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General discussionHerzlich Willkommen! GOG.com goes German(641 posts)(641 posts)
(641 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted February 26, 2015
Herzlich Willkommen!




GOG.com goes German. Not completely, mind you, but starting today we'll be spreading our DRM-free love in one more language. Whether you're here because of the news, or you've been with us for a while, here is what we're doing to make our German speaking friends feel a little more welcome on GOG.com:




-A German version of our website. You can change your language using the drop-down menu towards the bottom of every page.
-A German corner of our forums. Your home away from home.
-German customer support. If you're more comfortable talking to us in your native language.
-More games in German. We're rolling out 25+ German localisations for our games today, bringing the total up to 350+.




No big announcement would be complete without a huge sale! This weekend we're holding the German-riffic <span class="bold">Herzlich Willkommen!</span> promo. The highlight is a ridiculous 97% off Deponia, but there are over 25 other German gaming hits available as well. There is adventuring with the remaining Deponia games, the cult strategy of The Settlers, the tough and turn-based tactics in Blackguards 1 and 2, and many, many more feats of German game design.


Check out <span class="bold">the weekend promo page</span> to see the full lineup. The promo will last until Tuesday, March 3, at 4:59 AM GMT.




Update:
Two games from our catalog had to be made unavailable in Germany: Commandos Ammo Pack and Commandos 2+3. Offering or promoting these games is considered a serious criminal offence according to German law, and we have to abide by this law to avoid the risk of serious legal action taken against GOG.com and GOG.com employees. Rest assured that if you've already bought a game - nothing will retroactively disappear from your shelves.
Post edited February 27, 2015 by Chamb
Posted February 27, 2015
I just got the email about this change and the sale. Timely. :)
Posted February 27, 2015
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Shambhala: I remember that there was a way to skim a thread by showing only staff posts, could someone be so kind to remind me how it was done?
By clicking the exclamation sign bloopy thing next to the threads name?
Post edited February 27, 2015 by Smannesman
Posted February 27, 2015
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intruder:
Well said. However, the issue is that GOG does these things because it wants to, not because it absolutely has to, so that's not relevant. For their first years, they wanted to play nice with their users and to do things for the people who play games as a whole, that was their #1 priority. Then they started wanting to play nice with the industry as well, to a greater and greater extent. And now they aim to play nice to authorities too. Even in the roll or bend over and take it sense even without being asked to.
Also, in plenty of ways, they're like children starting to look around the world a little more. They want to see how far they'll be allowed to go (replace parents/guardians with customer base) and really Really REALLY want to grow up (more, bigger, expansions, be like that big guy (ahem...) they see out there) NOW please.
Posted February 27, 2015
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intruder:
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Cavalary: Well said. However, the issue is that GOG does these things because it wants to, not because it absolutely has to, so that's not relevant.
That's what I'm not sure about.
I still give them the benefit of the doubt that they might gotten something wrong.

Maybe those noobs at Gamestar.de did tell them this when they sorted out that promotion they are currently doing with them.
Gamestar might still be the biggest PC game magazine in Germany but it's only a former shadow of itself.
The good people mostly left already. I'd rather consult Gameware.at about what is the danger to offer censored material than listening to Gamestar any day of the week.
Actually I probably would ask the local bakery instead of Gamestar as well.
Posted February 27, 2015
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Cavalary: Well said. However, the issue is that GOG does these things because it wants to, not because it absolutely has to, so that's not relevant.
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intruder: That's what I'm not sure about.
I still give them the benefit of the doubt that they might gotten something wrong.

Maybe those noobs at Gamestar.de did tell them this when they sorted out that promotion they are currently doing with them.
Gamestar might still be the biggest PC game magazine in Germany but it's only a former shadow of itself.
The good people mostly left already. I'd rather consult Gameware.at about what is the danger to offer censored material than listening to Gamestar any day of the week.
Actually I probably would ask the local bakery instead of Gamestar as well.
a) It obviously wasn't a problem until yesterday.
b) They obviously didn't need to add German localization to the site if it came at a cost for the very people it's supposedly added for.

I stopped giving GOG the benefit of the doubt for the last time when they re-added Penumbra, being a regionally priced game older than 3 years, which was their... old definition of "old", when they were still "Good Old Games".
Posted February 27, 2015
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Utuzuu: I don't know how internet shops that sell immaterial goods across national borders work in this regard, though.
Then you should maybe avoid making any comments about that. I do (internationally) sell software for a living myself and I consider myself an activist for free speech (Art 5 GG anyone ?), running several TOR relays etc. as well.

There is absolutely no reason why GOG should be legally obliged to comply to any German law as long as they operate and bill from Poland or any other country except Germany. I doubt that they plan to open an actual German company, with staff and a real office ("Ladungsfähige Anschrift") in Germany.

