It appears things aren't going overly well for game store GOG at the moment, under increasing competition they're starting to feel the heat.
First of all, in a report on Kotaku, GOG recently confirmed that they let go a bunch of staff. They claimed it was only "around a dozen of positions" while also bringing in new staff in other positions. Fair enough, that all sounds quite normal in the business world.
However, Kotaku spoke to an ex-staff member who basically said GOG haven't been doing so well financially. That seems to now be somewhat backed up a little, as GOG just announced today that they're ending their Fair Price Package program. This was the system that users could get wallet funds back on purchases, if the price of the game was more expensive in their country compared with North America.
What's also interesting in this announcement from GOG, is that they said they were able to cover the extra cost from it in the past and still turn a "small profit" which is no longer the case. As they say "With an increasing share paid to developers, our cut gets smaller.", so it sounds like they will at some point reduce their cut from developers (sound familiar?).
Their current plan for the Fair Price Package program is to continue it until 31st of March, so you have until then if you made use of it. Any funds you're given, will remain with you for 12 months so they won't vanish right away.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Draconicrose Mar 2, 2019
Quoting: hummer010There's two major reasons for me: donating to charity and supporting partnered youtubers and websites. Steam itself doesn't offer partnerships to people and GoG is stingy af with theirs, so I prefer Humble. In the very few cases (so far) where it doesn't offer a steam key I do buy the game on steam.Quoting: DraconicroseQuoting: hummer010Usually Humble also gives you a Steam key. ;)Quoting: DraconicroseGoG is like third on my list of stores to look at, mostly because of what a PITA it is to download and install games bought there. So Humble and Steam usually get my money.
I'm curious how GOG is any more of a PITA than Humble? Both pretty simple: go to website, log in, download.
If you're using lgogdownloader, it's even easier than Humble.
Which has nothing to do with downloading and installing from Humble. Really, if you care about the DRM-free aspect, GOG is better than Humble. There are zero standards as to what you are getting from Humble. Sometimes it's an archive, sometimes its an installer. There isn't any real consistency with Humble - there are cases where the base game is DRM-free, but the DLC is steam-only. The updates at Humble are often just as haphazard as they are at GOG.
Other than the Steam key, there aren't many reasons to shop at Humble.
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Quoting: PangaeaI'm just glad I bought all the original games years ago, so I still have them. People who didn't are up shit creek if they want the untainted versions.
I have only ever bought the Enhanced Editions, but GOG.com still gives me access to the originals if I want them.
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Quoting: HamishQuoting: PangaeaI'm just glad I bought all the original games years ago, so I still have them. People who didn't are up shit creek if they want the untainted versions.
I have only ever bought the Enhanced Editions, but GOG.com still gives me access to the originals if I want them.
That's what I see on the game shelf page for Baldur's Gate EE (same goes for Baldur's Gate II EE):
QuoteBaldur's Gate Classic Edition gift code in now available in the "more" -> "serial keys" section.
So I don't think they are restricting access to it indeed, for those who bought the enhanced edition. It might be a bit not automatic, but it's there.
Last edited by Shmerl on 3 March 2019 at 6:57 am UTC
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With the two Baldur's Gate games and Icewind Dale the classic versions are available as redeemable keys, while for Planescape: Torment and Neverwinter Nights they were just added to my account alongside the Enhanced Editions when I purchased them.
I will also point out that the classic versions retain all of the original extra content they were sold with, including the free soundtracks, meaning that all of the people complaining about Beamdog selling the Enhanced Edition soundtracks separately most likely still have access to the original soundtracks regardless.
I for one was more than happy to buy the Enhanced Edition soundtracks and get counted as another Linux sale though.
I will also point out that the classic versions retain all of the original extra content they were sold with, including the free soundtracks, meaning that all of the people complaining about Beamdog selling the Enhanced Edition soundtracks separately most likely still have access to the original soundtracks regardless.
I for one was more than happy to buy the Enhanced Edition soundtracks and get counted as another Linux sale though.
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Looks like GOG is faced with the reality that being passionate about gaming isn't enough to sustain (and grow) a business; you have to make financially sound choices, and compensating for the regional price differences out of its own revenues isn't sound. It is incumbent upon publishers to set fair regional pricing for games.
I am not worried; it would be hyperbole to say that the recent announcements seem egregiously dire. GOG is having to adjust to changing market forces. Maybe it succeeds in lasting for decades to come, maybe it fails. If it fails, I back up my games regularly, so it would not be disastrous. I would be sad to see GOG go, but at least I wouldn't lose my games. I have far more games on Steam, but I have several hundred on GOG.
