GOG.com, the store that prides itself on offering "DRM FREE" builds of games has recently released Hitman - Game of The Year Edition from IO Interactive and GOG fans are not happy.
To set the scene a little, this is a single-player stealth game about running around assassinating various targets across a bunch of different missions. It's actually a pretty good game and it has a Linux build available on Steam ported by Feral Interactive, which is not up on GOG.
Here's the problem: many features in HITMAN require you to have an internet connection. This is different to a game that has online modes which would of course need the internet. This is a game you play by yourself. Story missions and bonus mission can be played offline but you have to be online for most of the progression for item unlocks, new start location unlocks, special contracts, featured contracts, escalation missions and more.
It might not fall under the technical meaning of DRM but forcing players to be online in a single-player game to access content never really goes down well, and so it's not surprising on a store like GOG for users to be unhappy. It didn't help that GOG did not mention any of this at release, simply slapping the usual "DRM FREE. No activation or online connection required to play. " tickbox on the store page. While it's still somewhat true it doesn't quite sit right. This has led to the Hitman release gathering one of the lowest ever user-ratings on GOG (1.4 / 5 right now).
GOG users wasted no time telling the store how they felt with over 1,000 comments on the release forum topic, with IO Interactive being aware of it stating in a recent livestream that they're following it and they say they're in discussions on it. Two days after release GOG posted this small statement in that same topic that reads " Thank you for bringing this topic to our attention. We’re looking into it and will be updating you in the coming weeks. In case you have purchased HITMAN and are not satisfied with the released version, you can use your right to refund the game. At the same time, while we’re open for meritful discussion and feedback, we will not tolerate review bombing and will be removing posts that do not follow our review guidelines.". Another post later clarified that " We will not remove reviews like that, only those that are against our review guidelines.".
Stating that unhappy users writing about actual technical features of the game is "review bombing" of course is really not going to go down well. The base price of the game on GOG (when the sale ends) is noticeably more expensive than on Steam too.
Later GOG added a notice to the top of the store page that reads "Please note: Internet connection is required to access Escalation missions, Elusive Targets or user-created Contracts. Story and bonus missions can be played offline.".
How do you feel about this?
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It didn't help that GOG did not mention any of this at release, simply slapping the usual "DRM FREE.
This is where it went wrong in my opinion. So now there are unhappy customers due to not getting what they expected (drm-free in the sense of what the average GOG user makes of it) and an unhappy game studio/publisher which went for the extra mile to offer their game on GOG but got immediately faced with a backslash. I’m sure IO will remember this once the GOG discussion comes up for other titles :(
I’m not GOG user (had a very good time with Ferals port of this game) but I think they deserve their place, sad to see this avoidable sloppiness.
Last edited by jens on 26 September 2021 at 11:26 am UTC
10 Likes, Who?
On-line connection for single player game? What for? I don't even get the reason for it, let alone any benefit. Unless developers want to spy on users in some way? It's surely an anti-feature.
Personally, I haven't bought the game so didn't really follow the whole drama. But I agree that for a GOG release it's a pretty major blunder.
Personally, I haven't bought the game so didn't really follow the whole drama. But I agree that for a GOG release it's a pretty major blunder.
15 Likes, Who?
always knew GOG/CDPR was full of shit and now people becoming aware of it too, about time
2 Likes, Who?
Stating that unhappy users writing about actual technical features of the game as "review bombing" of course is really not going to go down well.
On the one hand, leaving a bad review for technical reasons is perfectly fine. Leaving a bad review simple because you're outraged after reading the negative press though? That's review bombing. There is a fine line between them but I think it's probably the latter that they're more concerned about.
I'll agree that a lack of transparency here about which features would be available is probably the root cause. I do wonder how this got past quality assurance.
I think it's ok to have online-only stuff in the game on GoG, but they need to be VERY transparent about it and it can't dominate the user experience. I won't take the puritan position GNU has with nonfree software and say there has to be no online anything relying on a server at all in a GoG game.
2 Likes, Who?
I think that even if they had been transparent from the start they would still be deserving of criticism since they are a "DRM FREE" store not a "Technically DRM free because you can play the game without a ton of core features that shouldn't require internet" store
5 Likes, Who?
On-line connection for single player game? What for? I don't even get the reason for it, let alone any benefit. Unless developers want to spy on users in some way? It's surely an anti-feature.