My decision is made. They censor, I stop buying. Period.
I have also recommended gog to quite a few people in the past for political reasons (DRM). That will obviously end as well.
Posted February 27, 2015
GOG should really check back with their German legal counsel or better yet get a second legal opinion concerning the Nazi symbols in games. As long as you don't sell games that glorify Nazi rule there should be no reason to stop selling them in Germany. The German criminal code has important exemptions (which have their grounds in the German constitution - the highest ranking German law) when it comes to art and similar publications. Games like Commandos can be considered art and do not condone extremist behavior - quite the opposite. As long as you verify that the person who visits your site is 18 years or older, offering Games with Nazi symbols should be well within legal limitations. Btw. selling products to German citizens under 18 years of age may be problematic due to the German civil code and might even lead to the revocation of contracts, if German law applies. So it should be in GOGs interest to verify the age of their German customers. There is already an uproar within the German GOG community, which consists in large parts of users well above 18 years of age, because one of GOGs biggest advantages - availability of uncut games for the German maket - might be lost for quite a lot of games.
Posted February 27, 2015
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JudasIscariot:
Here's a clickable list of the updated games with a comment about the kind of German language support in case you want to check your library or wishlist some of the games:

Cultures 1+2 (German audio and text)
Darkstone (German audio and text)
Driver: Parallel Lines (German text)
Earth 2150 Trilogy (German text)
Enclave (German text)
Far Cry (German text)
Far Cry 2: Fortune's Edition (German text)
Feeble Files, The (German audio and text)
Heroes of Might and Magic (German audio and text)
Heroes of Might and Magic 4: Complete (German audio and text)
Imperialism (German audio and text)
Jack Orlando: A Cinematic Adventure - Director's Cut (German audio and text)
Jagged Alliance 2: Wildfire (German text)
Knights and Merchants: The Peasants Rebellion (German audio and text)
Might and Magic 7: For Blood and Honor (German audio and text)
Normality (German audio and text)
POD Gold (German audio and text)
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (German audio and text)
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (German audio and text)
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (German audio and text)
Realms of the Haunting (German audio and text)
Rollercoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum! (German text)
Settlers 2: Gold Edition, The (German audio and text)
Settlers 3: Ultimate Collection, The (German text)
Tex Murphy: Under a Killing Moon (German text)
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (German text)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (German text)
UFO: Afterlight (German text)
UFO: Aftermath (German text)
UFO: Aftershock (German text)
Waxworks (German audio and text)

With every game explicitly named the list looks even more impressive and you could have announced 30+ updated games instead of the 25+, if I'm counting correctly, GOG. ;)
Seeing that I already own about half of the games it's a nice update, very appreciated. Thanks GOG!

Edit: Prince of Persia removed from the list. It already had German language support before. Thanks MarkoH01!
Post edited February 28, 2015 by eiii
Posted February 28, 2015
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eiii: Not sure if the last Prince of Persia also got the German language pack with the current update or already earlier, which isn't clear from Judas' post.
out half of the games it's a nice update, very appreciated. Thanks GOG!
The last Prince Of Persia game (the cell shaded one) already had German language.
Posted February 28, 2015
About two years ago...
Posted February 28, 2015
Wait... why is Tropico 3 on this list...it is not a German game...
Posted February 28, 2015
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Utuzuu: I don't know how internet shops that sell immaterial goods across national borders work in this regard, though.
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dc6jgk: Then you should maybe avoid making any comments about that. I do (internationally) sell software for a living myself and I consider myself an activist for free speech (Art 5 GG anyone ?), running several TOR relays etc. as well.

There is absolutely no reason why GOG should be legally obliged to comply to any German law as long as they operate and bill from Poland or any other country except Germany. I doubt that they plan to open an actual German company, with staff and a real office ("Ladungsfähige Anschrift") in Germany.

My decision is made. They censor, I stop buying. Period.
I have also recommended gog to quite a few people in the past for political reasons (DRM). That will obviously end as well.
Same here. If this is their last statement, I'll probably be a dick and ask the BPJM if they think, that it is ok that GOG advertises indexed games. Let me find out, what they have to say to that.
Posted February 28, 2015
This is great. I play most of my games in English anyway but it is still great to see you effort. There is one thing I have to complain about though. There are still some games that are from germany but don't have a german version which is a bit of a shame.

A list of games that come from germany but don't have a german version:
- Alien Nations/The Nations
- Desperados
- Satinavs Ketten/Memoria
- Sacred Gold
- Spellforce series

Anyway I definitly appreciate your effort to make this side more friendly towards german users. :)
I also really hope that the Commandos games were the last games you make unavailable in germany. I can understand that you have to do this froma legal standpoint. But why exactly do you have to do it now and not earlier? just curious :)
Post edited February 28, 2015 by The_Blog
Posted February 28, 2015
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Screamshield: Wait... why is Tropico 3 on this list...it is not a German game...
Probably cause of the german publisher --> Kalypso.
Posted February 28, 2015
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The_Blog: that you have to do this froma legal standpoint. But why exactly do you have to do it now and not earlier?
That is the million dollar question. My guess is that recently someone pressed charges against them, and seeing that they must cut Commandos anyways, they now wrap it into a seemingly beautiful news. Seemingly in my opinion because selling german versions here is not news because they did it like... long ago already.
Post edited February 28, 2015 by AlienMind
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionHerzlich Willkommen! GOG.com goes German(641 posts)(641 posts)
(641 posts)