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Experiment and have fun in the ultimate playground as Agent 47 to become the master assassin. HITMAN - Game of The Year Edition is now available on GOG.COM with an astounding 70% discount that will last until 29th September 2021, 1 PM UTC.

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Dear Community,

Thank you for your patience and for giving us the time to investigate the release of HITMAN GOTY on GOG. As promised, we’re getting back to you with updates.

We're still in dialogue with IO Interactive about this release. Today we have removed HITMAN GOTY from GOG’s catalog – we shouldn’t have released it in its current form, as you’ve pointed out.

We’d like to apologise for the confusion and anger generated by this situation. We’ve let you down and we’d like to thank you for bringing this topic to us – while it was honest to the bone, it shows how passionate you are towards GOG.

We appreciate your feedback and will continue our efforts to improve our communication with you.
Post edited October 08, 2021 by chandra
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Midoryu: ...
I'll tell you right now why using the save data from Steam isn't compatible with the GOG version. To prevent cheating they encoded the game-save files to specific accounts. Meaning your account name generates a hash across an algorithm in the game's file creation for saves. When they patched this, they're using a dummy for Steam, and a different one for GOG (as far as I can tell, I couldn't be 100% sure) so that the saves are not strictly compatible. Virtually every other game I own on both Steam and GOG use the same save files seamlessly. Very few have an issue, but most that do it's because your account name info is used in the save file some way somewhere.
Post edited September 28, 2021 by paladin181
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Midoryu: ...
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paladin181: I'll tell you right now why using the save data from Steam isn't compatible with the GOG version. To prevent cheating they encoded the game-save files to specific accounts. Meaning your account name generates a hash across an algorithm in the game's file creation for saves. When they patched this, they're using a dummy for Steam, and a different one for GOG (as far as I can tell, I couldn't be 100% sure) so that the saves are not strictly compatible. Virtually every other game I own on both Steam and GOG use the same save files seamlessly. Very few have an issue, but most that do it's because your account name info is used in the save file some way somewhere.
Аnd all of that probably just to service the online dick-measuring that is Leaderboards... for which most stealth-game enthusiasts I know could care less. I swear, sometimes, if only I had 47's number and a briefcase of money to throw at him...
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paladin181: ... Meaning your account name generates a hash across an algorithm in the game's file creation for saves. When they patched this, they're using a dummy for Steam, and a different one for GOG...
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Longshot11: Аnd all of that probably just to service the online dick-measuring that is Leaderboards... for which most stealth-game enthusiasts I know could care less. ...
Yeah, I was hoping for a similar issue as with Hitman Absolution at first and you'd just need to play a while for it to be working:
https://www.gog.com/forum/hitman_series/how_to_use_your_hitman_absolution_save_from_steam_with_the_gog_version

But it turns out, your Steam-ID is in some way encrypted into the save file.
I of course searched on the Internet for the corrupted save file issue, which turned up a lot of ... dare I say... questionable sources in response:
Ironically, those found a way around it by using a tool to emulate a proper Steam-ID.
I've not gone down the rabbit hole and used their tool (or game copy) to make a game playable as it should which I bought already (twice).

So you're right - but:
1. The game (and the sales on GOG) would still benefit from making them compatible. It is an anti-feature to encrypt those files differently.
2. The IOI support agent I was in contact with did not make it explicitely clear that it is completely out of the realm of possibilites, instead referring to their social media for new announcements. So here's hope.

If it is not implemented, I'll bite the bullet and play it again from scratch... offline.
If I need to be online anyway I don't see a reason to start anew and would just use Steam instead.
(Where I already invested 123 hours and unlocked many things to play around with)

And yeah - until it was brought up again I forgot that leaderboards even existed. Telling.
Also kind of ironic:
You do your best to not be spotted during a mission, being a ghost... and then 47 goes online and tweets about it to the world...

But that's just for clarification - you folks and myself are on the same side here, to begin with.

______________
Edited immediately after: Fixed typos.
Post edited September 28, 2021 by Midoryu
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trusteft: How do you manage to get replies from GOG support within the same month?
I needed GOG support twice in the recent memory and both times it was handled by auto replies (failed) and in both cases the problem was "auto-resolved" by waiting enough days without ever talking to a real person.
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Midoryu: You know... I'm in first/second level support myself and I used the "secret passphrase" to make sure I'll get treated accordingly.
Joking aside... I can't really say how their system works and how much this is affected by the assigned agent.
Could have just been lucky.

I first opened a ticket using the chat bot(as I find it interesting to see how much they evolved... or not) and then went to make comparison screenshots between my GOG copy and progress and my Steam copy. (Played the game since release.)
When I returned to my ticket a few hours later I already had received the first reply, saying that it was being forwarded to the appropriate team.

