"Dampened expectations" works too. I don't think dampened expectations and disinterest are mutually exclusive. But in any case, while the calendar generating user engagement is "mission accomplished" as you say, it is more along the lines of "mission accomplished...for now."

In other words, if GOG opts to do an advent calendar again next year, I don't think I would be checking back as often as I have been this year. If you would like to frame the issue as "your expectations were too high, so now they're properly lowered," be my guest, our expectations or lack thereof are just opinion anyway.

The fact remains that I don't think it is GOG's intention to have customers becoming less enthusiastic to visit the store. While it is true that a customer may hypothetically have sky-high expectations and nothing GOG does possibly pleasing them, I don't think that describes me or some of the other folks I've seen wanting more from the Winter Sale.


Definitely a fair point. I'm not done my potential shopping, so if GOG is able to have a big release or two before the sale concludes, it is still welcome to happen :)

Today (Dec., 30th): another quiz ("Can you guess which game this screenshot is from?")

Another giveaway! Just as I predicted. ;-)

(edit: Not seeing it on the front page yet. Forced reload does nothing...)
(edit #2: 15mins later, works now as intended)

It's Vambrace: Cold Soul, but for some reason it only shows up when not logged in. When logged in, the box is not available yet, weird.
.

I just redeemed and downloaded it.

Sweet! I clicked it and it takes me to the game page that says giveaway. Clicking that just keeps bringing me back to the front page lol.
.
Edit:
Ok, now it's up. :)
.

Over the past year, after having witnessed numerous others experiencing issues, I no longer visit the front page during such giveaways.

The direct claim link is the least error-prone method for obtaining the game.

Oh nice! Thank you.

I already claimed it from the front page. =P

Funny thing is, I was going to buy the game tomorrow, with 2 or 3 more as well hehe.
.

Thanks for a new free game, GOG.

The front page said that I already successfully claimed it before. So I also could only redeem the gift using a claim link from my browser bookmarks. Seems that we have another GOG tradition now, just like a famous purple dot. :)

You know, back in my days we had at least 3 lives.
Or infinite continues.

Now it is 33 hours and no saves.

Pleasantly surprised by the Vambrace giveaway.

Thank you GOG for Vambrace. Happy new year everyone!

Thanks for the free game, GOG and happy new year!

Thanks for the gift and happy New Year.

Got Silver, because for 2 bucks it just might worth the price.
And added Necronomicon, because that "reverse-engineer the clues" game at 90% discount for like 10 cents just the Good Old Game I get for a laugh.

And the last minute this Dustborn shown up, I like the looks (rmeinds me of the Borderlands-posters), don't have a Guitar Hero game yet (at least I don't think so), and after the 1st day even its skin-DLC got -50%. Plus it looks self-aware.
I just hope the thing will run on my machine, lol.