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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 28, 2015
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CrowTRobo: I've learned more about German law than I ever thought possible by reading this thread.

I found the "noteworthy findings" on this page quite amusing. It appears the individuals responsible for adding URLs to the "secret" block list the German government maintains are clueless about how the internet even works. That sounds about right for a government agency.
Wie ich schon mal in Englisch erwähnte, die deutsche "Jugendzensur", die auch Erwachsene beeinträchtigt, weil die Shops nicht in der Lage/Willens sind eine Altersverifikation durchzuführen, ist Schlimmer als DRM! Wesentlich Schlimmer.

Um es mit Angry Joes Worten zu sagen: "You really fucked it up!"

Ich kaufe eher DRM verseuchte Scheiße bei Steam, als kastrierte deutsche Versionen von Spielen. Sollten hier in Zukunft auch nur noch deutsche Versionen von Spielen auftauchen, und nicht die unzensierte englische Version zu haben sein, werde ich eher die "geborgte" Originalversion spielen, als auch nur noch einen Cent in GOG auszugeben. Steam erlaubt zumindest in einigen Fällen, das man einen ausländischen Key aktivieren kann.

Ich möchte als Beispiel mal Sleeping Dogs in der zensierten Version vorstellen. Es ist:

1, nicht patchkompatibel zur internationalen Version ist. Die deutsche Version ist nicht weitergepatcht worden, und somit FEHLERHAFT.
2. noch laufen die DLC oder HD Pack mit der deutschen Version.
3. die deutsche Version aufgrund ca. 80% fehlender Finisher wesentlich schwieriger zu spielen. Die haben einfach nur die Enviroment kills deaktiviert, OHNE Ersatz dafür zu schaffen.

Wer für diese Version noch Geld ausgibt, wird eindeutig über den Tisch gezogen, egal wiewenig er bezahlt hat!

Wenn ihr, GOG euch diese Art von Problemen so ans Bein binden lassen wollt, sehr gerne, aber OHNE MICH. Ich habe stellenweise hier die alten Spiele gekauft, weil ich so endlich offiziell an die unzensierten Originalversionen gekommen bin.

Ihr werdet alleine schon durch das Jugendschutzgesetz und fehlende USK Freigaben, gezwungen werden, 99 % eures Kataloges für deutsche User zu sperren. So blöd KANN doch niemand sein, sich das Geschäft so zu versauen, nur weil er eine "deutsche Webseite" aufmacht! Ihr wißt echt nicht, was da auch euch zurollt, oder?

Gut, das ihr die 30 Tage Rückgabegarantie habt. Die wird euch in Zukunft, wenn ihr wirklich kastrierte Spiele verkauft noch richtig weh tun

P.S.

@ JudasIscariot: At this moment, you think, you have the original versions for germans, too but believe me, the BPJM will force you, to hide them, because these version aren't allowed in germany , additionally they have no USK label, so they are all 18+.This makes your shop unusable, unless we use a VPN service, as I am used to, in many other game download shops. You cannot buy uncensored games in germany, without using a VPN service.
Post edited February 28, 2015 by mkess
Posted February 28, 2015
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wittgenstein: That's really not the reason, far from it. Its intention is clearly to hide symbols that remind us of these dark times.
If this really WOULD be the intention then it is absolute nonsense to allow hiostorical films about this time and to teach it in school. If we really WANT to forget then LET US forget. But that is not the case. If we really WANT to prevent such groups then why don't we? We have no swastika anywhere but many political groups who are thinking like the Nazis did and they are NOT forbidden. What kind of law/politic is this? I am still the opinion that a simple sign does not mean ANYTHING. It is the people we should be afraid of not stupid signs.
Posted February 28, 2015
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I've read most of this topic and I still don't understand why GOG was fine selling these games before and pulls the plug just because they support German language on the website.
Why would you stop now? Do you want to open a local branch in Germany? I think you won't and I think you also won't have a business address in Germany. So why don't you ignore these laws like you did for SEVEN years already, since they don't even apply to you?
Blows my mind on so many levels...
Posted February 28, 2015
This may seem like a an insignificant detail, but I just looked at some random game page, and seeing the "USK" logo at the bottom feels a bit like salt on an open wound. I think fellow German gamers and movie fans will understand.

