correctly, you will accept regional pricing on games if demanded by game companies. For these titles you will make up the difference between regions by offering customers what comes down to store credit.

My question is: How would this alone deter companies from having their games published on GOG? How would this mean fewer games for your catalog or "take longer" for some titles to be acquired? I cannot see a disincentive from a developer's perspective.
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JudasIscariot:
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MoP: Oy, Judas, good man, could You clarify this here thingamajig, or do we need TETs thingamabob for that?
I believe points 2 and 3 in the letter explain everything. If not, I'll pass that question on to TET tomorrow if he doesn't answer it by then. Sorry but financial stuff is waaaaaay beyond me and I try not to talk about it too much so as to not create confusion :)
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MonstroDaFisica: I have just one question:
Will you marry me GOG?
Yes, after a lengthy and protracted courtship ritual involving some pointing and clicking followed by dungeon delving. Oh and you have to wear this newt at all times. Thank you!
Post edited March 11, 2014 by JudasIscariot
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TheEnigmaticT: Once we accept more than one currency--which is still a few weeks off--you'll be able to select USD or local currency for any transaction.
Thanks, but that's not quite the info I was looking for.

I'll try rephrasing the question.
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GOG.com: we'll offer the option of paying in the local currency or the equivalent in USD
Does that mean the equivalent price point? e.g. a choice between €4.49 or $5.99 for those in the Eurozone

Or does it mean the equivalent value in USD? e.g. a choice between €4.49 and $6.22 (which is €4.49 in USD at the current exchange rate)
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wraith808: But what people aren't getting is that this will pretty much only affect the games that were going to be fairly priced already- just priced locally. Just as they are doing with AOW3, they could have offered that same offer, kept regional pricing, and been able to get more offerings to go DRM-free.

But hey... I wasn't loud and complaining about it. And truthfully, I'm not complaining now. Just pointing out that there *is* another side to this equation, and before this is declared a win, you might want to consider the adverse effect that this time to market on games, and selection in the catalog has been having on GoG already...
Read Point 2 more carefully. GOG is leaving the door open for games with region-based pricing. They're promising to fight harder against it, but they will accept it and make up the difference when they can't get the publishers to agree. Their stance may affect the titles they're able to carry, but they're not going to outright refuse every title because of it.
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JudasIscariot: ...
Phew, you're still working? I wonder if you know the answer to my above question. Either way, go to bed!
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WhiteElk: Did site visits drop significantly? Did sales notably drop? Did a large percentage of customers send hate mail? Was there anything beyond forum postings, that aided GOG in making this decision?
Don't know, not privy to that. Not privy to that. I don't know about hate mail but I personally received some PMs that were more upset than hateful. I'll have to ask TET on that one as I am not sure what I can reveal about the new reveal.
Thank you for listening to the community, GOG. It was very sensible situation and you handed it with wisdom and care.
And also a high-five to JudasIscariot who listened to my vote (not only mine of course) on the choice of currency.

Keep on rockin'.

Best regards,

Andre Guerreiro Neto
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JudasIscariot: ...
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SirPrimalform: Phew, you're still working? I wonder if you know the answer to my above question. Either way, go to bed!
This double question?

"Does that mean the equivalent price point? e.g. a choice between €4.49 or $5.99 for those in the Eurozone

Or does it mean the equivalent value in USD? e.g. a choice between €4.49 and $6.22 (which is €4.49 in USD at the current exchange rate)"

I believe this is an either-or scenario where you can choose to pay the EQUIVALENT in a given currency. So say a game costs $5.99, you can either pay the USD as always OR you can choose to pay the equivalent of $5.99 in GBP :) Feel free to correct me if I am wrong :)
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WhiteElk: snip
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JudasIscariot: snip
lol i deleted that post, then reposted a fresh one - cuz i kept editing it, trying to be clearer, more on the point and more respectful. Tough job you have at times like this. Flurries of heated postings and all that. But you rock! Respect.
.

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JudasIscariot: Also, I don't know about you but I couldn't possibly imagine someone being able to get a significant number of people to troll or falsely complain about something. This is dependent on how we define "significant" :)
Back in the 80's i became aware of marketing companies sending out trolls to talk smack of clients competitors, or to praise the services or products of client. People paid to talk at office water-coolers. In grocery lines, at bus stops etc. Big monies paid out for this from client. It had to have significant affect for the practice to continue to this day. i have much more thought on this and it goes far beyond that marketing cheese. But i think this isn't the place. So i drop that one example here just to get peoples mind thinking towards the possibilities.
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WhiteElk: Did site visits drop significantly? Did sales notably drop? Did a large percentage of customers send hate mail? Was there anything beyond forum postings, that aided GOG in making this decision?
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JudasIscariot: Don't know, not privy to that. Not privy to that. I don't know about hate mail but I personally received some PMs that were more upset than hateful. I'll have to ask TET on that one as I am not sure what I can reveal about the new reveal.
I think it speaks volumes of the community that for the most part people opposing the changes were actually fairly kind about it. Compared with the sort of abuse that you might see on other sites.
It is already late, hence this post will be a short one, more to follow:

GOG, thank you so much for TRULY listening to your customers who love GOG. Thank you so much for returning to your roots!

For me, this already is the best "PC-News" in 2014.
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byondi: Thank you for listening to the community, GOG. It was very sensible situation and you handed it with wisdom and care.
And also a high-five to JudasIscariot who listened to my vote (not only mine of course) on the choice of currency.

Keep on rockin'.

Best regards,

Andre Guerreiro Neto
Hi Andre,

While I'd love to take the credit for that, I believe the decision makers at GOG also heard you :)
Well, I didn't comment on it earlier as the threads were ginormous anyway and I had other things to deal with, but just for the record: While DRM-free is of utmost importance to me, flat pricing isn't far behind, so I was indeed nonplussed as well. (Not so much because of potential individual cases once in a while but out of fear of it predictably spreading like cancer once introduced.)

So I feel appropriately silly for writing the following, but consider yourselves hugged, nah, huggled. :3
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MIK0: ...

I wonder if you are willing to put a some kind of advertise on games with regional prices to let people know that they are not getting the same price all over the world? This would let people vote with their wallet based on their principles. The publisher may get a clear response about the good and bad of having regional pricing. Also you would be true to your customers.
I think that many of us will appreciate this.