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General discussionGetting back to our roots(1418 posts)(1418 posts)
(1418 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted March 11, 2014
Hey, GOGgers,

We're not perfect, we're exploring new frontiers, and we make mistakes. We thought DRM-Free was so important that you'd prefer we bring you more DRM-Free games and Fair Price was less critical and that it could be sacrificed in some cases. The last two week's worth of comments in our forums (nearly 10k!), show that's not the case. We didn’t listen and we let you down. We shouldn't sacrifice one of our core values in an attempt to advance another. We feel bad about that, and we're sorry. Us being sorry is not of much use to you, so let’s talk about how we will fix it.

One: DRM-free forever. Abandoning fixed regional pricing means it will probably take longer to get some games, but you've made it clear that sacrificing fair pricing for more DRM-free games isn't acceptable.

Two: We will adamantly continue to fight for games with flat worldwide pricing. If that fails and we are required to have regional prices, we will make up the difference for you out of our own pockets. For now it will be with $5.99 and $9.99 game codes. In a couple of months, once we have such functionality implemented, we will give you store credit instead, which then you will be able to use towards any purchase and cover the price of it in full or partially. Effectively gamers from all around the world will be able to benefit from the US prices.

This will apply to every single game where we do not have flat pricing, such as Age of Wonders 3 (full details here), Divinity: Original Sin, and The Witcher 3. If you remember the Fair Price Package for The Witcher 2, this will be exactly the same.

Three: We still intend to introduce the pricing in local currencies. Let us explain why we want to do it and how we want to make it fair for everyone. From the very beginning our intention was to make things easier for users whose credit cards/payment systems are not natively in USD. The advantages are simple because the price is more understandable and easier to relate to. There would be no exchange rates involved, no transaction fees, and no other hidden charges. However after reading your comments, we realized we have taken an important element away: the choice. In order to fix this, we'll offer the option of paying in the local currency or the equivalent in USD. This way, how you pay is always your choice.

Four: You are what matters, and we will be sure to involve you all more in what we're doing and why we're doing it. Let's start by meeting you at GDC - we’d like to invite you to meet us face-to-face Monday the 17th at GDC. Obviously, not all of you can come to San Francisco, so we want to invite all of you to an online event with us early in April to ask us whatever you would like. More details soon.

The bottom line is simple: there may be companies that won't work with us (although we will work hard to convince the most stubborn ones ;). Yes, it means we might miss out on some games, but at the same time GOG.com will remain true to its values and will keep on offering you the best of DRM-free gaming with Fair Prices.

Once again thank you for caring so much about GOG.com. We will work hard not to disappoint you again.

--Marcin "iWi" Iwinski & Guillaume "TheFrenchMonk" Rambourg
Posted March 11, 2014
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MrNybbles: There is something wrong here, either with Visa (which seems likely) or with the statement above. You make it sound like people in the US who play using a US credit card don't incur fees. I assure you that I do live in the US, use a US Visa credit card, and every single transaction with GOG incurs a "FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEE". I have incurred an accumulated $0.51 worth of transaction fees so far in 2014, all from GOG transactions.

I had assumed that because I got this fee that GOG was a foreign (to the US) company, possibly in Canada, which would make sense.

Are you sure I shouldn't be getting the foreign transaction fee?

Would you like me to send a you a photocopy of a bank statement? The account number is mostly Xed out.

Is this Visa doing something wrong?

I do like the spirit of this which I interpret as GOG wanting to put more equity into globalization.

NOTE: I have talked to my credit card provider and my card can NOT be used for debit so this can't be some weird debit fee. Debit use requires me to setup and additional account which I do not want. Yes, it is weird.
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BKGaming: I use debit via paypal (no account needed) and have never gotten an extra fee I don't think... that method works best I think... for me anyway. GOG is in Poland, so I assume they charge you because the money is going to Poland.
If the money to GOG sent to Poland then the transaction fee seems appropriate. But then GOG's statement about "no transaction fees" probably should be corrected, maybe qualify that foreign transaction fees may still apply.

I won't get into details, but PayPal and setting up an additional account with my bank to allow for debit transfers are not good options for me. The foreign transaction fee charges are negligible to me. However, if Visa was going something they shouldn't, and doing it to a lot of people then I would be notifying the Better Business Bureau.
Posted March 11, 2014
high rated
I‘m surprised at the amount of people who seem utterly convinced that regional pricing would have led to an onslaught of DRM-free titles from formerly unwilling publishers. The „there may be companies that won't work with us“ part of GOG‘s statement seems like something of an indication that the very real risk of alienating a large chunk of your customer base greatly outweighed the potential chance of additional publishers offering their games here.