Some people were angered against GOG due to the social media bombs by ex-employee Sean Halliday, some dismiss GOG for not having a Linux launcher, some people seem genuinely unhappy for any distribution platform to exist other than Steam (by all means, appreciate Valve when it makes positive contributions and enjoy Steam as a feature-rich store, buy all of your games there if you prefer, but I don't understand the there-can-be-only-one mentality), etc. Given the work GOG has often put into older games to ensure better compatibility "out of the box" than those games receive at other stores, its DRM-free stance, and its generally pro-gamer culture, I will continue to appreciate and buy from that store. That isn't the only store I buy from, but I value its existence.
Last edited by vector on 3 March 2019 at 6:17 pm UTC
I am not worried; it would be hyperbole to say that the recent announcements seem egregiously dire. GOG is having to adjust to changing market forces. Maybe it succeeds in lasting for decades to come, maybe it fails. If it fails, I back up my games regularly, so it would not be disastrous. I would be sad to see GOG go, but at least I wouldn't lose my games. I have far more games on Steam, but I have several hundred on GOG.
Some people were angered against GOG due to the social media bombs by ex-employee Sean Halliday, some dismiss GOG for not having a Linux launcher, some people seem genuinely unhappy for any distribution platform to exist other than Steam (by all means, appreciate Valve when it makes positive contributions and enjoy Steam as a feature-rich store, buy all of your games there if you prefer, but I don't understand the there-can-be-only-one mentality), etc. Given the work GOG has often put into older games to ensure better compatibility "out of the box" than those games receive at other stores, its DRM-free stance, and its generally pro-gamer culture, I will continue to appreciate and buy from that store. That isn't the only store I buy from, but I value its existence.
Last edited by vector on 3 March 2019 at 6:17 pm UTC
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Quoting: hummer010I know, right? The GOG forums are full of hatred towards Beamdog, and I can't quite figure it out.From what I saw, some GOG users were salty that the old versions were no longer available for sale. E.g. Baldur's Gate II Complete was $9.99 (and dirt cheap during sales), whereas Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition is $19.99 (and it used to be priced at $24.99). The fact that the enhanced editions include keys for the originals didn't address the price changes. Don't get me wrong, $10-$15 isn't a big deal to me, but it is to some people. Whether you feel an enhanced edition provides $10-$15 more value versus an original with free mods is a matter of personal preference.
- All of their games support Windows, Mac, and Linux
- All of their games are DRM free. The Steam versions don't even require the client to run.
- They've done a good job of post-release support. Lot's of bug fixes and improvements.
- They've generally done a good job of maintaining version concurrency between GOG and Steam.
- They've learned from their past mistakes. IWD, Planescape and NWN were handled much better than the BG series.
For the record, I am not anti-Overhaul Games/Beamdog. I had already purchased the original Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, and Planescape Torment on GOG years before Beamdog released the enhanced editions on GOG; when Beamdog released the enhanced editions on GOG, I bought the enhanced editions as well, including all the various expansions and soundtracks. In favor of the enhanced editions, specifically the Baldur's Gate saga and Neverwinter Nights enhanced editions, I will say that GOG or Beamdog or both in concert with each other had very reasonable promotions when these three enhanced editions were launched on GOG. For the Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II enhanced editions, they were launched at 50% off for the first three days ($9.99 and $12.49, respectively). Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition was launched at 25% off for the first seven days, plus an additional 25% off for those of us who already owned Neverwinter Nights Diamond (I bought the deluxe edition of Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition, which actually ended up being 60% off). And some people did express gratitude for those discounts in the GOG forums.
And I saw far more trolling and backlash on Steam than GOG with regard to Mizehna of Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear being a trans character.
Last edited by vector on 3 March 2019 at 8:14 pm UTC
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They are there, sort of. But you need to buy the inferior versions first for twice the price. So 20 dollars for a 20 year old game. Pretty damn nuts. If it at least was possible to buy the originals without forking out money to those hacks, it would be far less of a problem. Then people would have a choice. Now they don't.
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They are often on sale, so you can buy them for lower prices at least a few times a year. I don't see a big issue here. Personally I don't mind buying Beamdog versions. They are reasonably priced and are natively supporting Linux.
Last edited by Shmerl on 3 March 2019 at 7:52 pm UTC
Last edited by Shmerl on 3 March 2019 at 7:52 pm UTC
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Quoting: vectorGiven the work GOG has often put into older games to ensure better compatibility "out of the box" than those games receive at other stores, its DRM-free stance, and its generally pro-gamer culture, I will continue to appreciate and buy from that store. That isn't the only store I buy from, but I value its existence.
Thankfully I don't believe GOG are in as serious trouble as has been claimed, but the landscape is changing, and that could affect them too. What you mentioned above is why I really appreciate them, despite some dodgy moves over the last years, and why I think it would be a big loss if they were to disappear. Hopefully that doesn't happen, and I think it's good for the industry to have one fairly big store doing things the right way, generally speaking.
