I don`t post to forums often, but this time I must appreciate this incredible step GOG just made. Most of users here are talking about VAT issues, which pricing is fair and which is not etc., but for me, it`s about completely different matter which isn`t spoken here as much as I think it deserves.

When I found GOG - coincidentally it`s exactly one year ago - I was absolutely stunned by its fair attitude towards customers. Its core principles and stances amazed me, and whats more, I came here exactly when the poll about future paths was running. I was even more astonished - what other company actually ask it`s customers before making important decisions? At that time, I made my own core principle:
Any developer which wants my money for his game, has to go to GOG - because I buy games here and only here.
I still stick to that principle after a year passed - even if it`s somewhat difficult sometimes. For example, there is a game I would love to buy and play and it`s available as DRM-free download at authors` site - but it is not on GOG, although it`s predecessor (as well as many other games from the same company) is here. I was tempted many times...but then I remember my own principle and resist that tempting and I just still waiting for the game to come here, so I can finally buy and play it. I also buy local gaming magazine which offers free game every month - as steam keys. I never ever used and will never ever use that DRM-plagued crap called Steam, not even for redeeming free keys (so now I have many unused and useless steam keys - they are useless even for giveaway and trading, as they are probably all region-locked). If I like the game which is offered, instead of using that free key, i buy it here - if the game is here, that is. If it`s not here, well, bad luck for it`s creator - no money from me. I also bought many old games I already have on CDs - just to support GOG and it`s fight to deliver fair gaming options for everyone - and now, after one year, I have 100+ games on my shelf.

And then, three weeks ago, the "Good news" came. I didn`t believe my eyes. Although I live in EU country without Euro and I`m definitely not rich, it was no matter of bucks for me - it was a matter of principle. GOG made us promise, repeatedly and wholeheartly assuring us to keep that promise forever as long as it is possible - and now broke that promise overnight, without warning and without any discussion, poll etc. On top of that, it was communicated the worst possible way - way other evil companies do it. What the hell was happening with GOG!? I didn`t understand it, I felt sad, and also betrayed. Should I stick to my principle in favor of company which decided to broke it`s own promise? I was tempted even more to look and buy elsewhere, I almost buy the above mentioned game at authors` site...but then I decided to wait just another while. This was so incredibly unbelievable situation, i thought like: "maybe it`s just some terrible mistake, maybe that old GOG guys are still somewhere and will listen and reconsider that decision"...but as time progressed, it just looked more and more like instead of resisting, fighting and (hopefully) slowly shaping that unfair companies in gaming industry, GOG just became being slowly shaped by them. I imagined that black and sad future of GOG: Now regional pricing...then gifting limitations...then region locks...step by step, slowly...next come region censorship...more and more unfair...and finally DRM, work is done, GOG turned to Just Another Greedy Company Out There (tm). To be honest, I almost lost hope after that 3 weeks.

So You cannot imagine how happy I am now! I love GOG maybe even more than before - You guys prove not just You are listening to us customers - You are even able to actually admit mistakes and reconsider decisions that majority of us believe are wrong, and that`s really impressive! I never ever saw that kind of U-turn from any other company and I don`t believe I will see this again in my life. You have my trust and loyalty again and as a proof, I just bought both Shadowrun games - base game and new datadisc - although I intended to wait for a sale...but hell, only thing I can do to support You beside shouting "THANK YOU", is vote with my wallet - poor wallet, but still a wallet.:-) And now I`m glad I resisted temptation to buy elsewhere during that 3 weeks and I will just wait for that game to arrive here, no matter how much time it will take.

And to be at least slightly on topic - You new plan is brilliant, optional pricing in local currency is great idea, You are absolutely right that choice is important. And about point two...well, that is amazing and another thing I don`t believe I will see from any other company - You are trying to be fair to us that much that where it is not possible, You are willing to bleed for us (financially, that is:-)). I don`t know what the hell was happening with You three weeks ago, but this one point is exactly GOG-style: To be fair to customers wherewer it is possible. This sort of behaviour is exactly why I love and support You, GOG. And, well, if I would make a small suggestion, I would love to have this offer optional - I see this free store credit as a sort of apology from You - something as: "We are trying hard to bring You fair priced games, but in this particular case, no matter how hard we fought, we could not make it happen, so we give You free games/credit from our own pocket to mainain it fair for You." And I would love to have an option to reply: "Thank You GOG, I know You are doing what You can and it`s not Your fault, so keep that extra money for Yourself and use them to fight with that damn publishers even more". As I said, it`s no matter of bucks for me, but matter of principle - and the offer itself is just enough proof that You are meaning it seriously and I don`t want You to actually bleed for me, even if it`s only financially.:-)

So, again, THANK YOU GOG and please, kick that guy [url=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRdfYwvGTos[/url] much harder this time, will You? I have a weak heart and I`m not certain I would survive another "good news" from him...

So this is Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk on Linux you're confirming, right?

Thank you for listening and taking our opinion into consideration. Rare few companies do that, and you are one of them. There is nothing worse than treating your customers as criminals or not respect their opinions.

Case in point: I've just had a digital distribution site treat me like the worst kind of criminal. All for wanting to give them my hard earned money. I won't mention names, but they actually asked me to provide them with a scan of my passport and/or ID, and a picture of myself holding these documents next to my face before processing my order! Might as well ask for me to provide a DNA sample. They are a legitimate site but treat customers in a most disrespectful manner. Suffice it to say they have lost me as a customer, even though they've provided a refund after I refused to give them my personal info.

