I would add that anti-cheat software, especially the kernel level ones, are intrusive and EULAs reflect on that.

Keeping that in mind, the EULA and Spyware in question here are far more broad and intrusive than any kernel level anticheat or any telemetry i have encountered before. This is not some tinfoil conspiracy, it's written right there for everyone to read. This is definitely not standard practice. At least for now. It will become standard practice if enough idiots will pay money to give up their privacy and security.

Since this was not there in the beginning then I think that's the reason why they changed the packaging and versioning of the game later on as well.

Have my gratitude for bringing this serious issue to light. No wonder they try to censor this.

Even here on GOG there are thousands of games without any EULA.

A developer or publisher who doesn't want to pull any semi-legal crap doesn't need an EULA.

There are laws that you have to abide by and otherwise only for multiplayer house rules that apply on the server of the respective provider. EULAs are always just a rip-off of those who are forced to accept them in order to gain access to their PAID product.

Why is the EULA not available before installing the game? It's not on the store page, neither is it on the Steam store page. In theory, this voids the entire EULA because you didn't get the opportunity to review the contract you signed before signing and executing it. In practice, this doesn't help you one bit because you have already installed a product, and the installer itself may well already execute all the nasty things the EULA, which you get to see only afterwards, or at best once the installer already has started (and thus already has been granted permissions).
So... why doesn't GOG require the EULAs of all programs to be present on their store pages, in the form that applies to the version sold by GOG? As it stands, I have absolutely no chance to see this EULA unless I purchase and install the game...

Then food for thought (or rather, asking if my conclusions are correct): Owlcat is listed as being founded by ex-employees of Nival, a russian company. Owlcat also is headquartered in Cyprus, which conveniently is divided between the EU and Turkey, the leader of the latter is buddies with or at least of similar mindset as the russian leader. This seems to apply to other ex-russian companies for some reason, like american companies seem to just love to be headquartered in Ireland.

So, Owlcat might still be connected to Russia by more than nationality of some founding members. If it weren't for the dodgy EULA I'd possibly overlok that on terms of goodwill, but I'm hard pressed to do so as things stand currently.

Therefore, just as I passed last year, and I'll pass again this year.

Addition: I find nothing in their privacy statement that includes data on "other software" from the above EULA excerpt. However, I find this (Source: https://owlcat.games/privacy):

System information (user agent, customer report id, operating system details, including version, peripherals, processor details, device type, screen parameters, memory size, timestamps, etc.)

Consent that you give when running our games

For 3 years after your last use of the Games

So, there is the all-encompassing "etc.", which may mean nothing or everything. And labelling the "customer report id" as "anonymous" is severely disconcerting, since it takes nothing to associate such an ID with the personal data collected from the purchase details.

Yes, I can use the offline installer, while being offline, and set my firewall to block all traffic to and from the games executables. But that won't help if they found a clever way to have the OS send stuff on their behalf, which I'm certain is possible and possibly even standard issue on Windows (things like dllhost.exe). And I don't want to have to do this, just like I don't want to have to manipulate my car in order for it not to query my GPS position, let alone broadcast it to unknown places and people for undefined purposes.

Hi, does anyone have the full text of the EULA? I got Pathfinder: Kingmaker on Steam and there I was surprised by a new EULA one day for a game that has no business connecting to anything at all if I don't tell it to...

That EULA was better than whatever POS EULA they tried to run with third party data collection and analytics but still had quite a bit of worrying stuff in there.

I really really like the game itself and so would also like playing WotR, but only if the GOG version is free on this nonsense or WotR's EULA is better in general. Anyone who could give an update on the current state of things?

Best regards,
Mambouna

EDIT: The excerpt of the EULA marS666 provided on 21.07.2024 seems to still be up-to-date as the EULA stating the same is still distributed from Owlcats website.
With disappointment, I must say I would discourage anyone from buying this game and any others by Owlcat that have similar EULAs.

So I found the EULA and the link is https://owlcat.games/eula

They did change the text to include an expiration date, but the outrageous self-service provisions and anonymity lies are still in full effect (emphasis by me):

3. USE OF DATA
3.1. The User hereby agrees that Owlcat Games may collect, store for as long as the User is using the
Software and not more than 1 year thereafter, and otherwise process information on the Software
being used by the User, such as Device and IP address, platform and operating system version, Device
model, timestamp of the Software usage, Software version and ID number, information concerning the
hardware and software installed on the User's Device, and any other anonymous technical and
statistical information, which Owlcat Games requires in order to identify and eliminate problems with
the operation of the Software, to improve the Software, and for marketing purposes. Moreover, Owlcat
Games may process and store anonymous information gathered by means of the Software usage
outlined above for an indefinite term. Thereby, the User hereby agrees that Owlcat Games has the right
to upload software program files to User's Device, that will record CPU, RAM, operating system, video
card, sound card, software and application of the other developers, peripherals, geolocation and any
other anonymous technical and statistical information from User's computer. The User also agrees that
Owlcat shall have the right to transfer the said anonymous information to its subcontractors, performing
Game development, and vendors providing services necessary for operation of the Game.
3.2. At all times any information collected and being processed under this EULA will be treated in
accordance with our Privacy Policy available at https://owlcat.games/privacy incorporated in this
Agreement by the reference. All information collected is completely anonymous and cannot be traced
back to an individual User.

Yes, it may be as simple as what dxdiag does, but we aren't told which softweare they are using, where it is sourced and compiled, and how and when it is uploaded, how it gets run and when, etc., let alone are we given the source code of this program (should be a simple straightforward affair, no?). We don't even get to see the report generated and of course aren't given the option to not send it there and then. And since they claim that IP addresses are "anonymous" data, they obviously have no understanding or care about privacy. They weren't anonymous in IPv4, and they sure as hell aren't with IPv6: IP addresses are personally identifiable information.

Thanks, I'll pass.