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Quoting: PangaeaThey are there, sort of. But you need to buy the inferior versions first for twice the price. So 20 dollars for a 20 year old game. Pretty damn nuts. If it at least was possible to buy the originals without forking out money to those hacks, it would be far less of a problem. Then people would have a choice. Now they don't.
Since Beamdog is offering both new content and modern support the fact that the original game is from 20 years ago hardly seems relevant to me in terms of its pricing. And as mentioned they are often on sale.
It really does seem like you are tilting at windmills here.
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Quoting: vectorAnd I saw far more trolling and backlash on Steam than GOG with regard to Mizehna of Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear being a trans character.The way they handled that was such a damn trainwreck that I decided not to touch the expansion with a 10-foot pole. They kept blaming the outcry on bigots and gamergate even though there were several actual trans people complaining about how shallow and tokenized that "character" was. Seriously insulting.
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Quoting: Salvatos...people complaining about how shallow and tokenized that "character" was. Seriously insulting.Some argued that from the beginning, but most of the comments I saw at the time were of the 'stop ramming SJW crap down my throat' variety, not the 'this character rings hollow' variety. I don't like feeling like the target of proselytization, harangue, or outright demonization any more than the next person, but there are civil, mature ways people can disagree, and then there is immature reactionaryism. E.g. When Metro Exodus became a one-year Epic Store exclusive (a move which I completely disagreed with), a lot of the responses on Steam were not thoughtful or compelling, just vitriolic. I say this as someone who feels the "toxic" tag is a convenient bludgeon used way too much by some social commentators to dismiss earnest and valid qualms or criticism.
Last edited by vector on 4 March 2019 at 12:39 pm UTC
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Quoting: HamishQuoting: PangaeaI hated when they removed Baldur's Gate and the like and replaced them with the inferior money-grab editions and doubled the price, but thankfully I had bought the 'real' versions years prior.A bit of a funny thing to post on a Linux gaming website, considering that your "inferior money-grab editions" include among many other things full Linux support.
Beamdog have been consistently great in this regard.
They've also grabbed up one of the biggest contributors to GemRB (which now only has one dev working on it constantly). I'd say that's a greater loss when you consider the binaries for Beamdog's Enhanced Editions are probably not going to be trivial to get running in a decade or so under GNU/Linux and GemRB could really have used the extra help.
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Quoting: Desumthe binaries for Beamdog's Enhanced Editions are probably not going to be trivial to get running in a decade or so under GNU/LinuxWhy would you think so?
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Quoting: TheSHEEEPQuoting: Desumthe binaries for Beamdog's Enhanced Editions are probably not going to be trivial to get running in a decade or so under GNU/LinuxWhy would you think so?
How many times has glibc alone broken compatibility this past decade? Sure, it's still possible to get even the old Loki ports up and running, but it's not what most PC gamer's would call a trivial endeavor.
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Quoting: DesumIn fairness it's not just glibc. Windows breaks compatibility too over long stretches of time. The reality is it's pretty hard to maintain perfect backwards compatibility.Quoting: TheSHEEEPQuoting: Desumthe binaries for Beamdog's Enhanced Editions are probably not going to be trivial to get running in a decade or so under GNU/LinuxWhy would you think so?
How many times has glibc alone broken compatibility this past decade? Sure, it's still possible to get even the old Loki ports up and running, but it's not what most PC gamer's would call a trivial endeavor.
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Quoting: ScooptaQuoting: DesumIn fairness it's not just glibc. Windows breaks compatibility too over long stretches of time. The reality is it's pretty hard to maintain perfect backwards compatibility.Quoting: TheSHEEEPQuoting: Desumthe binaries for Beamdog's Enhanced Editions are probably not going to be trivial to get running in a decade or so under GNU/LinuxWhy would you think so?
How many times has glibc alone broken compatibility this past decade? Sure, it's still possible to get even the old Loki ports up and running, but it's not what most PC gamer's would call a trivial endeavor.
This is true. However, it's much less of a hassle to get games from, say, the Windows Xp era running on Windows 10 most of the time (of course there are games that just wont work, but surprisingly few) than to get decade old binaries running on modern GNU+Kernel. And the exact amount of time isn't even that important to my main concern; the point is that GemRB is a better long-term investment for people who love these games than Beamdog's binaries.
That's why, from a game preservation angle, GemRB losing a major contributor is a very bad thing.
Last edited by Desum on 7 March 2019 at 12:08 pm UTC
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Quoting: Desumthe point is that GemRB is a better long-term investment for people who love these games than Beamdog's binaries.
May be Beamdog can open source their Infinity engine remaster. It's something they should be asked about.
Last edited by Shmerl on 7 March 2019 at 3:08 pm UTC
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