So after going through that kind of ordeal, it is refreshing to come here and see you guys actually tailoring your business policies to our wishes. That is why you have a great reputation and loyal following. You treat us like people, not bank accounts.

Me too! :)
Greatest match made in heaven there is: GOG + win/mac/linux would mean so much to me, really.
Gettin' home and playing gog indies and classics on ubuntu will be a major shift in gaming for me.

Believe me when I say that I buy games here owning a powerful ubuntu pc for couch gaming + wireless keyboard + nice logitech and x360 controllers and a wireless mouse. I really intend to play some of my GOG favorites on linux someday, such as Harvester, Downfall (I'm lovin' it), Fist Puncher, Pid, 7th Guest, Primordia, Dangerous Dave and many more. :)

I try to run some gog games through wine 100% with little success since I hate configuring wine; it pisses me off!
Also owning a crappy notebook running windows 8 (which I rarely use since it sucks ass so much) and knowing I just can't play 95% of my GOG catalogue gets me also mad, since that "thing" can't even run dosbox based games. Really, I ain't lying.
Yep, even to this day I didn't manage to fix it :(

Agreed. But they also have many classics which GOG doesn't have. I'm thinking of GTA, Elder Scrolls, Star Wars, Age of Empires etc.
And almost every new game.

GOG has a charm that will never be matched, man. Trust me on this. :)

Personally, I've never had problems with Steam. Everything I've bought works as advertised. I don't buy many games as lack of time to play them is a factor. Still anything I can get from GOG, I do. For older titles on Steam I comb through forums first, to see if there are any problems with the game on modern computers.

Whether or not this was the best decision as far as being business-savvy, this was by far the best decision to restore faith in you GOG. Even though regional pricing didn't bother me personally, I absolutely love the fact that you listened to your customers. You're the most amazing company I've ever known! :)

Elder Scrolls will probably never be on gog, and that's because of drm free, not regional price. Besides, with the thing that happenned with the Fallouts, Bethesda is kind of put aback, as they should be! :D

Please, please, please....

DON'T put prices in Brazil local currency. Really, DON'T.

First, it makes the game harder to pay, not easier, because when you put price in BRL you enter a world of crazy regulations (to start: you cannot accept international credit cards if you price in BRL, this mean including you have to figure a way to check if a credit card is brazillian or not, and what type of card it is).

Second: If you mostly ignore Brazil, brazillians can buy on your store hassle free, the government here consider that a store with no intention of selling to Brazil, do not have to comply to Brazil laws, but as soon you start to have a clear intention of selling to Brazil, then the government can ask you to follow its regulation, and ask you to pay taxes.

The issue with that is that Brazil regulation for games are absolutely insane (example: to sell a game in Brazil you need to make a paper document explaining the entire game, and send it to the ministry of Justice, that will see if the game is suitable for children or not, and if is suitable for general market or not, although it never happened, the ministry of justice can just refuse to allow a game to be sold too).

Also Brazil has some games banned (some entries on GTA series, Bully, Carmageddon, Duke Nukem series, and some others), if you price stuff in BRL, the government can ask you to remove the banned games from your store.


So please, DON'T price stuff in Brazil local currency, because it is madness (and not Sparta)

They'll allow you to choose if you want the prices to be in your local currency. So you are safe. :)

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Let's look at some of their prices on Steam:

Morrowind GOTY: $19.99 / £12.99 / €19.99
Oblivion GOTY Deluxe: $24.99 / £19.99 / €24.99
Skyrim Legendary Edition: $59.99 / £29.99 / €39.99
Fallout 3 GOTY: $19.99 / £14.99 / €19.99
Fallout NV Ultimate: $19.99 / £14.99 / €19.99
Dishonored GOTY: $39.99 / £29.99 / €39.99
RAGE: $19.99 / £12.99 / €19.99
Doom 3 BFG: $19.99 / £19.99 / €29.99
Quake IV: $19.99 / £14.99 / €19.99

Bethesda seem to be pretty enthusiastic about both DRM and regional pricing. I think they could probably be persuaded to go DRM-free at least for their older games, but I don't see them changing their pricing.

Does GOG really need to challenge Steam? I never regarded GOG as a direct competitor or challenger of Steam, nor did I ever wish it would. I want GOG to grow and succeed not to challenge (or thread) Steam's business, but to keep providing what's important and satisfying to me and others like me.
IMHO, it's rather highly unlikely that GOG users like myself (DRM-free proponents) would be ever attracted by Steam, no matter the games selection, prices or whatever else.

GOG and Steam can co-exist just fine as, in my eyes, they basically cater to different audiences.

And if you carefully read this announcement, GOG has not abandoned regional pricing, they only made some adjustment that make the majority of their objecting customers more comfortable and happy.
The big publishers I suspect you have in mind won't come to GOG any time soon, primarily because of DRM-free and not regional pricing.

Zoidberg means Bethesda is so much in love with steam that prices hardly matter, they wouldn't go DRM-free even if they could charge $117.

Maybe they cannot be persuaded to go DRM free even with regional pricing. Do they have any DRM free titles?

But if they can be persuaded and not also to a more flat pricing model with compensations a la GOG then better to have them here on GOG instead of not having them. GOG would have my vote to make an exception for those cases.

In Europe the games will then probably get pirated but that is probably the price you have to pay when you ask for too much.

We as community of customers should define our goals and compare the offers of the publishers to our goals to find out how good they really are:

Possible goals could be: Worldwide availability of DRM free games for a fair price. That means that obvious scams as $1=1€ should not happen. It's not what we like or want. A separate addition of VAT however, we don't mind at all.