I still don't blame GOG for the silly laws of Germany or other countries, but as others in this thread have pointed out, apparently foreign ( Austria etc. ) physical stores selling actual physical goods get away with selling uncut 18+ titles to German customers, often even without any ( official ) age check. Many game stores specifically focus on uncut games for German customers, since they're aware no one wants to play the crippled German versions. It's a little hard to believe that laws concerning international web stores and digital goods are somehow stricter than those for "real" traditional stores.
Posted February 28, 2015
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Wurzelkraft: I've read most of this topic and I still don't understand why GOG was fine selling these games before and pulls the plug just because they support German language on the website.
Why would you stop now? Do you want to open a local branch in Germany? I think you won't and I think you also won't have a business address in Germany. So why don't you ignore these laws like you did for SEVEN years already, since they don't even apply to you?
Blows my mind on so many levels...
They were probably made aware of the legal implications when they started working on setting up the German language site. Bottom line though is that this is not the fault of GOG but the silly regulations related to video games in Germany. The last time i bought a physical copy of a game in Germany was Far Cry 2 when it came out, I didn't pay attention and it was too late when I realized the game was censored (cgi blood removed and things like that). Since then I only buy digital content uncensored.

In the end, it's easy to get around these regulations but I can understand companies doing the minimum to cover themselves against the government authorities going on a crusade or looking to raise a quick buck at their expense. I don't understand why people think this is a GOG problem when it's so obvious that it's the government overreach and arbitrary application of laws, that is the problem.
Posted February 28, 2015
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Buenro-games: I don't understand why people think this is a GOG problem when it's so obvious that it's the government overreach and arbitrary application of laws, that is the problem.
The GOG problem is that they started with the promise of a gamer's paradise, with the proud statement to handle things differently than all the others, and loyal believers helped them grow because of it, but on their quest to become ever bigger and better and appeal to a larger audience, reality is now catching up with them and they have to compromise on their principles and unique selling points one after the other, so the disappointment of their early followers is inevitable.
Posted February 28, 2015
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Buenro-games: I don't understand why people think this is a GOG problem when it's so obvious that it's the government overreach and arbitrary application of laws, that is the problem.
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Leroux: The GOG problem is that they started with the promise of a gamer's paradise, with the proud statement to handle things differently than all the others, and loyal believers helped them grow because of it, but on their quest to become ever bigger and better and appeal to a larger audience, reality is now catching up with them and they have to compromise on their principles and unique selling points one after the other, so the disappointment of their early followers is inevitable.
...and GOG looses it's uniqueness and it's main selling point. Which means that, in future, it has to compete with Steam on equal footing. And I think GOG can only loose in that competition. They did very well with NOT being Steam. Now they try to become another regular digital store - and will get lost in the masses, because they squander the one thing that made them special.
Posted February 28, 2015
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Buenro-games: They were probably made aware of the legal implications when they started working on setting up the German language site. Bottom line though is that this is not the fault of GOG but the silly regulations related to video games in Germany. The last time i bought a physical copy of a game in Germany was Far Cry 2 when it came out, I didn't pay attention and it was too late when I realized the game was censored (cgi blood removed and things like that). Since then I only buy digital content uncensored.

