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Cavalary: Silverlight is essentially Microsoft's answer to Flash. For a while they seemed to have given up on it, but lately they seem to be trying another push. Anyway, it's definitely annoying, but it's no more DRM than anything requiring Flash is.
Actually that is not quite correct - Silverlight can have drm integrated inside a particular application that its used to run. It depends on the publisher if it want's to use that drm - more about that here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc838192%28VS.95%29.aspx
Post edited September 13, 2014 by Matruchus
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Cavalary: Silverlight is essentially Microsoft's answer to Flash. For a while they seemed to have given up on it, but lately they seem to be trying another push. Anyway, it's definitely annoying, but it's no more DRM than anything requiring Flash is.
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Matruchus: Actually that is not quite correct - Silverlight can have drm integrated inside a particular application that its used to run. It depends on the publisher if it want's to use that drm - more about that here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc838192%28VS.95%29.aspx
Still doesn't mean that it in itself is DRM. As it was said above, even HTML5 can contain DRM.
What'd be the problem there is that, if those movies require Silverlight, I assume they can only be streamed, not downloaded as video files and played in any media player of your choosing? (Didn't check the site myself.) If so, that'd be very nasty DRM in itself, regardless of technology.
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IAmSinistar: That's the distinction I'm trying to make. All prices tend to increase, but perceptible increase is easier to cloak in a format shift.
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Gydion: Oh, I agree. It was just a good opportunity to complain about the price of books.
Aye, they've gotten somewhat pricey again since the original paperback revolution. I buy a number of academic and speciality press publications (University of Chicago, Reaktion, Oxford) and expect a degree of sticker shock with those. But the price for a novel I'm likely to breeze through and never read again is rather off-putting.

I was hoping that ebooks would open the floodgates for long out-of-print books that weren't deemed marketable enough to justify a print run. Not exactly turning out that way either, though I have had some pleasant surprises there.


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Tarnicus: It appears to be both. It seems like a much better place to pre-order The Witcher 3 from instead of GOG, at less than half the price advertised here.
Does it come with a GOG key? :)
Post edited September 13, 2014 by IAmSinistar
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Zeyes: Total GOG share: 0.3 + 0.3x - 0.7x = 0.3 - 0.4x

Anyway, as long as the regional pricing demands by the publishers aren't too extreme, GOG does still make money on the fair-price policy, and could conceivably even come out ahead if it leads to increased demand. And this doesn't incorporate the possibility that a certain percentage of store credit will ultimately go unused and expire, which would mitigate GOG's cost of the policy.
Note however that credits can only be used against the purchase of full price games. As you mentionned, it's quite usual that a percentage of such credits never gets redeemed. But of what is actually used , GOG only compensate the part they pay to the publisher. Of course one could see the gae purchased with credit as a lost paying sale, but not in all cases : some games will be bought that wouldn't have been bought otherwise... Meaning that the net cost of fairpricing is comprised between 0.7*0.7x = 0.49x and 0.7x
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Phc7006: Note however that credits can only be used against the purchase of full price games. As you mentionned, it's quite usual that a percentage of such credits never gets redeemed. But of what is actually used , GOG only compensate the part they pay to the publisher. Of course one could see the gae purchased with credit as a lost paying sale, but not in all cases : some games will be bought that wouldn't have been bought otherwise... Meaning that the net cost of fairpricing is comprised between 0.7*0.7x = 0.49x and 0.7x
Are you sure about that? I know this was the case with the giftcodes, but I can't find anything like that in the FAQ.
As far as I know store credits can be used for any kind of purchase (including discounted games).
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Phc7006: Of course one could see the gae purchased with credit as a lost paying sale, but not in all cases : some games will be bought that wouldn't have been bought otherwise... Meaning that the net cost of fairpricing is comprised between 0.7*0.7x = 0.49x and 0.7x
No, the 0.7x I listed is already the publisher share for the second purchase - GOG's fair price policy compensates the customer with the full x value, not just 0.7x. The cost to GOG of the fair-price policy in itself can be anywhere between 0 and -0.7x depending on how much of the store credit is ultimately used. GOG cannot "make back" any money on the secondary sale, their entire revenue comes from the first sale, after that it's just costs.

The "store credit purchase crowding out regular purchases" aspect doesn't enter this at all. That wouldn't be a fair comparison anyway, as the money was already spent, on the original (regionally-priced) game. I suppose you're thinking of it like this:

If a regionally-priced customer wasn't required to pay 1 + x, he would only pay 1 and not spend the extra x at all - that's actually reflected in the overall GOG share I listed, 0.3 - 0.4x. 0.3 is GOG's usual share without regional pricing, -0.4x is their net cost if all store credit gets used (they earn an extra 0.3x on the first sale but have to pay 0.7x to the publisher of the secondary sale).

Two additional tidbits based on that model:

A) the maximum x that GOG can possibly allow is .75, or a 75% regional surcharge - beyond that they would actually risk making a loss on the sale (because the compensation they must potentially pay exceeds their 30% vendor cut). Though obviously GOG won't get anywhere near that, it'll be interesting to see how far GOG will be willing to go for some high-priority games.

B) If more than 57% of the overall store credit goes unused, GOG will actually make additional profit despite the fair-price policy. However, this doesn't consider the loss of potential customers who are driven into not buying a game at all due to regional pricing. (On the other hand it also doesn't consider that a regionally-priced game might not be for GOG to sell at all if it wasn't regionally priced.)


