de_Monteynard: I cannot help you on the contact front, but you should check Stoic's responses I previously posted. They make it quite clear that they do not intend to acknowledge this as a serious issue and wish to avoid even a semi-public discussion on this.

GR00T: I find their statement odd about the game being pirated. It implies it was pirated before the GOG release. And since it's a digital item, once there is one pirated copy available, then it's out there and available to anyone that wants it. If it was already pirated before the GOG release, then it was already available to the pirates. To then note that the DRM-free GOG release induced a spike in pirated copies would only seem to indicate that the game came to the attention of pirates again and they decided to grab it at that time.

So I wonder: do they really think they'd have sold all those post-GOG pirated copies if they'd decided not to release on GOG at all?

HypersomniacLive: Reading the exchanges they had with their backers (cheers, de_Monteynard), how they now try to say that they made no commitments regarding Ep 2 & 3 when they clearly made them part of the campaign to entice people to up their pledges, and how they try to keep this as hash-hash as possible, just reinforce the doubts I had back then; glad they kept me from backing them.

GR00T: Spot on. I decided not to back this one and just wait to see what the game was like. I loved the game though, and was ready to grab the new installments as they appeared. But seeing the way they're handling this, it's looking like I'll not bother with the game(s) at all.

HypersomniacLive: Funny how devs/pubs seem to not care about lost sales due to Steam exclusivity, yet argue pirated copies = lost sales.

de_Monteynard: I am forced to accept the loss and move on, as neither they, nor Kickstarter would be willing to refund anything.

de_Monteynard: This is their reply:

First off, we're busy trying to get Banner Saga 2 in the best shape as it can be which means we're focused on the people who are helping us and willing to help us make it better by playing in this beta.

GR00T: ...is nothing less than a massive Please Fuck Off. I'll be avoiding anything these asshats develop in the future. What a colossal shame they can't see beyond the end of their noses.

menganogog: I understand Stoic needs to protect his game, but obiously DRM there isn't a solution for that problem. I can bet 24 hours after release (if not 24 hours before) there'll be a ''pirated drm - free'' build. It is sad, first because they wouldn't get anything putting DRM on his game and second because piracy legend is growing up again.

menganogog: Fortunately, there will be a lot of good games coming here, without DRM. Without prejudices.

Klumpen0815: I have finished my first playthrough of "The Banner Saga" today and it was very good, so this is really sad.

Klumpen0815: That's exactly how I understood it.

Klumpen0815: Imho this way they'll at least see, that GoG isn't the reason for piracy like they seem to put it (which is quite insulting to be honest). I have no idea about torrent sites since I haven't been on any of those since I became a customer here, are there still all those DRMed Steam games on day 1?

Like you, I'm not friend of illegal DRMed games, but I know they exist. Well, maybe i've exaggerated saying 24 hours before launch, but piracy is a fact. Maybe one or two days later or a month with some harder DRMs, but soon or later the game will be ''free'' on the internet. Most times before developers have payed off the production.
IMHO with this policies maybe Stoic get to control piracy problem, but I'm sure only for a short time. However, I've for sure they'll lose a great amount of loyal users, overall those how love legal DRM - Free and a pleasant treatment by developers.

Klumpen0815: +1

timppu: I personally would be fine they release it in GOG much much later, when it isn't receiving much of updates anymore. Then again I know some people want to buy it ASAP.