So GOG.com is gone.
Sep. 19th, 2010 08:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
owsf2000Title stolen from Kane.
GOG.com
It was a place specializing in selling old out of print games without DRM. According to the message on the website, it's "putting this era behind us as new challenges await.".
This essentially means the end of old DRM-free games at low prices.
That's a pity. Especially for me. I've been meaning to get around and purchase some stuff from them for the last few months - always putting it off for other things - and now it's too late.
People who had bought stuff but not yet downloaded them, within a few days the site will be active again for downloading. There is no indication of how long it will be available after that however so I recommend downloading anything you bought asap.
This "era" and "current form" talk on their placeholder page however leads to some discouraging paths the site will run down when it gets back.
1. DRM shop. Meaning the games will be sold with DRM. Maybe not all of them, but certainly it will become an option for publishers - and publishers tend to demand DRM whenever possible. I doubt you'll see many new games added to the site without DRM if this happens.
2. Steam Clone. Meaning it'll run somewhat like how Steam currently works. You buy games and have them tied to your account. Technically still DRM shop, only no exceptions anymore as likely all the old stuff will be added to the DRM of the site for new purchases.
I somehow doubt it's going to return without DRM in one form or another, and I suppose I'll agree with the sentiments I've heard from some people already. If they come back with DRM, is there a reason for them to come back at all?
GOG.com
It was a place specializing in selling old out of print games without DRM. According to the message on the website, it's "putting this era behind us as new challenges await.".
This essentially means the end of old DRM-free games at low prices.
That's a pity. Especially for me. I've been meaning to get around and purchase some stuff from them for the last few months - always putting it off for other things - and now it's too late.
People who had bought stuff but not yet downloaded them, within a few days the site will be active again for downloading. There is no indication of how long it will be available after that however so I recommend downloading anything you bought asap.
This "era" and "current form" talk on their placeholder page however leads to some discouraging paths the site will run down when it gets back.
1. DRM shop. Meaning the games will be sold with DRM. Maybe not all of them, but certainly it will become an option for publishers - and publishers tend to demand DRM whenever possible. I doubt you'll see many new games added to the site without DRM if this happens.
2. Steam Clone. Meaning it'll run somewhat like how Steam currently works. You buy games and have them tied to your account. Technically still DRM shop, only no exceptions anymore as likely all the old stuff will be added to the DRM of the site for new purchases.
I somehow doubt it's going to return without DRM in one form or another, and I suppose I'll agree with the sentiments I've heard from some people already. If they come back with DRM, is there a reason for them to come back at all?
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no subject
Date: 2010-09-20 01:19 am (UTC)If this does just end up being a retarded "marketing stunt" to go along with the site leaving beta status or some such thing, as the Internet rumor-mill is rumoring, it's an incredibly dumb move on their part. In any case, I will definitely be thinking twice and then twice again before ever buying any games from them in the future, especially if they come back with DRM infecting everything. Assuming they come back at all, of course.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-20 04:54 pm (UTC)I'm not sure why they thought preventing people from accessing their legitimately bought products would be "funny" or a good marketing move. It'd have been different if they had just come out and said, "Hey we're updating the site and need to shut down for a few days, be back soon." But all of the doom and gloom, "site can't stay in it's current form, we appreciate all of your support over the years, we're closing down the service and putting this era behind us" crap isn't cool at all. Also, if it was just planned downtime rather than the site suddenly shutting down completely for no good reason, some advance warning would have been nice.
It remains to be seen if this really is just a lame, retarded joke, but if it is, I seriously hope someone gets fired over this fiasco.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-20 05:03 pm (UTC)"As long as any DRM utilized in the future isn't annoying or harmful, I understand the need to kowtow to the needs of the publishers. Please, just don't stop putting out the games that you do. Would love to see a lot more games added (been waiting for the full NWN collection) and to play them on my Win7 machines."
and
"joke or not its certainly got everyones attention, no publicity is bad publicity they say"
and
"Well I never knew about the service but if I did I would have bought the hell out of it! Seeing as I've heard of it only now it's shut down it could be seen as a publicity stunt. That said I do want it to come back"
and
"$10 says that if GOG comes back about half the members will buy the contents of their wishlists 'just in case this happens again'. Quite a nifty marketing technique if you ask me, provided its done infrequently enough."
and so on.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-20 10:43 pm (UTC)What. A fucking. Retard.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 06:50 am (UTC)This is a prime example of why gamers get pissed on so much by publishers and the like. They're fucking stupid.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 05:26 pm (UTC)"So many whiners."
"*Clap clap clap* Well, played gog. Well played."
"Gog, nice to see you back! Come on people, why so serious? Use your sense of humour and enjoy the new features!"
"On the plus side, GOG just purged it's community of all of its unsanitary elements. The site relaunch really will be better in every way. ;)"
"Am I the only one who is just happy they are still here? A few days of worrying but they are back - and with Balders Gate and probably Icewind and Planescape too. And still DRM free.
Misguided PR stunt maybe - but who cares? Just be glad they are still here...."
"I ♥ you soo much right now GOG!"
"Good stunt. Had me fooled. Welcome back GOG!"
Why are people so fucking stupid? *headdesk*
Maybe if they offer a very heavy discount or something like that to all of the existing customers that got fucked over by this, I might consider using the site again in the future.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 05:38 pm (UTC)"lol,ok maybe poor stunt,but it did the purpose it was set out to do, got everyone talking abgout gog for nearly a week, they are like a naughty child, cant stay angry at them for long lol"
"Maybe it was a bit cruel, but very successful marketing stunt :)"
"I laughed at people nerdraging like the little children that they are. And I laugh at you even today. I knew this was just a crazy PR stunt by gog.com"
Honestly, I think the reactions like the above are pissing me off even more than the actual hoax itself. If this were done by anyone else, like say Microsoft or EA or Activision or whoever, the rage would be everlasting. But, since it's just those scrappy little scamps at GOG.com who are the ones being colossal asshats here, it's okay? Go figure.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 05:41 pm (UTC)As much as I'd like to just kick them to the curb and forget they ever existed, there really isn't anyone else out there at the moment who offers quite the same thing that they do.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 05:57 pm (UTC)Which is, as is always the case in situations like this, why they feel like they can do something like this and get away with it, of course. Because they can and will get away with it. (Especially with morons supporting them like those in the comments I previously posted.)
Eat a bag of dicks, GOG.com.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 05:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 06:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-20 05:51 pm (UTC)