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General discussionAnnouncement: Big Preorders & Launch Day Releases Coming!(4041 posts)(4041 posts)
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Posted February 21, 2014
The DRM-Free Revolution Continues with Big Pre-Orders and Launch Day Releases!

Good news! GOG.com is going to bring you more fantastic launch day releases, preorders, and other exciting new content from some of our favorite developers. We've lined up 3 big titles that we will be bringing to GOG.com in the next couple of months for sale or preorder that we think will be hits with all of our gamers; and we have more equally exciting games coming up soon.

If you've been a member of the site for a long time, you may recall that when we launched sales of The Witcher 2 on GOG.com, we had to add in regional pricing. The game cost different amounts in in the US, the UK, the European Union, and Australia. We're doing something like that once again in order to bring you new titles from fantastic bigger studios. Since we don't accept currencies other than USD on GOG.com right now, we'll be charging the equivalent of the local price in USD for these titles. We wish that we could offer these games at flat prices everywhere in the world, but the decision on pricing is always in our partners' hands, and regional pricing is becoming the standard around the globe. We're doing this because we believe that there's no better way to accomplish our overall goals for DRM-Free gaming and GOG.com. We need more games, devs, and publishers on board to make DRM-Free gaming something that's standard for all of the gaming world!

That brings with it more good news, though! As mentioned, we have three games we're launching soon with regional pricing--two RPGs and a strategy game--and while we can't tell you what they are yet because breaking an NDA has more severe penalties than just getting a noogie, we're confident that you'll be as excited about these games as we are. For a limited time, we will be offering anyone who pre-orders or buys one of them a free game from a selection as a gift from GOG.com, just like we did for The Witcher 2.

If you have any questions, hit us up in the comments below and we'll be happy to answer (to the best of our ability).

EDIT: Since we've answered a lot of the common questions already here (and lest you think that we've ignored you), it may be handy for you to check out the forum thread about this and search for staff answers by clicking this link here. (hat tip to user Eli who reminded us that the feature even exists. :)
Posted February 23, 2014
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Sogi-Ya: Part of me thinks Bamco is the prime suspect, since they were the publisher of Witcher 2 and demanded regional pricing on that title too, but Bamco doesn't have any strategy titles on the docket and they have not shown an interest in them at all ...
Actually I already mentioned in the forum (though easy to miss with all the posts) Namco Bandi have the distribution rights for Europe and Australia for physical in store copies of the Witcher 3, I'd say they would use this to leverage regional pricing just as they did for the Witcher 2 since they are worried about the competition from digital for marked up local prices.

- edited because I forgot to mention Witcher 3 (only had thought it in my head before posting)
Post edited February 23, 2014 by deonast
Posted February 23, 2014
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Future_Suture: The moment we'll betray our values, the whole GOG will explode and that's the end of it.
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Dreadz: The change in policy is a tragicomedic farce. GOG has foretold its own end and yet it decided to move forward with the "Good News".
Well, either they are not very good fortune tellers, or they are, but they decided to always look on the bright side of life...
Posted February 23, 2014
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Sogi-Ya: Part of me thinks Bamco is the prime suspect, since they were the publisher of Witcher 2 and demanded regional pricing on that title too, but Bamco doesn't have any strategy titles on the docket and they have not shown an interest in them at all ...
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deonast: Actually I already mentioned in the forum (though easy to miss with all the posts) Namco Bandi have the distribution rights for Europe and Australia for physical in store copies of the Witcher 3, I'd say they would use this to leverage regional pricing just as they did for the Witcher 2 since they are worried about the competition from digital for marked up local prices.