And no, I won‘t head over to Steam. Never have, never will. Regional pricing is one of the reasons I hate that place so damn much.
Posted March 11, 2014
Not being a big gamer and only really ever purchasing stuff from GOG I might be ignorant to what this all means. I understand that DRM is essentially a lock that allows a limit on downloads/installs. Does this mean GOG is no longer going to be DRM Free?
Posted March 11, 2014
Excellent news. Thank you for listening. :-)
Posted March 11, 2014
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Bavarian: After thinking about this for a few days I was willing to bite the bullet and sacrifice flat pricing for the sake of getting more and newer games into DRM-free sale. Now that won't happen, thanks to all the wannabe boycotters.
For some of us (like me) it was the sheer shock to see a well respected company abandoned its core principle presumably for money. I didn't care about the flat prices in the first place. I just stopped trusting GOG (and spreading a word about it). I was never one of the mutineers.

Are those new games worth a sacrifice for the trust of some of us? The time will tell. But at least GOG made me happy today; the day I found out that there is a company that still cares about us nobodies (one of the very few at that).
Posted March 11, 2014
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Skiam: Not being a big gamer and only really ever purchasing stuff from GOG I might be ignorant to what this all means. I understand that DRM is essentially a lock that allows a limit on downloads/installs. Does this mean GOG is no longer going to be DRM Free?
Not at all, what ever gave you that idea? This is about regional pricing, not DRM.
Posted March 11, 2014
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Bavarian: After thinking about this for a few days I was willing to bite the bullet and sacrifice flat pricing for the sake of getting more and newer games into DRM-free sale. Now that won't happen, thanks to all the wannabe boycotters.

Most of you people have no problems buying games at places like Steam where you have extra unfair regional pricing (something GOG intended to avoid if possible) and stinking DRM on top of that. But when GOG introduced regional pricing in order to strengthen the DRM-free aspect you suddenly acted like you had binding principles. You talk the talk, but do you also walk the walk?

This could've been the chance to get DRM-free AA(A) games from the last few years, or otherwise unattainable classics to your GOG shelfs. Perhaps you had to pay a little more than your neighbor, but it's still your choice to buy or not to buy. Now it won't "probably take longer" to get certain games here, it simply won't happen at all. Remember that, next time you complain about the indie-heavy catalog, or claim for Lucas Arts, Microsoft, The Elder Scrolls, Dead Space, etc. to make an appearance. But hey, no sweat. When shit hits the fan you can always head over to Steam, right?

To whom it may concern.
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BKGaming: Quoting this for the truth. I would loved to know where those people that were boycotting were going to go? Steam? How is that different? DRM and no bonuses? That's better?

This whole thing is ridiculous... people spoke without thinking & GOG listened and now we will all see the outcome.
You know, my first reaction to this news in my mind was mixed. 1. Hurray and 2. But you said if you were going to do the difference out of your own pockets, you'd go bankrupt? That's what they told us, and now they apparantly are able to do it anyway? What happened. I for one disliked regional prices very strongly, but after their fair regional pricing announcement and how things were going to be done, I was okay with it. So yes, I am very content by this gesture and apology, but I do share your concerns to some degree as well.
Posted March 11, 2014
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StormHammer: Some people have now raised the issue of GOG taking on board too much of a financial burden, and that may be a valid concern. I don't think anyone here wants to see GOG go out of business. In my view, the $5.99 and $9.99 price points have been relatively static for the past few years, and it would be unreasonable to expect those prices to remain static in the future if their costs have risen. GOG is still a business, and if they feel they need to raise their existing prices for classics, e.g., $5.99 to become $6.99 (or whatever), then in my view that is perfectly reasonable. Only GOG can decide if those prices need adjustment.
I suppose not too many would mind a minor price adjustments, if those are necessary based on inflation, taxation, etc.

But unreasonable pricing only works to make people angry and disappointed. And whether it was intentional or not, your example is an example of bad pricing.

Instead of adjusting by what is necessary, $5.99 to $6.99 change would unrealistically go for the nearest .99 price. Which, in all likelihood, would be too much, considering what kind of percentage that 1.00 is when the original price is only 5.99.

