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General discussion (archive)The Witcher 2: update of our Geo-IP policy(282 posts)(282 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted December 23, 2011
GOG.com Implements Court-Required Changes; Uses Geo-IP to Determine Location for Witcher 2 Purchases

If you’ve been paying attention to news about the CD Projekt RED group, you’ve possibly heard that a French court made a judgement about a few things that were in dispute between CD Projekt RED and Namco Bandai Partners. Most of the decision doesn’t influence GOG.com, but one of the rulings from the court does: according to the findings of the court, the method that we have been using to determine what location a game purchaser is located at when they buy a copy of [url=http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/the_witcher_2]The Witcher 2 (and, as such, what version and price they are presented with) needs to be changed.

GOG.com has stated for a long time now that we believe that the best security is asking only for the minimum of information that we need to successfully transact business with our customers. Our opinion is still that including things like determining your location via Geo-IP, because there are several possible flaws with that system. However, in order to keep selling The Witcher 2, we will need to implement a Geo-IP based system for determining your location, per the orders of the court.

We will be implementing this system immediately; you will see that your local currency’s price is now featured on the product page when you visit it, based on your IP address. Since we've already announced the price for this game would be the same flat price everywhere during the Holiday Sale (which ends on January 2nd, 2012, at 23:59 EST Time), we’re not going to change the pricing for the Witcher 2 until this sale ends.

We remain committed to user privacy and keeping your information as safe and secure as we can. Further, while your profile’s location is, by order of the court, determined via Geo-IP when you purchase a copy of The Witcher 2, you can still set your country location for the forums as you would like, and your location doesn’t matter for buying any other games on GOG.com.

If you have already purchased your copy of the Witcher 2, we won’t be changing anything on your already-bought copy, just as if you had a boxed copy on a physical shelf instead of a virtual box on your GOG.com shelf.

If you have any questions about this, please feel free to ask it the comments below, or (if you’re a journalist) drop us an email and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Posted December 24, 2011
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Zoidberg: Tell me if I'm wrong but wasn't The Witcher 2 already more expensive for euro buyers?

And I fail to see all the implications of that system...

What does this all mean, please?
Some countries before could change their location on their Gog account to download a non-censored version if their country required Gog to sell them a censored version(Germany/Australia/NZ/etc).....Gog has to now sell everyone the version for each user's country of origin.
Posted December 24, 2011
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Zoidberg: Tell me if I'm wrong but wasn't The Witcher 2 already more expensive for euro buyers?

And I fail to see all the implications of that system...
Yes TW2 was more expensive for European users (and Australian too), although GOG compensated this with free bonus codes equal to difference between US and local price, so on this front nothing changed imo. The only change is that some EU/AUstalian users could up to this point "lie" to GOG by setting their account setting location to US to get TW2 at get the game at a cheaper price unfairly (unfairly as any average european user who created an account for TW2 purchase would still pay the full EU price since the setting is hidden in your account and you don't come across this during purchase).

Also, I've seen a lot of Polish users abusing the system, massively buying game as gifts for the US price and then selling it on auction sites. So no clue somebody at Namco finally noticed. Though it still surprises me that GOG allowed for all this in the first place - during preorder time there was a geoip forced here for everybody (so GOG knew they had to do it) and then they suddenly removed it. I guess they were foolish to believe they've found a loophole around their deal with Namco... well guess what?
Post edited December 24, 2011 by d2t
Posted December 24, 2011
Thank heavens for proxies.
Posted December 24, 2011
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Ravenvolf: Will GOG differentiate between Australia and New Zealand?

Because if you do not then I definetly won't be buying the censored version of any future games from here.
The Answer is already in the news.
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GOG.com: GOG.com Implements Court-Required Changes; Uses Geo-IP to Determine Location for Witcher 2 Purchases
[...]
according to the findings of the court, the method that we have been using to determine what location a game purchaser is located at when they buy a copy of The Witcher 2 (and, as such, what version and price they are presented with) needs to be changed.
[...]
Further, while your profile’s location is, by order of the court, determined via Geo-IP when you purchase a copy of The Witcher 2, you can still set your country location for the forums as you would like, and your location doesn’t matter for buying any other games on GOG.com.