Personally, I haven't bought the game so didn't really follow the whole drama. But I agree that for a GOG release it's a pretty major blunder.
To me based on where the checks are, it's designed more like an anti-cheat measure. Based on the discussions though, anti-cheat is no longer effective.
Pure DRM can just cripple the game instead of preventing playing the game.
Anyway I would assume the whole online functionality is deep enough in the game that removing it for GOG build might not be something IO interactive would want to do. If they want to do that, Dungeon Defenders for example had system where there was separate offline and online character that didn't share progression at all. So that would be one way to do it. Assuming of course the anti-cheat is actually effective. Otherwise it doesn't really matter.
I wouldn't say that online component is always useless in single player games. It's just have to be taken into account in the design what happens when the game is offline. If it's just that the leaderboards don't work, then people will most like understand what's going on. If it's woven more into the game, it could be honest to mention it in the store page.
0 Likes
On-line connection for single player game? What for? I don't even get the reason for it, let alone any benefit. Unless developers want to spy on users in some way? It's surely an anti-feature.
Microtransactions.
Lootboxes, cosmetics, more content.
If they are not in the game now, they'll be in the future.
It's always about the money.
1 Likes, Who?
I find the whole 'review bombing is not allowed' thing rediculous. If you've bought the game and are displeased with it, then leaving a negative review is entirely acceptable. If hundreds/thousands of people all do the same, then so be it. Game devs/publishers shouldn't be able to bury their heads in the sand and cry foul just because gamers aren't happy with them.
7 Likes, Who?
I find the whole 'review bombing is not allowed' thing rediculous. If you've bought the game and are displeased with it, then leaving a negative review is entirely acceptable. If hundreds/thousands of people all do the same, then so be it. Game devs/publishers shouldn't be able to bury their heads in the sand and cry foul just because gamers aren't happy with them.This isn't review bombing in my book. This is just lots of people leaving negative reviews because an advertised feature of the game (being DRM-free) isn't there.
Review bombing, as far as I'm concerned, would be a brigade leaving negative reviews because of something other than the game (the CEO wore pink socks! 👎), which does suck.
5 Likes, Who?
Avehicle7887 Sep 26, 2021
I think the review bombing is well deserved. A single player game requiring such online features shouldn't be sold on a place like GOG, it should be removed until a solution is presented.
I didn't participate in the forum discussion but simply voted with my wallet, didn't buy the game. I could forgive GOG for not offering the Linux version, Feral doesn't seem to like GOG.
What's worse is that both Hitman 2 and 3 have these similar features. They'd have to do additional work if they want to release it on GOG too. Goes to show how bad DRM is.
GOG has been straying off from the beaten path for some time already. Cyberpunk's Galaxy requirement to install some skins is also a crappy move and I will never buy it unless they change it.
Last edited by Avehicle7887 on 26 September 2021 at 11:00 am UTC
I didn't participate in the forum discussion but simply voted with my wallet, didn't buy the game. I could forgive GOG for not offering the Linux version, Feral doesn't seem to like GOG.
What's worse is that both Hitman 2 and 3 have these similar features. They'd have to do additional work if they want to release it on GOG too. Goes to show how bad DRM is.
GOG has been straying off from the beaten path for some time already. Cyberpunk's Galaxy requirement to install some skins is also a crappy move and I will never buy it unless they change it.
Last edited by Avehicle7887 on 26 September 2021 at 11:00 am UTC
4 Likes, Who?
To me based on where the checks are, it's designed more like an anti-cheat measure. Based on the discussions though, anti-cheat is no longer effective.
How do you define an anticheat in a single player game? Many of such games historically had built in cheats / consoles and allowed mods that change all kind of behavior. I wouldn't even touch a game that actively tries to prevent that.
Last edited by Shmerl on 26 September 2021 at 11:00 am UTC
3 Likes, Who?
To me based on where the checks are, it's designed more like an anti-cheat measure. Based on the discussions though, anti-cheat is no longer effective.
