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General discussionAnnouncement: Big Preorders & Launch Day Releases Coming!(4041 posts)(4041 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
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 25, 2014
News pieces with comment threads (counting >10 comments only): , [url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/2/23/5439848/gog-returning-to-regional-pricing-for-upcoming-games]Polygon, , [url=http://www.kotaku.com.au/2014/02/australia-included-in-gogs-regional-pricing-for-new-games/]Kotaku Australia, , [url=http://www.ausgamers.com/news/read/3416007/three-big-titles-coming-to-gog-necessitate-regional-price-disparity]Ausgamers, Game Debate

Forum threads with polls: The Escapist, CD Projekt, Neowin

Forum threads without polls: , [url=http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=35358405]Steam, , [url=http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?74586-Regional-Pricing-(First-Humble-Bundle-and-now-GOG-implement-regional-prices)&p=3529242]Quarter to Three, , [url=http://forums.hexus.net/gaming/315897-gog-introduce-regional-pricing.html]Hexus, , [url=http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/119795-gogcom-will-have-regional-pricing-for-some-games/]Linustechtips.

That's after going through just 5 pages of a Google search, sure to be more...

Edited to include all and break up with/without polls.
Post edited February 25, 2014 by Cavalary
Posted February 25, 2014
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Trilarion: examples given
What about digital content that you know is from a German publisher at any of those places you listed, same thing?
Posted February 25, 2014
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Cavalary: Other news pieces with comment threads (counting >10 comments only): , [url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/2/23/5439848/gog-returning-to-regional-pricing-for-upcoming-games]Polygon, , [url=http://www.kotaku.com.au/2014/02/australia-included-in-gogs-regional-pricing-for-new-games/]Kotaku Australia, , [url=http://www.ausgamers.com/news/read/3416007/three-big-titles-coming-to-gog-necessitate-regional-price-disparity]Ausgamers, Game Debate

Other forum threads: , [url=http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=35358405]Steam, , [url=http://forums.hexus.net/gaming/315897-gog-introduce-regional-pricing.html]Hexus, CD Projekt (includes poll, sadly with a clear majority on yes), , [url=http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?74586-Regional-Pricing-(First-Humble-Bundle-and-now-GOG-implement-regional-prices)&p=3529242]Quarter to Three, , [url=http://ces.gamespot.com/forums/pc-mac-discussion-1000004/gog-introduces-regional-pricing-gog-community-resp-31099825/]GameSpot

That's after going through just 5 pages of a Google search, sure to be more...
I saw a few of these and, yep, it''s pretty much a PR nightmare for GOG.

Not really sure why they thought it would be any different?

Oh well.......... There are always other places to buy games, DRM-Free or otherwise, and often at cheaper prices so, now I'm over being depressed about the lack of backbone and ethics at GOG.........moving on :)

They've now shoveled themselves into a huge pile of shit and I'm guessing they'll be dealing with it for a while.

And no, no comment from the CEO of the company. Just adds insult to injury and shows, yet again, a complete lack of business sense.
Posted February 25, 2014
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Lodium: what do you call trading in AH in WoW then or even better Diablo 3 Style AH were blizzard charged users a small fee if they
used real money on virtual items?

Virtual items is Digital goods is it not?
I would call it a massive scam, where you exchange money (most probably) for nothing at all (having signed all the agreements to this effect). Not that some people don't cash out (even in pyramid schemes some people do manage to cash out, before the whole thing flops).

IANAL disclaimer - this is my own, subjective understanding, not a legal interpretation/advice of any form.

As long as the money is virtual (can't cash out) - virtual items legally don't exist, no more than stock trading exercices conducted in our heads would exist. This is the best scenario for the corporations like Blizzard. This is why most games have "we own all ur pixels" provisions in the EULAs and things like D2JSP are at best gray area (ie. D2JSP is not Blizzard's legal problem due to "own pixels" clause and government turns a blind eye).

When the money becomes physical or has the potential to do so (ie. you can cash out for real currency), varying laws kick in (e.g. gambling, anti-money laundering, anti-fraud). I suppose this is why some countries had to either have the Auction House stripped out (Korea IIRC) or be locked out of "cashing out" (Brazil, Argentina - http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/company/legal/d3rmah_tou.html ). And I would wager a small amount of money, arising legal issues affected Blizzard's decision not to keep the Diablo AH around (shuts by April, IIRC; they never disclosed how much work their legal department had with day-to-day AH operations and fiscal stuff).

Clearly defined relationships between in-game virtual goods and physical money are in nobody's interest but the consumer. Thus they will not crystallise under current conditions (not in the interest of countries, not in the interest of corporations).