Why not have adjustments $5.99 to $6.27 and $9.99 to $10.33 or something like that?

In the age of micropayments, it is old-fashioned to think that someone would be fooled by .99 prices.
Posted March 11, 2014
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MrNybbles: If the money to GOG sent to Poland then the transaction fee seems appropriate. But then GOG's statement about "no transaction fees" probably should be corrected, maybe qualify that foreign transaction fees may still apply.

I won't get into details, but PayPal and setting up an additional account with my bank to allow for debit transfers are not good options for me. The foreign transaction fee charges are negligible to me. However, if Visa was going something they shouldn't, and doing it to a lot of people then I would be notifying the Better Business Bureau.
You shouldn't have to set anything up extra to use your card with Paypal as far as I know as Paypal handles the transaction so you money/info is really not leaving the US. But I can't say for sure... you don't even need a Paypal account though, that I do know.
Posted March 11, 2014
I have been lurking here for about 4 months, now, and was waiting for a good reason to put up my first post.

Well done GOG. I fully appreciate the need to further the business, but it is not often nowadays that business' actually listen to their customer base and react accordingly. This is a class act, and I will be checking here before elsewhere to spend my entertainment dollars.

Mulligan accepted. Thanks for hearing your customers.
Posted March 11, 2014
While I fully support companies for listening to their clients, I can't say I'm happy with the change as it implies less newer games. Regional pricing was OK for me if newer games were a given.

As desirable as it was, caving into the client's request has opened a vulnerability window at GOG. I can only hope that in the long run it will bring more +es than -es.

Will STEAM feel obliged to do the same? Lucky them they didn't promise anything..

And now to preorder AoW3. But first to find some gold...
Posted March 11, 2014
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Bavarian: After thinking about this for a few days I was willing to bite the bullet and sacrifice flat pricing for the sake of getting more and newer games into DRM-free sale. Now that won't happen, thanks to all the wannabe boycotters.

Most of you people have no problems buying games at places like Steam where you have extra unfair regional pricing (something GOG intended to avoid if possible) and stinking DRM on top of that. But when GOG introduced regional pricing in order to strengthen the DRM-free aspect you suddenly acted like you had binding principles. You talk the talk, but do you also walk the walk?

This could've been the chance to get DRM-free AA(A) games from the last few years, or otherwise unattainable classics to your GOG shelfs. Perhaps you had to pay a little more than your neighbor, but it's still your choice to buy or not to buy. Now it won't "probably take longer" to get certain games here, it simply won't happen at all. Remember that, next time you complain about the indie-heavy catalog, or claim for Lucas Arts, Microsoft, The Elder Scrolls, Dead Space, etc. to make an appearance. But hey, no sweat. When shit hits the fan you can always head over to Steam, right?

To whom it may concern.
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BKGaming: Quoting this for the truth. I would loved to know where those people that were boycotting were going to go? Steam? How is that different? DRM and no bonuses? That's better?

This whole thing is ridiculous... people spoke without thinking & GOG listened and now we will all see the outcome.
Seconded.
I don't expect another U-turn, as this issue is getting ridiculous enough as it is, but it's still a shame.

We would have had the additional choice to get some new games, DRM free and with some free game thrown in, for the same prices as elsewhere.

Now we can only take it or leave it on Steam, Origin and that bunch.
Posted March 11, 2014
Wow, this is incredible. I'm happy. I think GOG makes a lot of sales simply based on the fact that they are the "good guys" and always looking out for the consumer. So this is a push in the right direction.
Posted March 11, 2014
So does this mean you'd be able to buy something in CDN and not get charged the USD-CDN conversion fee?
Posted March 11, 2014
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haydenaurion: This.

We badly need another one of the major publishers to come on board with their old games, which is why I really hope the change back doesn't hurt the chances of getting those old games that still have yet to show up.
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saberwolfxm: True, I was hopeing bethesda would come on board but now I don't see it happening. I was an advocate of having gog give the difference in price to those effected by regional pricing to get more games on gog. But I didn't think of the cost gog would incure by doing so. I wonder if people would be open to a modified cost differnce where gog would give you a credit for the cost of regional pricing but only to the point that they remain profitable? They would still pay a little more than others but they would get access to games that they wouldn't otherwise be able to. What do you think? Would it be worth it?
I can't really speak for others, but I wouldn't mind paying a little bit more if it meant we could get more of the older games on board.
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionGetting back to our roots(1418 posts)(1418 posts)
(1418 posts)