I'll attach my request for reference in full.

My first inquiry, with the bot, was as follows:

Hitman(2016) - offline progression is impossible
- all suits and equipment are locked behind an online requirement.
You can not unlock anything while playing offline - only use stuff you unlocked while being online.
On top of that it is not possible to use a Steam save file where everything is already unlocked on the GOG build. It states the profile/save to be corrupt and resets it upon launch of the game.
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Midoryu: Then, later after gathering the screenshots(took the freedom to fix a few typos for this post, else the same):

I've attached several named screenshots to show off differences between the GOG and the Steam version.
Note that I've played the Steam version, online as I'd have due to it's DRM at release and already unlocked items, starting locations and clothing - those are of course not visible for GOG, as I unfortunately failed to make my Steam save work with the GOG version and vice versa.

I'd like to point out that
- replayability is a huge factor for the last few Hitman games, also touted as such by its developers, they either don't know their own game very well or do not care or know about GOG's DRM-free principle
- this replayability is achieved by unlocking new starting areas and clothing, also new weapons and gadgets which afford new strategies previously unavailable to the player
- some of that equipment, which is not available on GOG except when unlocking it online, is currently used to promote the game on the games store page on GOG, as for example the two GIFs/movies in the description text
- while there are some aspects of the game where an online only connection can be argued for, unlocking skills/weapons/clothing surely is not one of them
- currently there is absolutely no incentive/advantage for me at all to launch my GOG copy instead of my Steam copy - currently the GOG version is nothing but a glorified demo, if you're playing offline
- if you launch the EngineBenchmark.bat in the games main directory it launches Steam for the benchmark, via launcher it works normally
- game progress is stored in the folder LocalProfile - that folder is reset everytime when copying existing Steam saves over to the GOG build(and vice versa)
Example path:
C:\Users\Midoryu\AppData\Local\GOG.com\Galaxy\Applications\54504350291134065\Storage\Shared\Files

So, if it at all be possible I'd like
- the online-only requirement for content-unlocking removed, it has no place at a DRM-free store
- the compatibility between save files on different platforms for PC(Steam, Epic, GOG) restored or atleast a way for existing save files to be in some way imported
- unlikely, but can't hurt to ask: The Elusive Target Missions/Escalations should receive atleast another run, where GOG users can experience them or their unlocks should be obtainable by other means - as in my opinion those were often the most interesting items to get
- also, side note: Steam users got the soundtrack and Making of a while back, this is missing on GOG as well and can no longer be claimed by connecting your game to your IO account:
https://account.ioi.dk/?t=rewards

You can find additional discussions about the online implementation of the game on GOG here:
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/release_hitman_game_of_the_year_edition_11093/page1
https://www.hitmanforum.com/t/hitman-game-of-the-year-edition-on-gog/11671/17

Hitman(2016) is a great game and it would be a damn shame when its potential gets wasted,
I would kindly urge GOG and IO Interactive/Feral Interactive to remedy those issues and make the GOG version the best version of the game it can be.

Thank you very much,

Midoryu
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Midoryu: Later I also referred the agent to my original GOG forum post and informed him using my existing ticket about every contact with the IOI support team and its exact nature - same the other way around.

______________
Edited a few minutes later: Added sentence about informing the support units about the new info from their respective counterparts.
Thank you.
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mrkgnao: In the last three years, the first week of October saw GOG celebrating its 10th/11th/12th anniversary. I wonder what this year's celebration will be like.
More DRM?
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*sigh* Another nail in the DRM-free coffin, another GOG founding principle dumped by the roadside, another reason to keep boycotting GOG.

Speaking of which, with over 100 people signed up and assuming $100+ of lost business from each, GOG's betrayal of its DRM-free principle has likely cost it over $10,000 so far. How much more do management need to lose before they start to see reason?
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Cadaver747: That is worrisome, at least we still have this one (see attached).
That statement is not encouraging. It says they won't "constantly" ask you to prove you that you own the games, which leaves open the door for them to do it "sometimes" or "occasionally" or a "few times," etc.

The other supposed "DRM-free" statements on GOG also have a similar style of weaselly-wording, such as saying that they are committed to having a large selection of DRM-free games...but simultaneously not saying that they will guarantee DRM-free games only.
Post edited September 28, 2021 by Ancient-Red-Dragon
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GamezRanker:
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mrkgnao: In case any of you have communicated with GamezRanker on the forum recently and are waiting for his reply, please note that it may take him a while to do so.

He got a one-week forum ban for "questioning moderation".

Fear not, I'm sure he will reply to you when he comes back, if still relevant.
This gets better and better every single day...
They will not only censor negative reviews and forum posts, but silencing disobedient forum users seems to be their next escalation level in this mess.

