GOG has gone

[Arctic Blast]

This whole thing is getting...weird.

It LOOKS like they are coming back, and out of Beta, on Thursday. So that would lead to a conclusion of 'unbelievably stupid PR move'. However, their stock also spiked by something like 30% last week on rumors of a buyout, and a PR stunt doesn't explain the stock price spike.

[Lützow]

They released a stupid promo video on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDRvuKjissQ

Should rather choose a flak vest theme, given the storm they will face once the board is back.

[JudgeDredd]

So is this GoG thing a PR stunt?

[martok]

^ No one's sure yet. It looks that way, but we'll supposedly know more tomorrow (actually, later today now).

[2guncohen]

My gues is that this is a stunt ... ( New Icon and the youtube trailer ) and some guys of the It-departement weren't happy with the decission  to go offline...
And that this is all fabricated by the "sales management" Who pushed tru the fantastic idea to create panic...

My 2 cents

[hadberz]

Looks like Baldurs Gate will be released, nice I hope they release the Icewind Dale games sometime in the future.

[Hertston]

Hmm.. anyone else have the feeling that the "new GOG" with the "new, huge releases" will be just another games download site just like all the rest? With Impulse seeming to be moving onto their turf with games like MoO 2 and Age of Wonders, methinks it will be hard to see the difference.

[Wolfe1759]

ORIGINAL: Hertston

Hmm.. anyone else have the feeling that the "new GOG" with the "new, huge releases" will be just another games download site just like all the rest? With Impulse seeming to be moving onto their turf with games like MoO 2 and Age of Wonders, methinks it will be hard to see the difference.

Have to agree.

Also any loyalty I had to GOG (previously although I quiet like Impulse I would always buy in preference from GOG) has pretty much evaporated over the last 3 days, now I'll probably buy on Impulse first, someone else second and GOG if I really want the game and it isn't available anywhere else.

[joeblack1862]

ORIGINAL: Hertston

Hmm.. anyone else have the feeling that the "new GOG" with the "new, huge releases" will be just another games download site just like all the rest? With Impulse seeming to be moving onto their turf with games like MoO 2 and Age of Wonders, methinks it will be hard to see the difference.

Not quite. The No DRM stays so they still provide a unique download service. All the others require some form of DRM to download there games:

1. Steam - Well know DRM methods so no need to repeat.
2. Gamers Gate - Activation via website on every installation.
3. Impulse - Activation on install and patches.

I downloaded and backed up all my GOG games so I was only unhappy they had gone because of the games I hadn't yet bought. If they had never come back, then I would have been none the poorer as all my games are available for me to install.

Imagine the problem if any of the above had gone, not impossible in this climate.

[joeblack1862]

ORIGINAL: Wolfe

Also any loyalty I had to GOG (previously although I quiet like Impulse I would always buy in preference from GOG) has pretty much evaporated over the last 3 days, now I'll probably buy on Impulse first, someone else second and GOG if I really want the game and it isn't available anywhere else.

Gotta disagree. Have you seen the "Monks" video. It made me laugh.

For me it will be GOG first, then Impulse for the more commercial games.

But I can understand anyone who isn't happy about it.

[Arctic Blast]

Stupid. That's the only word for this debacle...stupid. And their given reason for it? The games industry has gotten boring and we wanted to do something fun.

Can anyone think of a worse example of games industry PR EVER? I've been trying, but I can't think of anything dumber than this.

[DampSquib]

ORIGINAL: Arctic Blast

Stupid. That's the only word for this debacle...stupid. And their given reason for it? The games industry has gotten boring and we wanted to do something fun.

Can anyone think of a worse example of games industry PR EVER? I've been trying, but I can't think of anything dumber than this.

Agreed Stupid..yes.
Ummm...how about EA....http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/22898/resident-evil-treasure-hunt-wronghttp://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/05/petrol_promo_chaos/

[joeblack1862]

ORIGINAL: DampSquib

Agreed Stupid..yes.
Ummm...how about EA....http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/22898/resident-evil-treasure-hunt-wronghttp://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/05/petrol_promo_chaos/

Now that is dumb, but exceptionally funny [:D][:D]

Might see some of you over at GOG tomorrow? [;)]

[mgarnett]

I for one thought it was a great stunt.  In the end no harm done, but boy, did it get people's attention.  I can understand though, that people who had no backup of their games would have been somewhat anxious.  Having said that, they were very clear in saying that nobody would lose their purchases.

If there's a lesson to be learnt ...... backup your digital purchases!

[jomni]

ORIGINAL: mgarnett

I for one thought it was a great stunt.  In the end no harm done, but boy, did it get people's attention.  I can understand though, that people who had no backup of their games would have been somewhat anxious.  Having said that, they were very clear in saying that nobody would lose their purchases.

If there's a lesson to be learnt ...... backup your digital purchases!

Any downtime without warning does harm and break some trust.
These online distribution businesses like Steam, Impulse, GamersGate all boils down to the trust just like banks.
Customers should be able to get their games whenever they want.

Yes lesson is don't trust GOG and backup your purchases. Lol!

[jomni]

ORIGINAL: DampSquib
Ummm...how about EA

This is a true story. EA Singapore's facebook page has been "hacked" by a radical group called Authority for Responsible Gaming (ARG). A post said that in cooperation with ARG, EA Singapore will be banning MOH. How can EA, the company who made the game, ban MOH? And the Singapore government censors already approved MOH for sale. No google search will result will provide info on ARG. But the kids were shocked and they believed it... to the point where one called the convention center to confirm an event held there by ARG.

Now EA Singapore has "ragained" control of their Facebook page and is now running a promo. They will give limited edition medals to those who help them catch ARG! It's all about shock marketing. Lots of kids were duped and got angry at ARG thinking that it's real. It did generate a lot of attention on EA Singapores Facebook page.

[V22 Osprey]

@ all the people who thought they lost their games forever.

Though, they did say in the beginning you would be able to re-download your games, so I don't get why everyone was acting so pissy besides the fact that there was no warning about the closure.

[mgarnett]

ORIGINAL: jomni

ORIGINAL: mgarnett

I for one thought it was a great stunt.  In the end no harm done, but boy, did it get people's attention.  I can understand though, that people who had no backup of their games would have been somewhat anxious.  Having said that, they were very clear in saying that nobody would lose their purchases.

If there's a lesson to be learnt ...... backup your digital purchases!

Any downtime without warning does harm and break some trust.
These online distribution businesses like Steam, Impulse, GamersGate all boils down to the trust just like banks.
Customers should be able to get their games whenever they want.

Yes lesson is don't trust GOG and backup your purchases. Lol!

Nope, that's not what I said. They would have broken trust if they just shut down, never re-opened and never let people recover their downloads. This was fun, a joke, a stunt, a practical joke, but not distrustful, however misguided you may think they were. Take it for what it was and more importantly, how it was meant (this is THE most important aspect of this whole thing).

I in no way feel betrayed or find GOG any less trsutful than I did before the stunt.

Remember, they at all times said that they would allow games to be downloaded. When I headed over to the site and found it was down I did a quick google and found out very quickly that it appeared to be a publicity stunt. They never at any stage said they were closing for good, it just goes to show the power of the Internet rumour mill.

Lighten up!

[Lützow]

Don't think that was a mere marketing stunt, even they subsequently disguise it as one. With this action GoG did not catch many people outside their already existing audience and these again responded rather disgruntled.

Whatever, I was so pleasured about this behaviour, that I will log on for a last time, grab my properties and going to look elsewhere to satisfy my demand on retro games for the future.

[mgarnett]

I'd be interested to hear why you think they aren't telling the truth.