The Witcher is one of those that if you buy the enhanced edition you're really best off getting the retail version. To me, having the physical books, map and music CDs (note the plural) makes it well worth having the self-space-hogging bastard.

Also note that all versions are the same when you've updated it with the latest patch.

Another thing is that I don't know if you can expect to see it on GOG. It's certainly good. It already qualifies as GOG's definition of old. But carrying their own games could look like a conflict of interests to publishers.

Look at the Steam stats with a grain of salt, because they are not accurate.

I know this, because I have compared it to other statistics and they differ a lot.

Counter-Strike statistics are wrong. about 80% of servers are filled with fake slots or bots.

Modern Warfare 2 MP statistics were also wrong when I compared it with number of players online shown in-game.

Also, the statistics are riddled with pirates who play the game too (yes, there are methods to play Civ 5 online without buying the game). A good example is the zero gear statistics. Most of them were MW2 pirates.

Statistics can be easily modified to make it look prettier. I have read a book about it :). So always do research beforehand when looking at statistics to determine if it is legit.

Steam hardware survey represents only Steam users, and should not be read as an overall of types of computers in the world.

Unity hardware survey says that most computers are laptops running XP with integrated GFX. Steam hardware survey does not say that.

I predict that most users on Steam are computer geeks and not the Average Joe. That is the reason why there are so many Steam fanboys on the internet.

I predict that about 60-80% of the world does not know how to use Steam. Why? It is not user-friendly to use. I think this is the main reason why Nintendo is selling so much Wiis. It is user friendly and has quality games for everyone. Steam are not user-friendly (please computer geeks, do not flame me on this. You are not the average Joe.)

My predictions can be wrong, like Michael Pachters predictions which are always wrong. So please do comment me constructively, but do not comment/flame me like a fanboy.

EDIT:

I just want to warn you people of using Steam. I recommend people not buy games on Steam if you can get it somewhere else without account lock. Why? My last account was disabled by Valve and I lost about 50 euros worth of games. I don't know why, Steam customer support never said the reason either.

That is the reason I posted this message. I don't want people to do the same mistake as I did.

People who play games on computers are computer geeks.

I know next to nothing about computers. :P

That may be true, but you found and appreciate GOG, know how to reply to messages on a message board, and that means you also know how to make an account on a web site. I'd say if you're going to buy a game on Steam you have more than enough knowledge to do so, and you know a hell of a lot more than most people.

If you don't buy a great game that you are sure you will like because it uses Steam, then you are a damn fool. Doubly so if you rate a game down solely because of that. I love Steam, and I see now that I have started to buy more games there than physical copies. This saves me space on my game-shelf, it means I can always re-install the game whenever I want to, and the games are always up to date. I have yet to find one negative aspect of Steam, especially now when most people have fast internet.

*Goes off to play Civ V*

If you don't buy a product that some people view to be a quality product, that you would like to buy if it were under different circumstances, because your beliefs hold you back for whatever reason, you are a damn fool.

How can you think that's a correct response?

If a person says "I want to play Civ V but I don't like Steam, so I cannot" and leave it at that, then so be it. I don't care. But if a person starts to bitch and moan about it, rates it down on Amazon because of it, cries about how stupid Steam is etc then he is a fool. Life is way to short for bullshit like that.
If a game you have waited for a long time, a game you want more than any other game, uses Steam then why not suck it up and try Steam out? Why spend time being miserable towards yourself and other because of such a trivial matter? Steam is here to stay anyway, nothing you can do about that.

So the problem is that it comes with Steam? People need to get over themselves, almost all games today have some sort of DRM, and Steam really is one of the least annoying out there. I'd take Steam any day over SecuROM. Of course, SecuROM on Steam is another matter altogether...

Personally I am a big supporter of Steam, and don't see what the problem is. When I bought GTA IV I had to sign up for not just Games for Windows Live, but also Rockstar's own inane service. Steam, at least, automatically updates your game, allows you to download it anywhere without a disc, you almost never have to enter any sort of CD key (it does that automatically) and they have kickass sales twice a week, at least.

Meh, I guess some people just can't be satisfied.

I don't really have a problem with Steam. It's the best DRM out there.

Pretty much sums it all up, although there are many people out there for which Steam is working fine.

I won't buy Civ 5 for the next 5-10 yrs until it comes out on GOG, because I hate Steam's DRM. But that#s all, it doesn't make sense to rate Civ 5 down because of this, because except for its DRM its a great game. As long as its advertised correctly with "brings Steam to your calculator" or something similar :) I am fine.

Oh, thats not true. You are oversimplifying the world. If I don't buy it, because I don't want it the chances that Steam is replaced eventually by something better are a tiny little bit higher, aren't they? I agree that rating something down because of DRM is stupid, but the whole rest is personal freedom! I can do what I want (not buying from Steam), I can like what I want (the Civ idea) and I can dislike what I want (the Steam DRM) and others can do whatever they want.

Please don't make this another "Steam thread". Get over with this "great service" and go use it...but why discussing it here for the trillionth time?

Some people believe there are things worth fighting for. They don't accept the world as it is, refuse to give in and oppose what they think is wrong.
Some of them may be misguided, but their determination is commendable either way.

At the very least - meek conformism should never be praised instead.

Actually... no sorry now if you could stop say 50% of the people who bought CIV4 from buying it then it would have an effect and they might start looking into it. But heres the thing they have to really not buy it! Not sign a boycott then buy it anyway like they always do, the chances of that are 1:2^bill gates' bank account. Seriously for every person that says they aren't going to buy it and don't theres 2+ that say it then buy it in it's first year.

Yes, the effect is small, fully agreed. But still it makes a difference. Every sale generates profit. One sale less generates less profit. Its 30 bucks less on an account. Its real but of course very small but not zero and maybe larger than expected because I am not alone. And I like to think that the actions I do matter somehow. :)