How do you define an anticheat in a single player game? Many of such games historically had built in cheats / consoles and allowed mods that change all kind of behavior. I wouldn't even touch a game that actively tries to prevent that.
I explained the scenario where there's at least some kind of reasoning for anti-cheat. Leaderboards can be more fun it they're online, they have just risk of having cheaters. With officially sanctioned cheats and mods using official integration, there can be different leaderboard for each cheat or mod. Or leaderboards could be disabled altogether in those cases.
Line is bit blurry with that leaderboard example as technically it's multiplayer (you're playing against other people). But if only multiplayer component in the game is leaderboards, it's practically misleading to call it multiplayer game.
So the point stands, there are online features in single player that make sense. They're not all there to spy on users (it's just that collecting telemetry is always a possibility with online connections).
Last edited by Anza on 26 September 2021 at 8:29 pm UTC
0 Likes
So the point stands, there are online features in single player that make sense. They're not all there to spy on users (it's just that collecting telemetry is always a possibility with online connections).
I'd say argument of anticheat for leaderboards is a very poor justification for requiring on-line connection for actual in-game features.
2 Likes, Who?
So the point stands, there are online features in single player that make sense. They're not all there to spy on users (it's just that collecting telemetry is always a possibility with online connections).
I'd say argument of anticheat for leaderboards is a very poor justification for requiring on-line connection for actual in-game features.
Hitman has so called elusive targets missions, missions which are timely exclusive and can only be played once (I guess per online account). I could be wrong but for having this watertight I could imagine an always online connection helps a lot.
(You really have just one attempt for such a mission, like perma-death extreme version, this adds a complete new dimension on how to approach such a mission ;) )
Last edited by jens on 26 September 2021 at 11:43 am UTC
0 Likes
DaiKaiser93 Sep 26, 2021
Honestly I don't get how needing to be online to access online features is a problem, I mean if anything the problem lies on how the game was designed.
What I don't understand is why they didn't added the note of it needing to be connected to the internet even when they have previously done it in other games (Victor Vran & Battletech come to mind, as they need and external account to play online), so my guess is that they just received the binaries and uploaded them without checking?
I mean, I don't know how many of you guys remember the broken Linux LIVER build of Death Road to Canada (were you couldn't even run the game past the title screen) so I cannot really see this coming from a place of malice, but incompetence.
I'm biased, not gonna hide it, but always online is kind of what you're going to deal with if you want online games, is it not? Prison Architect comes to mind, who is responsible of the addition of the Paradox launcher, GOG or Paradox? should GOG just remove the game from the store once it was updated?
What I don't understand is why they didn't added the note of it needing to be connected to the internet even when they have previously done it in other games (Victor Vran & Battletech come to mind, as they need and external account to play online), so my guess is that they just received the binaries and uploaded them without checking?
I mean, I don't know how many of you guys remember the broken Linux LIVER build of Death Road to Canada (were you couldn't even run the game past the title screen) so I cannot really see this coming from a place of malice, but incompetence.
I'm biased, not gonna hide it, but always online is kind of what you're going to deal with if you want online games, is it not? Prison Architect comes to mind, who is responsible of the addition of the Paradox launcher, GOG or Paradox? should GOG just remove the game from the store once it was updated?
0 Likes
Well elusive targets were timed updates and are a missed event, those aren't coming back, it only makes sense they required internet connection. User created contracts requires to be published in a database so it only makes sense it requires internet connection too.
Escalation are only required for steam achievements and unlocks a few useless but funny items and costumes.
I can only imagine illegal versions of the game managed to severe the connection so it doesn't get banned ? Not to mention you can probably blacklist your legit legal version from the windows firewall ?
I don't condone pirating, it just to say it could strictly technically be done.
But anyway the game was aiming to release episodes as DLC and seasons (finally seasons didn't get in they made new games instead because episode release is at best an ineffective business model). So in a sense it was a very clumsy move from IO Interactive how the game was online-oriented by design since the beginning.
But on the other side, I consider a thousand angry comments (despite the game actually be fun) to be comment bombing. :/ (I'd be surprised there isn't any other solo online features, for example Dragon's Dogma has a online pawn NPC system that let you play along user created characters AI.)