PS. Ironically, both Diablo 3 and WoW are "gambling" (by common sense) - you pull that lever until shiny things pop out (delayed, random rewards; degree of reward not directly dependent on user actions; massive success possible but odds are astronomical).
Posted February 25, 2014
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Trilarion: examples given
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JohnnyDollar: What about digital content that you know is from a German publisher at any of those places you listed, same thing?
Do not remember well but should be the same. It's never only base price plus taxes plus conversion rate. It's always different.
Posted February 25, 2014
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adamhm: It's still a big thing now and part of the reason for this is that many countries still have poor communications infrastructure.

nsip

Most retail boxes are very cheaply made anyway and tend to contain only the bare minimum - typically the install disc, Steam key and a leaflet with advertisements for some of the publisher's other games.

snip
Sort of picking up where we left of a couple of days off.
I recall you saying this the other day too. If the typical retail box contains nth but a Steam key how can it be an alternative to folks living in countries/ areas with poor/ unreliable communication infrastructure?
To me it just sounds like publishers having found another way to offer a retail edition that costs them less and brings in more while exploiting people's preference/ focus to Steam.


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adamhm: snip

This is a good point... in all of the emails and letters I've written to publishers/developers asking about bringing their games here, I've *not once* mentioned GOG's worldwide pricing. It's never been a consideration for me... if a game was released here I'd buy it here almost regardless of its price elsewhere (availability of Linux versions has been complicating that policy quite a lot though). Main points have always been:

- DRM-free
- My willingness to pay more for DRM-free releases
- GOG's support policy / ensuring compatibility for older games

snip
That raises an interesting question - how much more is the average person willing to pay for a DRM-free release? Or better yet, how much more are they realistically able to pay? And what are the valid arguments for charging more?
I never use this as one of points, regardless of my willingness (or ability) to pay more. The simple reason being that I don't want to cultivate the notion DRM-free should be treated as an exception or worse as a super-extra luxury for the few. I'm trying to push into the direction that DRM-free should be seen and provided as a standard alternative.
Posted February 25, 2014
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Cavalary: Other news pieces with comment threads (counting >10 comments only): , [url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/2/23/5439848/gog-returning-to-regional-pricing-for-upcoming-games]Polygon, , [url=http://www.kotaku.com.au/2014/02/australia-included-in-gogs-regional-pricing-for-new-games/]Kotaku Australia, , [url=http://www.ausgamers.com/news/read/3416007/three-big-titles-coming-to-gog-necessitate-regional-price-disparity]Ausgamers, Game Debate

Other forum threads: , [url=http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=35358405]Steam, , [url=http://forums.hexus.net/gaming/315897-gog-introduce-regional-pricing.html]Hexus, CD Projekt (includes poll, sadly with a clear majority on yes), , [url=http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?74586-Regional-Pricing-(First-Humble-Bundle-and-now-GOG-implement-regional-prices)&p=3529242]Quarter to Three, , [url=http://ces.gamespot.com/forums/pc-mac-discussion-1000004/gog-introduces-regional-pricing-gog-community-resp-31099825/]GameSpot

That's after going through just 5 pages of a Google search, sure to be more...
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Bloodygoodgames: I saw a few of these and, yep, it''s pretty much a PR nightmare for GOG.

Not really sure why they thought it would be any different?

Oh well.......... There are always other places to buy games, DRM-Free or otherwise, and often at cheaper prices so, now I'm over being depressed about the lack of backbone and ethics at GOG.........moving on :)

They've now shoveled themselves into a huge pile of shit and I'm guessing they'll be dealing with it for a while.

And no, no comment from the CEO of the company. Just adds insult to injury and shows, yet again, a complete lack of business sense.
At least GOG can sell old PC games that are compatible to newer systems. Unlike whose some of their old PC games like Star Wars Dark Forces 2 is broken on Windows 7.
Posted February 25, 2014
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TheEnigmaticT: We could, I suppose, settle into our niche as "that place that sells old games", and let it be.
That would be ideal. Many of us are here because we find most newer games awful (having not withstood the test of time, the best quality assurance) and we valued your integrity and how we were treated here as customers. I do not, nor will I ever have a Steam account. I only signed up on GamersGate at the behest of Licurg, and I own next to nothing there, seven games presently, only two of which were not free or gifted (trades for GOG codes.) I don't use other games stores. There are 338 games on my GOG shelf right now, and 169 gift codes I counted that I've purchased. GOG has been the only place I buy games and the only reason I bought so much here was your ethical standards, which we were lead to believe you were steadfastly devoted to. I never minded if I tried a game I hadn't heard of and didn't like it, because I was supporting efforts I believed in by a company I trusted. If flat pricing can be so easily struck from your standards, I am compelled in the future to only purchase games which are already favorites of mine, that may show up here DRM free in a single installer, or games in a franchise I like already. There are fewer than five such games I can think of at the moment that would be worth it to me. I would be very surprised if this exceeded one or two games in a year and not at all surprised if no such game ever appeared, as my tastes are pretty specific. There is still time to listen to the outcry on the forums and reverse this decision and retain the trust and support of customers like myself. An apology in monk-robes is still not out of the question. What happened to surveys before major changes?