- edited because I forgot to mention Witcher 3 (only had thought it in my head before posting)
Yeah, I am sure Bamco is in the mix on some part of this; why the fuck is CDPR still dealing with them after the cluster fuck that resulted from Witcher 2?
Posted February 23, 2014
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JohnnyDollar: I was looking at what Steam has coming and trying to guess if any of those are the three. Age of Wonders III by Triumph Studios caught my eye...
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Sogi-Ya: It would be kinda silly if the two RPGs were Witcher 3 & Cyberpunk, but I suppose that it wouldn't be impossible.
Not impossible, but I think Cyperpunk is a 2015 or later game. CD Red may have taken some steps with TW3 to avoid the situation that they were in with the TW2 release on GOG, I don't know. I think these are games from other publishers not related to GOG/CD Projekt, but that's just a guess.
Post edited February 23, 2014 by JohnnyDollar
Posted February 23, 2014
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Dreadz: The change in policy is a tragicomedic farce. GOG has foretold its own end and yet it decided to move forward with the "Good News".
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Trilarion: Well, either they are not very good fortune tellers, or they are, but they decided to always look on the bright side of life...
I don't think they were deliberately going for the Prof. Farnsworth but they ended up almost nailing it.

"Good news everyone! I've decided to start charging you different amounts according to where you come from!"
Posted February 23, 2014
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Niggles: I doubt its as simple as this. GOG surely knew offering AAA for drm- free at cost of regional pricing would kinda blow up into a storm. Flat pricing worldwide vs drm free AAA games (which i imagine are only a handful a year) --- is it worth it?.
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JohnnyDollar: Sure it's worth it. If you don't want to pay the regional prices for the AAA games, then don't buy the AAA games. Buy the ones with a flat price. That shouldn't change how you currently do things, since you have to go by regional pricing when you buy those AAA games elsewhere right now. The difference will be that they are available DRM-free instead of elsewhere.
If it would be so easy. I guess that open the door for regional pricing, you cannot close it in all other places and go on with the rest as if nothing happened. Other publishers will want regional pricing too and even old contracts get renegotiated regularly. In the end there will even be old games with regional pricing than there were before. At least I think this is what will happen.

So the best way if one doesn't like regional pricing is to say so.
Posted February 23, 2014
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graspee: "Good news everyone! I've decided to start overcharging everyone who's not American!"
FTFY
Posted February 23, 2014
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Dreadz: The change in policy is a tragicomedic farce. GOG has foretold its own end and yet it decided to move forward with the "Good News".
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Trilarion: Well, either they are not very good fortune tellers, or they are, but they decided to always look on the bright side of life...
At least they are trying to give out a heads up on this and owning up to it before the fact; I think I too would be on the doom-n-gloom train if GOG had waited until the pre-orders had opened before fessing up about regional pricing.

Keep in mind that this may be an clandestine effort on GOG's part to show the publisher in question that this is a problematic issue; simply from the tone and wording of the announcement, it seems likely that GOG was writing it with the mindset that the publisher would also be reading it.

Also don't forget that while the price is going to be more, GOG will continue to offer companion titles to offset the price; GOG mat be giving those titles out, but they are not free to GOG since they will have to pay the publisher for each free title they give.
Post edited February 23, 2014 by Sogi-Ya
Posted February 23, 2014
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Kamatsu: And as I said, the only reason for the doubling in price for Australian's is because the publisher can get away with it and due to physical retail stores influence over publishers, not for any other reason - ie exchange rate, taxes, income level's, etc.
I don't want to offend you and I agree that that sucks. But I think the largest reason which you don't mention there is this: consumers tolerate it. They tolerate in large enough numbers that the publisher has no reason to stop raping them. Only when their bottom line is affected adversely will they change or if lawmakers step in and enact consumer protection laws which basically cause the same thing to happen. Otherwise, for so long as people will bend over they will be happy to stick it to them. Of course, that's the same everywhere. I felt like that when AAAs went from 50 to 60 some time ago. I still don't think that was justified but people want to play and are willing to pay so that's that.

