Depends how they phrase the survey or even that particular question. If it is something along the lines of choosing between more games on GOG or keeping up that principle - I surely can predict the outcome.

On the other hand if it is just about: Do you mind the introduction of regional pricing? - it would certainly be a little different.

Just for the sake of relevance on the topic of leading surveys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ZZJXw4MTA&t=30s

It's still contradictory to what they said earlier and at least for the next public talk they should change the slides somewhat.

But yeah, maybe there exist fair regional prices. We could use the GDP per capita in each area maybe as an indicator distorted by the local GINI index to account for inhomogeneities... And the end it can become very complex. Somehow I doubt that anyone can estimate what fair regional prices should be or I even suspect that worldwide flat prices could be the fair regional prices in the case of digital video games.

It might also depend on the definition of fair. Fair as in maximizing the profit (goal of the publishers) or fair as in benefiting most people or fair as in not giving unfair disadvantages to any region,...

I think a far more likely outcome once the NBN with Internet Filter is all up and running is the Aust governement introducing a GST on all internet purchases and, therefore, allowing them to charge as much as they like. Of course it will be all for our own good and we'll just take it.

On an OT now...i'm starting up a a little tropical LAN party theme park on a little Pacific Island. I'm taking apps for anyone with computer skills to maintain and run the equipment. Dream Job. The pay scale is (all in US$) Americans- $20 p/h, members of the EU $15 p/h, non EU Europeans $10 p/h, Chinese/Filipinos/Mexicans etc $5 p/h and Australians $2 p/h (cause we're soft and stupid and bend over and take anything). Everyone will be doing the same jobs and working just as hard and be part of the same happy community. Everyone cool with all this...yeah? Pigs arse.

Corporate greed got away with global pricing gouging in the old days because, before the internet, the world was a big place and it had captive audiences that had no real purchasing options. The internet has made the world smaller and these practices now continue simply because we allow it. This industry isn't selling us food, water and medicine. It's selling luxury consumer items. You CAN take a stand and do without to make a point on this. But i know few will.

Priceless, thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6P3yOTR2Vc&feature=player_detailpage#t=1684

As it is said here, if you make a mistake, you must react fast an say that you are sorry!

I'm still waiting for that sorry!

It's to do both. I'll gladly pay more than someone from rural China. That's how it should work.

This is going to be a somewhat long and somewhat unordered post because I'm tired and I have a lot on my mind to say. So I do apologise in advanced.

GOG is many things to many different people. To some it was Good OLD Games. To others it was DRM-free. To me it was that they appeared to go out of their way to treat the customer 'right'. DRM-Free. 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. Extras galore. And yes, the same pricing world-wide. For that reason I support GOG and try to buy from them whenever I reasonably could because I believe in supporting with my wallet those that are willing to support me. There are several games in my GOG library that I bought on Steam first, either because it was released first or because it had added features I was interested in, yet I ultimately bought it on GOG as well because I believed in their philosophy. I can't say yet if I will feel motivated to do that again. If they are willing to compromise their values why should I be willing to open my wallet?

But what disappoints me the most is how GOG communicated this change to us. I'm willing to admit that GOG does have a worthwhile argument here. That by allowing regional pricing, they will be able to get more games on here DRM free and that is a net positive for us, the gamers. It's not an argument I personally agree with, since I think GOG's key selling point is treating its customers fairly which this decision compromises, but its certainly an argument to be made. Rather than making that argument, which I think would be treating the customer base with respect, they instead try to PR-Spin this to a ludicrous degree. If they were being honest they would have put something like 'Major policy change' in the headline. If they were being honest they wouldn't open the article with 'Good News!'. Indeed, it's not until paragraph 2 that the bombshell is announced that they will be charging their customers differently depending on where they live in the world. And once that has been announced we once again get another 'Good News' comment as if saying that will make us think that planning to charge certain people more for the same product could ever be seen as being 'Good News'.

And that is why this disappoints me the most. Because rather than treating your customers like adults and having a mature discussion about this. You instead treat us like children and try to pr spin the unspinnable. Treating us with contempt that we would all be so stupid that we wouldn't notice that you have just gone back on one of the key policies that underpinned your website from the very beginning. Fair pricing for all. Trying to sweep that under the carpet with two little words 'Good News'. How insulting from a company that I felt actually did care about customer rights.

I have over 240 games on my GOG catalogue. And while I'm not going to boycott GOG itself (I will be boycotting any games sold here that have regional pricing), I must say that for the first time since I started buying games here, I'm not particularly eager to add to my catalogue. But hey, I guess thats 'Good News' for my bank account hey?

Your mileage may vary on this (bit tired, tried not to pontificate, failed but too tired to rewrite ;) ):
In my highly subjective opinion, the regional pricing allows publishers to demand adequate protection of the said pricing. In court, if need be (see Namco Bandai and Witcher 2 case; unclean hands and/or bad faith can be argued in such case).

Legal entitlement gives rise to demands of regional locking schemes (as these are effective means of adequate protection). This is easiest to realise via software means - light form of DRM like Steam regional locks. The control level is then extended, as people find newer and newer ways of going around the lighter schemes where information is stored/entered clientside. Once again, the rightsholders and stakeholders demand their interests be more adequately protected. Und so weiter.

Additionally, when legal risk rises for the company (GOG), their willingness to change the system (do DRM-free) is compromised. After all they are not a charity, but a for-profit company.

Regional pricing in itself, is just another tool to make business more appealing to the rightsholders. Unfortunately in a digital marketplace it has a hefty hidden price tag for the consumer (me, you). I'd rather discourage this scenario each step of the way, in every possible way available to a concerned customer - but as I said, to each his own.

That is something I can understand. Negotiation power of GOG is too low, so GOG has to make what they want or GOG must abstain. Still GOG did decide for not abstaining, so GOG must think now that regional pricing is worth having these games. I wonder if it was an easy decision.

I think that GOG will loose this particular fight from now on in the majority of cases. You cannot just have some exceptions and go on with the rest as if nothing has happened.

Please do not forget that thanks to regional prices next time you might have an option to buy said game at the same time and/or with the same features in gog instead of steam. Of course you are free to buy it on steam and therefore approve of their DRM.

I do agree with you that whoever wrote the press release attempted to play us as fools or gullible kids, one youtube video of cake on the face would be enough punishment IMO.

Average salaries in China have risen in the last years tremendously compared to the US for example. China should probably be in a rather high income region. And then there are poor people in rural America too probably. On the other hand your arguments is right I think. I would gladly pay more than someone who is much poorer than me, although it depends on how much more I will have to pay. It clearly shouldn't make my effort on earning a lot meaningless.

I guess that the main purpose of regional pricing is not to do good in the world but to maximize the profit. The game publishers don't give a damn about the happiness of rural workers anywhere I guess.

I don't care about demands from publishers and GOG's negotiation power, and I shouldn't have to. I care about people that boast moral superiority and then betray their own principles when money speaks louder.
What the hell does CDP think that makes people buy on GOG? There's no reason to choose GOG over Steam anymore.

This is an awesome post and you should feel awesome.

Well, then they are having helluva trust in the very newest customers and not caring about giving the finger for the many of the old.

I would show you the old GOG.com promotional video where GOG says regional pricing is unfair - but its apparently take off the youtube?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRdfYwvGTos

you be the judge.

Maybe they could even be regionally priced only for a certain period, until the retailers have lost interest in the game anyway. That I would probably agree with.

But on the other hand, this option to buy said game at the same time on GOG instead of Steam might be bought by a higher price in your region. Not sure if it is such a nice option then.