I know I have little sway as one person, but I wanted to contribute to the feedback and I sincerely hope that GOG does the right thing by its customers and reverses this mess.
Posted February 25, 2014
Hey, when did the "one world, one fair price" reason vanish from the "reasons why you'll love GOG" banner on the front page? Did I miss the "Now You've Got One Less Reason to Love GOG!" announcement? ;-)
Posted February 25, 2014
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ghostgate2001: Hey, when did the "one world, one fair price" reason vanish from the "reasons why you'll love GOG" banner on the front page? Did I miss the "Now You've Got One Less Reason to Love GOG!" announcement? ;-)
There's still one page I know of where it exists, but not linking to it since it'll just remind them to change it even sooner. Took a screenshot just in case.
Posted February 25, 2014
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ghostgate2001: Hey, when did the "one world, one fair price" reason vanish from the "reasons why you'll love GOG" banner on the front page? Did I miss the "Now You've Got One Less Reason to Love GOG!" announcement? ;-)
I never really checked the banner much but the no regional pricing was on there and now it's gone ?

I'm having an Arenanet/Turbine flashback.

And uh did i miss the letter or something ?
Post edited February 25, 2014 by Reaper9988
Posted February 25, 2014
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GabiMoro: GOG told me this:
"Our main policy is one price disregarding where user is from, it means that because of the inside country regulations about Vat our income from the same title will be higher or lower depending where from user is buying it as we have to cover a proper amount for country of residence. Answering simpler - yes all additional costs are covered by us and send the user country (it more depends from the IP address however then from the chosen location during registration)."
So it seems they charged different cuts of VAT (or none at all).
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Phc7006: I had read that. It's as consistent with a EU/ non EU divide as with a country divide. That's their problem anyway
There's no way to get regional pricing fair in Europe, just because of those differences. Even if we forget the fact that the relative purchasing power differs greatly within Europe, the following things complicate matters:

* countries have different taxes and tax rates

* there are countries which are part of EU and use Euro currency

* there are countries which are part of EU and do not use Euro currency

* there are countries which are not part of EU but use Euro currency

* there are countries which are not part of EU and do not use Euro currency, but are still located in Europe

* there are areas which are part of EU and use Euro currency, but still have some exceptions which differ from the common EU area (Åland, Gibraltar, etc.)

* there are areas which are legally part of EU, but are located outside of Europe (Portuguese, French, Dutch overseas territories)

* there are areas which are not part of EU, but as being legally governed by a EU country, citizens are considered EU citizens all the same (Greenland, etc.)


As long as there's "one price for all", whatever taxation and fees are involved, it really happens behind the scenes.

But with regional pricing, just exactly what would "European" price point refer to, and which of the areas listed above would be included/excluded from that pricing?


It's just not going to work right, unless you do the normal thing and pump up the prices so much that everyone gets screwed, some more, some less, but still no one gets a fair price.
Posted February 25, 2014
Wonderful, basically i'm going to get overpriced USA games since i will play them in English (usually a shared UK/USA local) due my EU country localization been inexistent or terrible. That's a real deal, i love regional prices.

We are getting regional price because "it's not up to us" for a couple AAA title that however won't really be fully DMR free.

I know it's the only way to bring new AAA title in gog but please try to enforce the no region price rule strictly on non AAA games.
Posted February 25, 2014
"The DRM-Free Revolution Continues with Big Pre-Orders and Launch Day Releases"

Why, GoG, why. I get that pre-orders are not YOUR idea per se, but they are still a cancer upon games.
It's great that we have DRM-free stuff, and GoG is definitely my favorite digital distributor and there is absolutely no need to start going to the other extreme. If we continue this path, in a couple of years GoG will probably have "early access" and whatnot like Steam.

I get that you only want to provide as much content to people as possible, but people can always buy the game on launch date. The only reason *not* to buy it on launch date and pre-order instead is pre-order bonuses, which are basically just a symbol of how consumers are fucked in the face with different content for the same price.


PS: I'm really skeptical about other changes too because as I see it, GoG is nearly perfect at the moment.
Post edited February 25, 2014 by Latenius
Posted February 25, 2014
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Cavalary: One can only be seen after voting and can only be voted after registering though, the other is at 5% accepting this.
Actualy no, what I can see is 5% in favor, voting in favor of something is one thing, accepting it is another
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Community
General discussionAnnouncement: Big Preorders & Launch Day Releases Coming!(4041 posts)(4041 posts)
(4041 posts)