As for selling cracked, up-to-date Steam versions: I don't think it would merely endanger contracts, it would also likely be breaking some international laws. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a law against refusing to provide updates to certain retailers. Or is there? Wouldn't it constitute an unfair business practice to provide one outlet with a proper product, while the other outlet is habitually supplied with sub-standard products? Obviously, I'm no legal expert, but this situation has me wondering what options there are.

I'm curious: Would you say that, going forward, gog has any idea on how they should go about to acquire the above-mentioned street cred with devs? Your use of the word "unfortunately" seems to (unwittingly) imply that they don't. ;)

It seems to me that they bent over backwards to accomodate their business partners, often at the expense of their customers. So what else is there to do to get devs to respect their authoritah? They'll always play second fiddle to Steam, so that can't be the eternal excuse for devs' laziness and complacency.

If GOG wants to regain the respect of the community there's a few things they need to do asap:

1) Get rid of the rep system. This is the secret achilles heel that everyone hates, and is probably the oldest part of GOG that people have tried to get rid of.

2) Push harder for game updates. We are not the stepchildren locked in the cellar, waiting for tablescraps. We deserve updated games, or else GOG doesn't need to sell them. We shouldn't have to wait 2-3+ months after a Steam patch and hope we get a gog patch. That's poor business practice and we are not the scum of the earth. If devs and pubs don't want to patch their games, GOG needs to grow a pair and part ways, regardless of the potential short term hit on profits. This one step alone would generate probably hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales within each quarter. A LOT of people I know won't buy from GOG because a lot of games don't get patched here. What's better? Knowing you're losing out on long term income, or going for the short term sales income till people realize the devs dgaf about their GOG version?

3) Reinstate the GOG Downloader for all non Galaxy people.

I really think even if they only did these three steps, they'd increase their yearly profits (accounting for sales losses of pulled games due to non support by developers) by AT LEAST $200-300k. And that's a modest figure. They would grow their userbase and income exponentially just by doing #2 specifically. We don't want to hear that they were strongarmed because they wanted to sell a particular game. We're the ones who helped put GOG on the map, and helped them start the whole retro craze to begin with. COME ON GOG! FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT!

Okay, I'm getting off my soapbox now. Sorry.

Riiight, I remember now. Well, we can't say anything about it, so...

GOG's new promo is buggy again.

If they do want to make their customers happy, at least make new promo bug-free.

Recent GOG have made a lot of mistakes here and there, that is why I can not trust this company.

I should not have clicked on your link. I didn't know that there are so many problems with games. I only own Postal 2, but reading the problems there makes me the opposite of happy.

Just how devious and machiavellian are GOG?!
One of my first feelings was envy, because the Magnificent Six got to have a close-up look at the inner workings of GOG. They might even have effected change!
So, if GOG had one meeting, they might need more feedback in the future, and thus could do another meet.

If one of the criteria for choosing forumites was their deep involvement with the forums i.e. a passion for rational (and rationed! ;) ) discussion and debate, whilst also being helpful...

Wouldn't that make other forumites want to behave in this manner in the hopes of possibly being chosen if there is a next time?

And if enough forumites behaved accordingly, the forums might start to clear up some of the negativity currently surrounding it.

Which is what the majority of people want.

So, my last question is: Just how badly do you want swag? :D

On a more serious note, my thanks to the Magnificent Six for deciding to tell the rest of us what occurred. I'm over 90 minutes late for breakfast because I just read through the entire thread. On. My. Tablet. (The sacrifices I make for edification. ;) Also, worth it.)
It gives me hope that a clean up in Aisle GOG forums may yet happen.

P.S. I'm also fond of the bare-bones forum style. Maybe make Barefoot and Adalia(?) Essentials canon, though?

I'm not sure you can answer this question (and I've not read the entirety of this thread, so sorry if it was already asked), but did it seem like a "lack of change / "bug fixes"" on the website in general (and on the forum in particular) are due to them being short staffed? I'm well aware there seems to be plenty of job openings at GOG at any point in time. I'm curious if it was talked about with the staff you met, or if you personally saw they seemed to not have the manpower to make everything they want to make. I do understand if it can't be answered.

Phuh, I've finally reached the end. I almost haven't noticed the thread as I was busy and traveling during the weekend. I skimmed over the most of the 17 pages, I've thoroughly enjoyed Wishbone's account also.
I'm glad that GOG is trying to listen to the community. That means they still care about us, not just trying to cater to the steam fainbois crowd.
Also I'm glad you guys went over there and made them see what the biggest concerns are.
I for myself probably wouldn't have been a good choice as I am not a fervent opponent of many things here. I hated the idea of regional pricing, but fair price was imho a good compromise, I don't like the idea of the installers bundled with Galaxy, but I understood the reasons and was happy with the classic versions...
Yes the forum software is old and the rep system is broken, but I don't have that much time anyway lately to hang out here, so I almost don't even notice that either.
My biggest gripe is that the lack of Linux versions because of Galaxy in some cases, the lack of updates in some cases, and the biggest of all, lack of upgrade options between editions of games (even those which have these in other places) like Pillars of Eternity, Tyranny etc. Has anyone mentioned those btw?

That's amazing to hear. Props to everyone involved!
Hopefully we'll see some uh "non-warsaw centered" meeting like this one made out of BRICs (heh) folks? It could take place in Shanghai ;P
Meetings with a chinese member? A hueskibr one? Some rusky ol' comrade?

It's healthy to know opinions from wildly diverse folks from regions like these, too. We do care, a whole lot, and we matter (in the most gigantic of ways!)

;D

Yes, it's annoying and frustrating, but according to the list (I have no idea, if it is up-to-date), it only affects 3.47% of GOG's catalogue (74 out of 2128 games and DLCs). Still far from perfect, but from all the threads on the forum that complain about missing patches, upgrade options and DLCs, I would have thought that the problem is much bigger.

Afterwords the six members all sat down to discuss their visit

I also think that's the problem - they should be using it more often (with less games but more often) cause a lot of people miss the promo and then after 6 months of nothing going on they either lose interest or forget about it.
If it happened more often, then the people would come here more often and check other deals and sales, not just for GOG Connect.
The point is to make more people aware of GOG and increase it's customer base. GOG has a lot of room to expand and grow but they are not using it more efficiently. *looks at GOG marketing team*

On the other hand they probably get a broader media coverage (and though reach more people), if it isn't a regular thing and they just use it from time to time.

I doubt it. Like i said, if they would do it more often, they would get more people sticking around (media would write about it anyway). There are always people who are new to hear about GOG. They can always experiment and use the data to check what's working best for them.