Ahhh, so addiction is just a matter of weak will? It was so simple all along. Case closed! szmik just cured all the world's addictions. Just get better willpower, you dummies!

Next week: "You're poor because you just aren't working hard enough" and the week after "You're sick because you don't exercise enough and eat right."

:D

Well, the trick is simply dumping some good games into the pot so early buyers can proclaim they got great games in the unavoidable tracking thread... Obviously, those expensive games will be far fewer in numbers, so to break even you'll need a great number of "lesser games" to cut even.
So for every Tyranny, there are bound to be 200 Alien versus Predators in there (a game which Gog offered for free at some point,which subsequently was made unavailable to Germans).
So, it very much seems to be an example of gambling. You invest little, but you're fairly likely to receive only a little reward.
I'm always trying to resist temptation for these kind of sales. It's important to remember that with gambling, the odds are always stacked against you ;) That's how those "games" are designed.

There is some fun with the pinata game, but it is clearly unfair for people not using Windows, as it is not possible to set some OS preferences for that. What is the point of getting games you can't play ?

As WildHobgoblin said above, I got Alien vs Predator 2000 for Windows and I have Mac. So a 17yo game I can't play that was free at one point.

If there was ever a chance I would play again, that put an immediate stop to it.

I wouldn't call this a sale. If you pay $3 for a $10 game you weren't planning to buy in the first place, you are not saving $7 - you are spending $3. The "piñata madness" is a game, like the slot machines or the lottery. It is a marketing strategy to encourage users to buy games they wouldn't purchase otherwise -and very effective at that, judging by the other piñata threads.

A lot of people seem to be having fun with this gambling, so good for them. It's just not for everybody.

Pinata sales fall under the 30-Day Withdrawl Clause without needing to give a reason aspect of GOG's policy. I.e. as long as you don't download you can get a refund, no questions asked. (Source: I am just doing that and support is on it, 'cause for the first time ever they got me to participate against better knowledge [Yeah :|] - so I am refunding two of these.).

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That at least allievates this a litle. If GOG would want to improve on the whole thing each Pinata would have two random games of which you choose one, but alas.

I feel like most of you don't get the point. They're designed to make you try games you otherwise wouldn't. Giving the buyer any influence on the outcome defeats the point. If you really want a specific game, just buy it directly. GOG is completely open about this in their FAQ.

It's also the weakest form of gambling possible with this kind of package. No super special items, no artificial rarity, no way to reinvest, no exciting reveal. Definitely not comparable to slot machines and much better than what Valve is doing. I think it's fair to expect just a little bit of impulse control from a mostly adult customer base. GOG is trying to best to not turn this into any kind of gambling event like other game companies.

if the pinata had like 3 games in it for the price then sure I would be more incited to get one or a few, But only one game has me worried for not getting the ones I don't mind getting. I like the idea but it lacks the punch it should have considering what it is trying to copy from.

I will wait for the next major sale and support that one but this one is a no go, Sorry GOG. :/

Oh? That sounds like a case of goodwill on Gog's part, though, since I'm quite certain they are in no way obligated to do this. If there were many people asking for a refund, rather than the odd user here and there...

I'd consider that PR speak. It certainly sounds better than "hey, we've got those games that aren't selling too well - mind if we sell you some of those without telling you?". This is especially relevant as you can't choose an OS, as has been mentioned before - you might just end up with a game you can't even run, nice as it may be.

It doesn't seem to be goodwill, but part of the Withdrawl policy. I.e. got that response from two different people in two different support tickets.



GOG's points with any of these sales is to maximise profit - and entice as many people as possible to buy. Irrespective what nice things they say marketing wise that remains the main purpose behind it. Getting people to gamble a little is part of that - it ties into human psychology.

Ah, I see. I had to go dig through the Gog user agreement to find it - must have forgotten this was a thing (since I've never needed it so far). So, basically, I can just buy a Pinata game, and if I don't like it I just tell Gog to give me another game/go back on my purchase? Strange that no-one has tried to abuse this, yet.

But all the people who got games for the wrong OS should probably rejoice. Guys, looks like you can just return your game, if you haven't downloaded it yet.

Edit:
Actually, this seems a kind of madness. So you can just buy 30 Pinatas, and return the 28 you don't like? Why has that "loophole" not been covered?

Ooh, I have cents! Two, even!

Here's one: I find it really weird that everyone insists on characterizing this sale as 'gambling'. It doesn't seem that way at all to me. It's a three-dollar grab-bag; you're guaranteed a return (tech bugs on launch notwithstanding), which is guaranteed to be -- base price -- worth more than three dollars. Shoot, that's less gambling than a carnival crane game. And a far cry from going to Monte Carlo and paying money for the chance to handle cards and maybe be given your money back. And this I find fascinating. I'll unpack this going up.

A few people have remarked on the 'not my GOG!' temperament that always seems to flare whenever there's a 'gimmicky' sale (like 'Insomnia' and 'Mutatis Mutando' or whatever). That's how I read this last comment. Me, I don't play in the CS:GO park, so maybe it's an issue for the CS:GO kids.

I kinda love these stupid sales, even though I don't really ever participate. And I love the irony of gamers complaining about the 'tiny dopamine shot' that a game company is using to sell games. That dopamine shot is, arguably, central to how games work -- like, all of them. Every loot grab, level up, dead boss, cross-field goal, rocket jump, sick gank, tea-bag, and shop purchase is the delivery system. Seems like people are only fussing about it now that someone made a game with money in it -- or, as I see it, made the mundane act of purchasing into a game.

Seems fair to quote Yepoleb up there, 'coz I agree with pretty much all of it, but this is dragging.

Now, the reason I'm not playing pinata is 'coz I'm a Linux fella, and, just glancing over the tracking list -- well, it just looks like even if I do get some peach from my wishlist, it probably won't have a Linux installer. Shoot, I rarely even grab freebies when they're up anymore: I'm already disappointed that the sure-I'll-try-it-if-it's-free 'Deadlight' is Windows-only.

So yes, this is all a Trojan horse for my "MORE LOVE FOR LINUX" rant, but I know Yepoleb feels me, right?

Ye. I wasn't sure it'd work. I just asked. I am glad it was OK in this case. Didn't go for store credit, and certainly won't buy more piñatas or abuse this. The reasoning that that rule exists is actually down to Europe law. You have a right to return any and all goods, including electronic services if you haven't started using them. GOG's just being nicer in going for 30 days instead of 14 days withdrawal period and doing it globally.

I will have to try this. I don't mind getting a "bad" game for Mac, but getting a Windows only game? I can't even play it. I literally just threw $3 at GOG for nothing.