In the end, it's easy to get around these regulations but I can understand companies doing the minimum to cover themselves against the government authorities going on a crusade or looking to raise a quick buck at their expense. I don't understand why people think this is a GOG problem when it's so obvious that it's the government overreach and arbitrary application of laws, that is the problem.
The servers of this website are not located in Germany and neither is the GOG office. They might as well ignore the German laws just like they did before. I'm not a lawyer but simply having German language support doesn't sound like a reason to abide by them since there are many people all around the world speaking this language, who are not even from Germany (hello to Austria and Switzerland).
Posted February 28, 2015
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Screamshield: Well they should change their slogan to "Games published by German publishers" :D cus right now it is simply not accurate.
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Grargar: Not all of the games in the promo are published by German publishers, you know (Settlers 2+3, for example).
Ok ...so how about "Any game that we could find any German relation to"...still they'll have to fix that "many, many more feats of German game design. " :D
Posted February 28, 2015
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Screamshield: Ok ...so how about "Any game that we could find any German relation to"...still they'll have to fix that "many, many more feats of German game design. " :D
Nah, too long. :P
Posted February 28, 2015
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Wurzelkraft: The servers of this website are not located in Germany and neither is the GOG office.
I don't know how people can insist on this server location stuff. It does not matter at all. If you're selling to an individual in a foreign country the local laws apply (just like vendors need to respect the special rights British users have when it comes to refunds). Either GOG wasn't fully aware of the German regulations or they had just been beneath the USK's / BPjM's radar until now. Frankly I think it's a bit of both.
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Leroux: The GOG problem is that they started with the promise of a gamer's paradise, with the proud statement to handle things differently than all the others
So... you think they should be breaking the law because they promised to handle things differently? :P
Post edited February 28, 2015 by F4LL0UT
Posted February 28, 2015
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F4LL0UT: So... you think they should be breaking the law because they promised to handle things differently? :P
That's not what I said. But to my knowledge those laws haven't changed recently. So either they ignored (and broke) the law all this time before, making people think they were in a position to offer better deals than the competition (uncut games for all!), or, if circumstances actually allowed it, they sacrificed that position now to officially enter the German market. In any case, they offered something before and are now taking it away, and regardless of the reasons it's natural that this will disappoint part of the previous customer base, that's all I meant to say.

Besides, if what some others user write here is true, they are still breaking the German law and would need to region-lock a large part of their catalogue if they want to fully comply with it, not just the games with swastikas or excessive violence. The current situation won't hurt GOG much despite the cries of outrage, they might still gain a few more German customers, but if they'd go all the way to ensure they're not operating in a legal greyzone, I dare say that would prove fatal for their business from Germany.
Post edited February 28, 2015 by Leroux
Posted February 28, 2015
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Pandoras Box has been opened.

This will not benefit GOG and certainly will not benefit the users.
Posted February 28, 2015
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mkess: [...] Um es mit Angry Joes Worten zu sagen: "You really fucked it up!"

Ich kaufe eher DRM verseuchte Scheiße bei Steam, als kastrierte deutsche Versionen von Spielen. Sollten hier in [...]
Hallo mkess, :)

ich finde die ganze Sache ja auch nicht toll, aber ich finde, man sollte nicht vergessen, dass man es hier mit Menschen zu tun hat. Mir scheint es, dass man auch Geschäftspartnern gegenüber nicht so ausfallend werden sollte.
Haben sie dich denn um bisher Erworbenes gebracht?
Wir wissen nicht, ob sie die Entscheidung treffen mussten und können die Beweggründe nur erahnen.
Was ich aber weiß, ist dass GoG bisher sehr entgegenkommend war (das gesamte Geschäftsmodell, letztens die Installationsdateien, usw.), das kenne ich von Steam nicht.
Ich meine, wenn wir etwas verständnisvoller und konstruktiv äußern würden, unter welchen Bedingungen wir bereit sind, GoG zu nutzen und weiterzuempfehlen, würden wir mehr erreichen.

Hier noch ein etwas längerer Beitrag meinerseits:
[url=]http://www.gog.com/forum/general_de/manche_spiele_nicht_mehr_in_de_verfgbar/post77[/url]

Viele Grüße
Post edited February 28, 2015 by 0Grapher
Posted March 01, 2015
Is there a possibility to open GOG.com with english language preselected?
An url-based solution (like index_en.htm) would be nice, because cookies are deleted when the browser is closed and loading the complete front page twice just for switching the language is quite annoying.
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionHerzlich Willkommen! GOG.com goes German(641 posts)(641 posts)
(641 posts)