Unlike others I will say thanks for making this comment and acknowledging the problem. No site is perfect but you're the best warrior we have for DRM free so taking feedback and fighting hard is a good thing.

I truly think you guys didn't know how much of this is always online. "The story is offline? Okay" you probably said, thinking of all the singleplayer games out there with story and multiplayer. Hitman just isn't that, as I hope you can now see. The gameplay is SO rooted in completing challenges to unlock weapons and such, and that's all always online (for no apparent reason really other than piracy concerns). It truly is a much different situation from something like Borderlands where the only difference is whether other people play with you or not.

and this say a lot when you look at the review from just "Verified owners".
First they are just 19 (for a top selling game so popular that's a really low number), 11 of them are 1 star review (probably refund).
I think this time they will actually feel it.
Even if they don't I don't care anymore, I will not buy a single game from gog again.

Some will continue to buy but I think that's not enogh to mantain the big store they want to mantain, they are already losing money, this will get worst.
There is a reason why the were able to grow, most people liked them a lot, they will not if they continue to lie like this.
And if someone really make a class action I think gog will lose even more (right now the news is not on videogames website).

Still even if they became steam and successful I will not buy anything here anyway, even if some games are drm-free. I'll just keep my account for games that I already own.

PS. Read this post.
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/class_action_lawsuit_for_selling_game_with_drm_after_years_of_promising_to_always_be_drmfree/post44
this is the same point I make, they will lose a lot. Number one sale means nothing if you sell 10 copies of a game.
if that's was really the case they would apologies and remove the game from sale.
the game is still sold on gog and they even said they will not tolerate review bombing...
I don't really know how can you say they are doing their best.

I second this and hope now that's the matter is brought to attention, the situation gets an amicable resolution.
We complain because we want GOG to stay being the best despite difficulties. Not to cause any harm.
Mistakes happen. It's the resolutions that matter.

Thanks GOG for looking into the situation.

The message on the store page:

Please note: Internet connection is required to access Escalation missions, Elusive Targets or user-created Contracts. Story and bonus missions can be played offline.

is VERY misleading. You still cannot access most of the level content in this game unless you are online.

The entire game is based on an active internet connection being used to communicate with IO's servers to unlock content.

Calling BS on this release isn't "review bombing".

Folks that buy from GOG want to support GOG, and the DRM free initiative. This release does not live up to that.

btw is this game good?

yes. that's why I'm this disappointed.

Yes, Hitman 1: GOTY and also Hitman 2: GOTY are both awesome. Played them both on Steam, a while ago. I really hope Hitman 3: Complete comes here too.

So, yes - we definitely want DRM-FREE versions of these, so these can be preserved.

When the weakest game in the series is Hitman: Absolution - yeah, and that is actually still good, despite some things - yeah, you're doing something right, for the most part/

I should note, my favorite Hitman game is probably Blood Money.

For official staff/reps like Link0, perhaps, but not for other goggers. ;)

It's because a number of the ones doing it are likely gog "fans" to a high degree.

I am really sorry trynoval, it wasn't my intention, quite the opposite: say thanks to your work. I'd really like to detail the reasons of my <snip> general usage in the GOG forums but it would de-rail us from the topic here. Later I will find the correct space. But please be sure I really appreciate your honesty & very civil way to tell me. Considering I am not ignorant about it anymore, I am very careful of its usage since this very moment and I offer you an apology.

And thanks a lot for your support skirtish :)

Found a 5 star review!

"flabberghost

Games: 0
Reviews: 1
superb (5 star)

September 24, 2021

a fully DRM-free game as truthfully advertised by GOG!
all you need is an internet connection to play the game.
oh and it is neccesary that the IO-Interactive servers are online to get the full game experience.
but it's DRM-free..."

flabberghost you are a genius!

Adding my voice to the chorus:

I would have readily purchased this game but for the online-only content. Until that is removed, I will happily abstain.

GOG's PR fluff statement is nothing remotely close to "fighting hard."

Rather, "fighting hard" would be if they had said something like: we have de-listed Hitman GOTY from GOG, and we will re-list it only if & when the devs decide to make its GOG release become 100% DRM-free first.

But what they actually said was nothing like that.

Moreover, the premise of "fighting hard" doesn't even make any sense in this use case. GOG owns their own store. They don't have to "fight" at all whatsoever in order to dictate what is or isn't allowed on it. They are the supreme rulers of their own store.

There is nothing to stop them from refusing to sell games that have any DRM in them, other than their own apparent desire not to do that.

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Seems this time around the "multitude of gamers" effect was finally used as a force for good :)