REALLY???? ha ha ha ha ha

I like the idea of a random "pinata" sale, but I see some issues with the way that it's been implemented here.

1) The sale assumes that you only buy games from GOG. If not, which applies to the vast majority of people, there's nothing preventing you from getting a game that you already purchased through another service. You might be able to work something out by contacting customer service, but that will require waiting and additional effort on your part.

2) A number of the available games go on sale for less than $3, sometimes regularly. Again, in many cases these sale prices have been at other sites, but some have even gone on sale for less here. Terraria may be a decent game, but even GOG has had it on sale for $2.49, and it frequently goes on sale for that price at other sites as well. If someone were to consider $3 a good price for it, then they would have most likely already bought it during one of the many other times it has been on sale for less. Then you have those games that have been in bundles for as little as a dollar alongside other games. Can a game really be considered to be valued at $10 or more if the game's developer has sold most copies for under a dollar?

3) Since when does a pinata contain just one piece of candy? Calling it a pinata seems a bit deceptive, and I've seen posts from people logically thinking that they'd get more than one game from it. A lot of the wording on the site makes it sound that way, such as how it's described as "MYSTERY GAMES FOR $3" on the front page, rather than something more along the lines of "A MYSTERY GAME FOR $3". The wording is certainly rather vague in spots.

I think the promotion would have worked better had they thrown a few games into each pinata, with the price raised a bit higher, perhaps to $5. That way, one is more likely to get something they are interested in for their money, and it might have even attracted some new customers to the site, rather than primarily just appealing to those who already buy most of their games from GOG. I like the idea, but it just doesn't seem as attractive as a random "pinata" sale probably should be. Perhaps some other site will do the idea better.

Also, what is hanging from the underside of that pinata? I hope that's his leg. >_>

Yes, that's the leg -- it fits the color pattern, the shading is right, and the perspective is at minimum good enough.

As to the rest of what you said: I think one game is equivalent to more than one piece of candy. I've only had one piece of candy in my life that's lasted more than a few minutes (jawbreakers/gobstoppers the size of an adult fist were a popular thing once). And once the pinata breaks it's normally a free-for-all to grab what comes out. I think this is best filed under "imperfect analogy" or "they wanted to draw something other than a mystery box for the graphics". You can only draw a box with a question mark on it so many ways. I completely agree that the wording should have been clearer on the copy, though -- either "A ... GAME..." as you said, or adding "$3 EACH" to the end would have been good.

Just because games have been on sale for less than the current amount doesn't necessarily mean that $3 is a bad deal. I doubt that most Terraria purchases were at the lowest ever sale prices, for example (this seems to be the one example people have for games that have been sold at less than $3). I know a lot of people that paid full price for it because they bought it at release or wanted to support the dev. If you really want to complain there, the Android version was free for one day once. Does that mean it's forever worthless to buy now at any price? If someone missed previous sales and is happy to get the game now rather than waiting for another sale (or freebie) that may never come, I don't see it as a bad thing. It isn't as if they're currently selling it here for $2 while having it for $3 in the pinata. Also, a lot of the lure of mystery sales/pinata sales/etc. is experiencing something you might not have purchased otherwise and possibly finding out you like it.

I wish GOG would stop these "random" sales. I've read so many posts where people end up with game(s) they already have. Just do normal non-random sales, GOG! :P

Have to agree tbh. I don't like buying stuff when I've no idea what I will get. Pretty obvious really. Much preferred when you could for instance choose 5 indie games from a list and go with that for 10 bucks or whatever it was.

There's a joke to be made here about the hard hat on you butt, but I can't quite make it work.

There's a middle-of-the-road solution: do a "gambling" sale, but leave backdoors to allow people to deduce the game they are about to win (as they have done in every sale until this one) and warn people if they are about to buy a game they own (as they have done in every sale until this one).

Hah, you did have to say middle of the road.

There is a point where one knows every game becomes a gift for others instead of themselves.

Or if there has to be a "random" game, make it from the person's own wishlist. At least that way they won't get duplicates!

Hypocrite much? As I said, there's no need to make an ass of yourself. I've been perfectly civil here, which is more than I can say for you. Calling you out for behaving like an ass is perfectly appropriate. You didn't need to act the way that you acted. If I'm wrong about something you could have chosen to correct me or god forbid provide a link.

Instead you chose to insult my intelligence. Hence why I called you out for being an ass.
I agree, that post of yours is an excellent example.
I think he's accusing me of ruining the forum. Which is ridiculous, there's nothing that I've posted here that's both untrue and unretracted. If we're going to think of anybody as trolling, one could arguably make a case for the OP, but that would be a stretch.

When all is said and done, the sale does suck. There are probably people that like to give money for something unknown, but that's not a good sale.

Thanks for the link. I hope you can see the wide smile on my face. Haven't heard that song in years.

As for gifting. Be a dear and find me someone to gift Machinarium to.
That's an idea, but too easy to exploit by emptying one's wishlist and leaving there only one game.

lol,you funny!
lol,lol,You funny too!

Or put some kind of lower limit of at least 5 games per wishlist?

Pinatas is a gamble, period.