Seriously, at this point I don't have any hope for this to turn out positive.
GOG will only defend their decision to gradually introduce DRM into this store. IF we ever get any response at all.
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Cadaver747: That is worrisome, at least we still have this one (see attached).
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Ancient-Red-Dragon: That statement is not encouraging. It says they won't "constantly" ask you to prove you that you own the games, which leaves open the door for them to do it "sometimes" or "occasionally" or a "few times," etc.

The other supposed "DRM-free" statements on GOG also have a similar style of weaselly-wording, such as saying that they are committed to having a large selection of DRM-free games...but simultaneously not saying that they will guarantee DRM-free games only.
Honestly if GOG thinks selling DRM games will help them gain more profit there wrong. It will be the end of GOG.
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Cadaver747: That is worrisome, at least we still have this one (see attached).
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Ancient-Red-Dragon: That statement is not encouraging. It says they won't "constantly" ask you to prove you that you own the games, which leaves open the door for them to do it "sometimes" or "occasionally" or a "few times," etc.

The other supposed "DRM-free" statements on GOG also have a similar style of weaselly-wording, such as saying that they are committed to having a large selection of DRM-free games...but simultaneously not saying that they will guarantee DRM-free games only.
My favourite is the one from the home page:
"We are GOG.COM, the DRM-free home for a curated selection of games"

Note that, syntactically speaking, what is DRM-free is the "home", not the "games".
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AstralWanderer: *sigh* Another nail in the DRM-free coffin, another GOG founding principle dumped by the roadside, another reason to keep boycotting GOG.

Speaking of which, with over 100 people signed up and assuming $100+ of lost business from each, GOG's betrayal of its DRM-free principle has likely cost it over $10,000 so far. How much more do management need to lose before they start to see reason?
It could be more than over 100 boycotting GOG. How many people do you think have accounts, but just read forums? I use to only read GOG forms, never post. The boycotting thread has been on front page for sometime.
Post edited September 28, 2021 by Syphon72
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Ancient-Red-Dragon: That statement is not encouraging. It says they won't "constantly" ask you to prove you that you own the games, which leaves open the door for them to do it "sometimes" or "occasionally" or a "few times," etc.

The other supposed "DRM-free" statements on GOG also have a similar style of weaselly-wording, such as saying that they are committed to having a large selection of DRM-free games...but simultaneously not saying that they will guarantee DRM-free games only.
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Syphon72: Honestly if GOG thinks selling DRM games will help them gain more profit there wrong. It will be the end of GOG.
Last part pretty much sums it up. GOG tolerating DRM and making Galaxy mandatory by ignoring their offline installers will be the death of it. The most frustrating part is the deafening silence from the staff.
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Syphon72: Honestly if GOG thinks selling DRM games will help them gain more profit there wrong. It will be the end of GOG.
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Mjauv: Last part pretty much sums it up. GOG tolerating DRM and making Galaxy mandatory by ignoring their offline installers will be the death of it. The most frustrating part is the deafening silence from the staff.
Isn't the only problem with the offline installers that they don't always keep them up to date? Fine but that isn't GoG's problem and, at least in the two times I've called in, they've been replaced very quickly. I wanna say it was Pathfinder Kingmaker, and it was Owlcat's fault for some update fuckery they did. I've heard GoG lapsed on checking it every once in a while but that's normal when developers are running two entirely different kinds of install methods and GoG has to play catch-up moderator
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Syphon72: It could be more than over 100 boycotting GOG. How many people do you think have account, but just read forums?...
It could indeed be more - but we have no way of counting them. Those who have signed up on the boycott thread can be counted.

There have been similar threads protesting over GOG's past abandonment of core principles, and it may be interesting to review what happened afterwards short- and long-term:

Regional Pricing - Ditching the "One World" Principle
Announcement: Big Preorders & Launch Day Releases Coming!
Letter from the M.D.: About Regional Pricing

Here a compromise was offered...
Getting back to our roots

...and later withdrawn.
Conclusion of the Fair Price Package program

There have been previous boycott threads:

Boycott over regional prices
I boycott GOG ... well because of (lost) principles

...but this current one seems to have attracted the most traction and support. So if anyone does choose to boycott Gog over ditching their remaining (DRM-free) principle, they need to make their voice loud and clear.
Post edited September 29, 2021 by AstralWanderer
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mrkgnao: "We are GOG.COM, the DRM-free home for a curated selection of games"

Note that, syntactically speaking, what is DRM-free is the "home", not the "games".
Not only syntactically also semantically. It would hit the spot, if it would say "...home for a curated selection of only DRM-free games."

I guess a DRM free home sounds more cozy, but I get it, marketing speak. And those few DRM'ed games, they also have a place in our DRM free home.
Post edited September 29, 2021 by Arundir