Last edited by a0kami on 26 September 2021 at 12:57 pm UTC
Escalation are only required for steam achievements and unlocks a few useless but funny items and costumes.
I can only imagine illegal versions of the game managed to severe the connection so it doesn't get banned ? Not to mention you can probably blacklist your legit legal version from the windows firewall ?
I don't condone pirating, it just to say it could strictly technically be done.
But anyway the game was aiming to release episodes as DLC and seasons (finally seasons didn't get in they made new games instead because episode release is at best an ineffective business model). So in a sense it was a very clumsy move from IO Interactive how the game was online-oriented by design since the beginning.
But on the other side, I consider a thousand angry comments (despite the game actually be fun) to be comment bombing. :/ (I'd be surprised there isn't any other solo online features, for example Dragon's Dogma has a online pawn NPC system that let you play along user created characters AI.)
Last edited by a0kami on 26 September 2021 at 12:57 pm UTC
0 Likes
You know what's so funny about this? And, hey, I don't advocate piracy or anything, I bought all three games. But you know that's why gamers are mad. They pass around these installers like candy knowing they can just use them to install the full game no problem. Don't pretend that's not what this is about.
But here's the really funny thing: they could just as easily download a completed save file to completely circumvent all these pieces of content that are locked. You can literally just slide a single file into AppData and have every "online-only" gun and item in the game. Imagine being this low-agency lmao. Pirates, everyone.
But here's the really funny thing: they could just as easily download a completed save file to completely circumvent all these pieces of content that are locked. You can literally just slide a single file into AppData and have every "online-only" gun and item in the game. Imagine being this low-agency lmao. Pirates, everyone.
1 Likes, Who?
You know what's so funny about this? And, hey, I don't advocate piracy or anything, I bought all three games. But you know that's why gamers are mad. They pass around these installers like candy knowing they can just use them to install the full game no problem. Don't pretend that's not what this is about.
But here's the really funny thing: they could just as easily download a completed save file to completely circumvent all these pieces of content that are locked. You can literally just slide a single file into AppData and have every "online-only" gun and item in the game. Imagine being this low-agency lmao. Pirates, everyone.
"New user" posts obvious bait on GoL, in other news water is still wet
They're not wrong though. This is an example of the usual corporate crap where the pirates get to have it better than the legitimate, paying customers. Would it be so difficult for IO to have removed these online checks before they released their game on GOG and thus allow players to enjoy a truly DRM-free experience playing it, especially if these online checks were only there to serve a purpose that's long since become irrelevant due to the game being old? No it wouldn't.
Regarding GOG, I have to agree with the poster who called out their crappiness. I used to love their service, but nowadays I feel like they've been steadily going down the wrong path in more ways than one, from sloppy handling of releases, to neglecting Linux with Galaxy 2.0, to Galaxy 2.0 being half-finished crap anyway, to Cyberpunk 2077 being the blunder that it was (CDPR is GOG's parent company)... I hope they'll reverse gears before it's too late, but until then I can't say I'm enthusiastic about supporting them and buying my games from them anymore, even with the games being DRM-free (which is an admittedly priceless feature).
0 Likes
apocalyptech Sep 26, 2021
The Hitman series has always been annoying like this, wasn't it? I think I got the first "HITMAN" (in the newer "rebooted" line) free from something, or maybe part of a bundle, and I'd give it a quick go, but their always-online bullshit led me to uninstall it pretty much right away. I'm not even sure if I finished the first mission.
Definitely a shame that something like that slipped through GOG; I still don't really buy much through GOG, but I've always appreciated their relatively unusual stance about things like DRM. Hopefully there's not too much more of this boundary-pushing going on in the store -- always-online requirements may as well be DRM, even if it might be technically not. GOG's still more principled than any of the other major options at the moment, so it'd be a shame if they were inching towards the other norm.
Definitely a shame that something like that slipped through GOG; I still don't really buy much through GOG, but I've always appreciated their relatively unusual stance about things like DRM. Hopefully there's not too much more of this boundary-pushing going on in the store -- always-online requirements may as well be DRM, even if it might be technically not. GOG's still more principled than any of the other major options at the moment, so it'd be a shame if they were inching towards the other norm.
1 Likes, Who?
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