EDIT:

I should add that I know it is completely unrealistic to think everyone will just stop buying games anywhere to create change and I cannot say I would do without and join them in such a case either. I think the better means of change is to pressure government to act and regulate unfair consumer practices although I know that can be a slow and painful process as well. I don't know about your government but to a large degree ours is bought and paid for by the wealthiest one percent of America. That makes it pretty tough to bring about change short of rioting in the streets. Our own government officials admit they need to remove money from Washington while none of them do anything meaningful to actually accomplish it. It's all just lip service to pacify people I guess.
Post edited February 23, 2014 by dirtyharry50
Posted February 23, 2014
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Kamatsu: And as I said, the only reason for the doubling in price for Australian's is because the publisher can get away with it and due to physical retail stores influence over publishers, not for any other reason - ie exchange rate, taxes, income level's, etc.
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dirtyharry50: I don't want to offend you and I agree that that sucks. But I think the largest reason which you don't mention there is this: consumers tolerate it. They tolerate in large enough numbers that the publisher has no reason to stop raping them. Only when their bottom line is affected adversely will they change or if lawmakers step in and enact consumer protection laws which basically cause the same thing to happen. Otherwise, for so long as people will bend over they will be happy to stick it to them. Of course, that's the same everywhere. I felt like that when AAAs went from 50 to 60 some time ago. I still don't think that was justified but people want to play and are willing to pay so that's that.
i would be offended but.. yeah you are definatly right somebody has stolen our fire from supermarkets to tobaco and video games we rely getting riped off hardcore wherever you look.
Posted February 23, 2014
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graspee: "Good news everyone! I've decided to start overcharging everyone who's not American!"
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bevinator: FTFY
If GOG does regional pricing the way Steam does, Russians might also pay less. The rest, though, will be given the short stick.
Post edited February 23, 2014 by Grargar
Posted February 23, 2014
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Sogi-Ya: Yeah, I am sure Bamco is in the mix on some part of this; why the fuck is CDPR still dealing with them after the cluster fuck that resulted from Witcher 2?
Surprised the hell out of me to read about them signing on with them again too. Must have thick skins and put the past aside, after seeing how much revenue came in via the last deal. Store sales must still be a large part of the revenue for them, maybe they just couldn't find a big enough publisher to take over from them.
Guess that is the business world, you sue someone one day then team up to work with them the next, when there is money in it.
Posted February 23, 2014
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JohnnyDollar: Sure it's worth it. If you don't want to pay the regional prices for the AAA games, then don't buy the AAA games. Buy the ones with a flat price. That shouldn't change how you currently do things, since you have to go by regional pricing when you buy those AAA games elsewhere right now. The difference will be that they are available DRM-free instead of elsewhere.
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Trilarion: If it would be so easy. I guess that open the door for regional pricing, you cannot close it in all other places and go on with the rest as if nothing happened. Other publishers will want regional pricing too and even old contracts get renegotiated regularly. In the end there will even be old games with regional pricing than there were before. At least I think this is what will happen.

So the best way if one doesn't like regional pricing is to say so.
They tell me that's a slippery slope fallacy, but I use that fallacy myself sometimes, either internally if I'm pondering something, or at times in the past discussing something with others. They say it's a fallacy, but I've been right about it a few times. So others can call it whatever they want, I don't care. :P

I don't know. I think they have contracts with these publishers that have to be renewed every so many x years. It's possible, but I don't think the publishers are concerned with the older titles so much as they are with the newer ones, though.

To look at it optimistically, I suppose you could say that at worst GOG's prices may change in a way that will reflect where everyone else is already at. It may not be desirable, but where you gonna go if everyone else is doing the same thing?
Post edited February 23, 2014 by JohnnyDollar
Posted February 23, 2014
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bevinator: FTFY
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Grargar: If GOG goes does regional pricing the way Steam does, Russians might also pay less. The rest, though, will be given the short stick.
Actualy for Australians we get given a short worm that crawls into your wallet and eats your money before having its way way with your drivers license and stealing a six pack on the way out.
Posted February 23, 2014
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Darvond: All in all, considering just how incredibly polarizing this is, based on that merit alone, this was a very bad decision.

That is my summary of events thusfar.
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dirtyharry50: -Perhaps much too much text?-
Also, I'd find it unwise to make such an announcement near or on the weekend. Its like knowing a hurricane is coming and instead of making preparations, just up and leaving.
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Community
General discussionAnnouncement: Big Preorders & Launch Day Releases Coming!(4041 posts)(4041 posts)
(4041 posts)