If you have already purchased your copy of the Witcher 2, we won’t be changing anything on your already-bought copy, just as if you had a boxed copy on a physical shelf instead of a virtual box on your GOG.com shelf.
Posted December 24, 2011
Well it's not only sad ( it's even bad) and I can see the rationale behind it.
BUT
But it still and infringement on the user/buyer.

As a German, I was buying/ordering my games from places and country's that were willing/able to sell me the full product for my money. I was fed up, as an adult to let others decide what content to cut in my games.
Post edited December 24, 2011 by myxale
Posted December 24, 2011
As you can see, it's not "Valve using bullshit 1$ = 1 EUR!!!!!!!" it's the publishers who want to set higher price for the same product in different countries.
Posted December 24, 2011
Just wanted to thank you for being upfront and honest... You gotta do what the courts say. And you've previously mentioned you take your security very seriously so... i have no worries.

Thanks for the update!
Posted December 24, 2011
This is a bit annoying that it has come to this. Think that CD Project should never go near Namco again as Namco dont care only about themselfs.

Is it any wonder the games industry is the way it is thanks to stupid actions like this. Ist it was the DRM issue now this court issue so it seems that Namco hates their customers.
Posted December 24, 2011
Meh. This is why I have a policy of only buying games when they're a few years old and heavily reduced in price. I don't mind waiting, and that way I don't feel ripped off by Australian prices :)
Posted December 24, 2011
I can see this hapening to all new games released here. Again, new games are bad idea.
Posted December 24, 2011
I have more than 80 games from GOG.

I have decided not to purchase any more games from GOG, until CD Projekt issues an official apology for sending the letters and above all, for threatening their users.

Threats are never a good solution and once such a violent action has been initiated it is normal that users will also respond with violence.

I hope other users will follow this action, to make GOG and CD Projekt understand that they have to be more respectful and creative when dealing with sensitive issues like this.
Posted December 24, 2011
I object stringently to IP details being collected with regard to supplying "appropriate prices" this is just another way for the wigs to cut content and jack up prices. Also New Zealand has privacy laws that protect individuals from such draconian measures - so when it comes down to it just because one outfit wants to charge more for one game - fine let them BUT! implementing an IP identification system over an entire site to collect IP addresses for private individuals regarding every transaction is wrong and under our law I believe I have to opt IN to agree to such information being gathered about myself well I DON'T OPT IN - I already own this game but not through GOG so from me to them you can tell them to go F*** themselves.
I feel very strongly about individual privacy and don't feel that one court decision made in France should be applied in a draconian manner across the globe and to do so is a violation of the rights of everyone else who should not be directly affected by this decision I.E I don't live in France, I didn't buy the game through you so what right do they have to invade my privacy or ask you to do it on their behalf.
What a bunch of fascists.

My answer is tell them to shove The Witcher and The Witcher 2 up their asses.
Posted December 24, 2011
Will there be one price across the eurozone and what happens when it comes to different currencies within the EU such as the £ ?
Post edited December 24, 2011 by Spectre
Posted December 24, 2011
Guys... you're overreacting again.

Also, why are some people taking about boycotting GOG? As far as I know, they had absolutely 0 control over any of this.
Posted December 24, 2011
I cannot believe what I am hearing from some gog members around here. Boycoting gog.com for letting one game to use geo-ip? Saying bad things about gog because they acknowledged a court resolution? Gog is one of few digital game dealers that show care for customers and one of very few that encourages developers of old games(and recently some new games) to release games without DRM. I am thankfull that gog is showing that game bussiness can be done without pervasive DRM and babysitting customers and if they need to make few steps backwards to keep themselves on the white side of law - it is good enough for me.
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Community
General discussion (archive)The Witcher 2: update of our Geo-IP policy(282 posts)(282 posts)
(282 posts)