Posted March 22, 2009
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Gersen
New User
Registered: Sep 2008
From Switzerland
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sandpuppy551
Likes hot dogs
Registered: Dec 2008
From Chile
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soulgrindr
sloshed
Registered: Sep 2008
From Japan
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Weclock
The Creeper
Registered: Sep 2008
From United States
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Nissur
New User
Registered: Oct 2008
From Sweden
Posted March 22, 2009
The number of votes a game has is a horrible indication of sales. It may give us a idea of the particular game's popularity, and if it has sold more or less than other games on the site, but not that much more.
Let me give you an example: Gamersgate, which also allows voting.
Notice Civilization IV Colonization [url=]http://www.gamersgate.com/index.php?page=product&what=view&sku=DDB-CIVCOL[/url]
What is interesting about it, is that it has zero votes! Now, I know that it has sold fairly well, since there have been two occasions when the sales of the game boosted upwards high into the weekly top list. First when it was available as a preorder, and if you bought it received an extra game, and secondly more recently when the price was temporarily slashed with 50 %. And it was quite clear that it sold well then, yet no one has bothered rating it.
Another example is the very popular game Mount and Blade [url=]http://www.gamersgate.com/index.php?page=product&what=view&sku=DD-TWMB[/url]. It has 113 votes, but I am pretty certain at least a thousand customers have purchased it , it has stormed through the top list week after week, and is almost always present on "Latest".
A lot of people are lazy bastards, and I am no exception. Now, it is important to realize that GOG is probably more vote-intensive than Gamersgate, due to loyalty and rewards, but the feature is still an horrible indication.
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Now regarding the main discussion point, if GOG is losing its focus, I would say Absolutely Not!!!
Firstly. As of late GOG has released an increasing number of 'older' games partially thanks to Apogee.
Secondly, there are many generations of games, and many generations of gamers. each generation have a different perspective regarding of what constitutes an old game, depending on which games the members of the generation grew up with (of course there can be colonization back and forth). Therefore a service like GOG has to cater to a number of different perspectives regarding this matter if it wants to be successful, not just one or two. It is as stated by others a very subjective question, and turning a blind eye towards the more recent 'older' games would not be very economical.
Let me give you an example: Gamersgate, which also allows voting.
Notice Civilization IV Colonization [url=]http://www.gamersgate.com/index.php?page=product&what=view&sku=DDB-CIVCOL[/url]
What is interesting about it, is that it has zero votes! Now, I know that it has sold fairly well, since there have been two occasions when the sales of the game boosted upwards high into the weekly top list. First when it was available as a preorder, and if you bought it received an extra game, and secondly more recently when the price was temporarily slashed with 50 %. And it was quite clear that it sold well then, yet no one has bothered rating it.
Another example is the very popular game Mount and Blade [url=]http://www.gamersgate.com/index.php?page=product&what=view&sku=DD-TWMB[/url]. It has 113 votes, but I am pretty certain at least a thousand customers have purchased it , it has stormed through the top list week after week, and is almost always present on "Latest".
A lot of people are lazy bastards, and I am no exception. Now, it is important to realize that GOG is probably more vote-intensive than Gamersgate, due to loyalty and rewards, but the feature is still an horrible indication.
-------
Now regarding the main discussion point, if GOG is losing its focus, I would say Absolutely Not!!!
Firstly. As of late GOG has released an increasing number of 'older' games partially thanks to Apogee.
Secondly, there are many generations of games, and many generations of gamers. each generation have a different perspective regarding of what constitutes an old game, depending on which games the members of the generation grew up with (of course there can be colonization back and forth). Therefore a service like GOG has to cater to a number of different perspectives regarding this matter if it wants to be successful, not just one or two. It is as stated by others a very subjective question, and turning a blind eye towards the more recent 'older' games would not be very economical.
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Valoraketti
10100111001
Registered: Feb 2009
From Finland
Posted March 22, 2009
I don't really care if GOG loses focus on the old games. I'm a customer. As a customer, I browse through latest releases/sales. If the game is something I've never heard of, I browse through reviews and forums all over internet. After that, I think over things and make my decision wether or not to buy the game. It doesn't really matter how old the game is as long as the game itself is good!
Some good examples of good and not so old games are Sacred, FlatOut and Toca 3. They aren't so old, but in my opinion they rock the house... hard!
People. Stop whining about how old are the games and how GOG is "losing it's focus". You are the one who ultimately makes the decision wether or not to buy games, not GOG.
Some good examples of good and not so old games are Sacred, FlatOut and Toca 3. They aren't so old, but in my opinion they rock the house... hard!
People. Stop whining about how old are the games and how GOG is "losing it's focus". You are the one who ultimately makes the decision wether or not to buy games, not GOG.
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MysterD
OLD User
Registered: Sep 2008
From United States
Posted March 22, 2009
If I can't find the game on disc anywhere in store and/or online and the game's was releases a good while a go, it's OLD -- and GOG should sell it via digital distribution. :P
If it's no longer in print by the publisher (on CD, DVD, whatever), I consider it OLD -- and GOG should sell it via digital distribution. :P
That's the good thing about no DRM and no "game" keys through digital distribution. The game WILL live on.
If it's no longer in print by the publisher (on CD, DVD, whatever), I consider it OLD -- and GOG should sell it via digital distribution. :P
That's the good thing about no DRM and no "game" keys through digital distribution. The game WILL live on.