Edit: Clarified the last paragraph a bit.
Post edited September 13, 2014 by Zeyes
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Phc7006: Note however that credits can only be used against the purchase of full price games.
Check you facts please... I've already bought discounted games with my credits.
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MoP: It's digital only, they'd launched that store almost exactly two years ago. On the gaming front they don't have any DRM restrictions there, about half are Steam keys, about a quarter DRM-free, the rest a mix of Origin, Uplay, a few SecuROM, StarForce etc.
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Tarnicus: It isn't digital only as one can pre-order The Witcher 3 boxed copy via that site. There may be more, but my Polish is a bit rusty to search further.
They didn't put "platforma cyfrowej dystrybucji" = "digital distribution platform" in the sites title for nothing :)
Witcher (or rather CDP RED) is an exception to the rule; they still do physical retail distribution in Poland (for games and movies), but don't have their own online store for that anymore (gram.pl used to serve that role, but has since branched off from CD Projekt), instead relying on deals with various local vendors.
Spacecom arrives through the regional-priced space trader gateway. Here are the script numbers for the curious:

spacecom
AD_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
AE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
AF_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
AG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
AI_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
AL_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
AM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
AN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
AO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
AR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
AS_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
AT_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
AU_USD -> GAME PRICE : $15.59
AW_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
AZ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
BA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BB_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BD_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
BF_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BH_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BI_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BJ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
BR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
BS_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BT_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BW_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
BY_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
BZ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CC_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CD_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CF_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CH_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
CI_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CK_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CL_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
CM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
CR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
CU_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
CV_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CX_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
CY_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
CZ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $15.79
DE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
DJ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
DK_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
DM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
DO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
DZ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
EC_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
EE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
EG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
EH_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
ER_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
ES_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
ET_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
FI_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
FJ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
FK_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
FM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
FO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
FR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
GA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GB_USD -> GAME PRICE : $17.59
GD_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GF_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GH_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GI_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GL_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GP_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GQ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
GT_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
GU_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GW_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
GY_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
HK_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
HN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
HR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
HT_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
HU_USD -> GAME PRICE : $15.79
ID_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
IE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
IL_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
IN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
IO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
IQ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
IR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
IS_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
IT_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
JM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
JO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
JP_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
KE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
KG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
KH_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
KI_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
KM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
KN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
KP_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
KR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
KW_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
KY_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
KZ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
LA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
LB_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
LC_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
LI_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
LK_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
LR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
LS_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
LT_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
LU_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
LV_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
LY_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MC_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
MD_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
ME_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MH_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MK_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
ML_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MP_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MQ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MS_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MT_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
MU_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MV_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MW_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MX_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
MY_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
MZ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
NA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
NC_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
NE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
NF_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
NG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
NI_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
NL_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
NO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
NP_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
NR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
NU_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
NZ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $15.59
OM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
PA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
PE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
PF_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
PG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
PH_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
PK_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
PL_USD -> GAME PRICE : $15.79
PM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
PN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
PR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
PT_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
PW_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
PY_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
QA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
RE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
RO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
RS_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
RU_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
RW_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SB_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SC_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SD_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
SG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SH_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SI_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SK_USD -> GAME PRICE : $15.79
SL_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $18.39
SN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
ST_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SV_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
SY_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
SZ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TC_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TD_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TH_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TJ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
TK_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
TN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TO_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TR_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TT_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TV_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TW_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
TZ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
UA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
UG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
UM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
US_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
UY_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
UZ_USD -> GAME PRICE : $9.49
VA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
VC_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
VE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $11.99
VG_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
VI_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
VN_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
VU_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
WF_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
WS_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
YE_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
YT_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
ZA_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
ZM_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
ZW_USD -> GAME PRICE : $14.99
Post edited September 17, 2014 by IAmSinistar
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IAmSinistar: Spacecom arrives through the regional-priced space trader gateway.
"Publisher: 11 bit studios."
Hmmm... where have I seen that name before? Ah yes, Games Republic! Most interesting that it's sold flat-priced on the publisher's distribution platform.
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Grargar: "Publisher: 11 bit studios."
Hmmm... where have I seen that name before? Ah yes, Games Republic! Most interesting that it's sold flat-priced on the publisher's distribution platform.
Nice. Regional pricing AND hypocrisy. Good thing I'm not that interested in the game to begin with, as it's pretty much sunk itself now for me.
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IAmSinistar: Nice. Regional pricing AND hypocrisy. Good thing I'm not that interested in the game to begin with, as it's pretty much sunk itself now for me.
Yeah double standards it seems. Also they are screwing us with Anomaly Defenders. They are selling that game together with Anomaly 2(as a bonus) for 9.99$ in their store. Both drm-free + steamkeys.
Post edited September 17, 2014 by Matruchus
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Grargar: "Publisher: 11 bit studios."
Hmmm... where have I seen that name before? Ah yes, Games Republic! Most interesting that it's sold flat-priced on the publisher's distribution platform.
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IAmSinistar: Nice. Regional pricing AND hypocrisy. Good thing I'm not that interested in the game to begin with, as it's pretty much sunk itself now for me.
It makes one wonder why GOG didn't use that as a point to argue for flat pricing here as well. GOG have said that they are going to continue to strive for flat pricing with all games as a first priority but this recent addition of a regionally priced multi-player focused game doesn't really inspire a lot of confidence.
Post edited September 17, 2014 by stg83
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Matruchus: Yeah double standards it seems. Also they are screwing us with Anomaly Defenders. They are selling that game together with Anomaly 2(as a bonus) for 9.99$ in their store. Both drm-free + steamkeys.
Anomaly 2 is, sadly, still not on GOG.
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stg83: It makes one wonder why GOG didn't use that as a point to argue for flat pricing here as well. GOG have said that they are going to continue to strive for flat pricing with all games as a first priority but this recent edition of a regionally priced multi-player focused game doesn't really inspire a lot of confidence.
Shadowgate isn't regionally-priced here, as opposed to the other shops and, on top of that, it's the only place where the game is sold DRM-Free.
Post edited September 17, 2014 by Grargar