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[nynt9]

It seems extremely unlikely to me that GMG, a reputable store, would be selling potentially stolen keys. That's a very serious accusation that I wouldn't make without evidence.

Seems more likely that serenewarfare's version of the story is accurate. They wanted to please their customers by having keys available for one of the most anticipated titles of the year, so they skirted their policy for this game.

I'm not accusing them of doing so. I'm saying in the absence of their declaration of what their source is, that might be the case. It also might not. I'm pointing out the worst case scenario. However, the reputability of the store should be taken with a grain of salt considering they were just caught in a lie. Again, in the absence of certainty, we do not know if this is the first time they pulled something like this or if it's simply the first time they got caught.

I know I won't be doing business with them again because I can't trust them anymore. Why risk it and take their word on something when they have shown themselves to be unreliable? Even if it's the best case and they bought keys from a legit source like you said, it still shows they're not above throwing out their ideals just to get the hyped game of the year.

 

[viveks86]

No because we don't know the source of their keys.

We are going in circles at this point :/

 

[Laughing Banana]

GMG are refusing to name their sources for their keys so we do not know if they are legit.

That would be a very dangerous game to play, ain't it? The backlash they can potentially get from their customers would be massive.

I don't think they'd be crazy enough to do that... it just seem like an illogical thing to assume that they're trying to sell illegitimate keys.

 

[hawk2025]

Because the keys were purchased indirectly from CD Projekt - through a middleman - only the Middleman themselves paid for the keys. GMG is now selling them again, presumably at a markup, cutting CD Projekt out of the entire transaction.

Make no mistake: CD Projekt is seeing nothing from GMG's transactions.

...what?

The original keys don't exist in a vacuum, they were generated and sold by CDPR. Of course they are making money from whatever keys GMG sells, as long as they are legal.

"make no mistake" indeed.

 

[Durante]

I have zero sympathy with CDPR in this.

Because the keys were purchased indirectly from CD Projekt - through a middleman - only the Middleman themselves paid for the keys. GMG is now selling them again, presumably at a markup, cutting CD Projekt out of the entire transaction.

Make no mistake: CD Projekt is seeing nothing from GMG's transactions.

Make no mistake: that's perfectly fine. Right of resale and all that. CDPR made their profit when they initially sold the keys.

 

[Mokoi]

Games are fun. I like playing games. Can't wait to play the witcher 3.

 

[Dr.Acula]

Because the keys were purchased indirectly from CD Projekt - through a middleman - only the Middleman themselves paid for the keys. GMG is now selling them again, presumably at a markup, cutting CD Projekt out of the entire transaction.

Make no mistake: CD Projekt is seeing nothing from GMG's transactions.

Say CDPR is selling to Steam, nVidia, etc. At 20 bucks per. GMG buys a lot of keys from one of these partners for 30, and sells for 40 (or whatever). CDPR is still getting their 20.

I get why they'd be mad. They have an MSRP, GMG selling below the MSRP devalues TW3.

 

[LurkerPrime]

If only y'all had my understanding of how this CD Projekt-Middleman-GMG thing works, then it'd all make sense. Either that or I'm critically misunderstanding how it's supposed to work.

(Edit: Ok I seem to be critically misunderstanding, as per Dr.Acula's post. Pah.)

Retail copies come with GOG codes, thus we know Namco has access to a set of GOG codes that they could, theoretically, be providing to GMG.

Considering GMG even set Namco as the publisher of the game in their webpage, I wouldn't be too shocked if that was what happened.

Seems likely. For some reason the thought of a company gutting retail boxes for their CD keys strikes me as felonious.

 

[Durante]

My theory is CDPR has obligations towards it's official distribution partners, it doesn't look good when GMG, not a Witcher 3 partner, is selling Witcher 3 cheaper than official partners.

Well, that's too bad for them. I'll cry a single tear.

Seems likely. For some reason the thought of a company gutting retail boxes for their CD keys strikes me as felonious.

Why?

 

[pelican]

They already did. The Witcher 3 is 10% - 27% off depending on whether you own the previous games or not. GMG is forcing them to go under 38$ which is absolutely ridiculous.

Yes, competitive pricing is ridiculous.

The price a retailer sets for a game hit's their margin, not the developer/publisher.

e.g. CDPR sell Witcher keys for $40. They still get their $40 even if GMG decide to sell their keys for $10. The retailer has simply made the title a loss leader, which is their right to do so.

I'm in the UK, and RRP (recommended retail price) is long gone.

 

[nynt9]

That would be a very dangerous game to play, ain't it? The backlash they can potentially get from their customers would be massive.

I don't think they'd be crazy enough to do that... it just seem like an illogical thing to assume that they're trying to sell illegitimate keys.

You're right, but in the absence of any knowledge we don't even know if GMG knows if their source is legit or not.

Some potential scenarios in descending order of likelihood and morality:

-The keys are legit, GMG broke their own policy
-The keys aren't legit, but the middle man selling to GMG poses them as legit, GMG broke their policy and unknowingly sold bad keys
-The keys aren't legit, GMG don't even care and they just want to get the game on their store

The last one is unlikely but even in the best case GMG still pulled something shady and are still being shady about it.

 

[hawk2025]

Say CDPR is selling to Steam, nVidia, etc. At 20 bucks per. GMG buys a lot of keys from one of these partners for 30, and sells for 40 (or whatever). CDPR is still getting their 20.

I get why they'd be mad. They have an MSRP, GMG selling below the MSRP devalues TW3.

Every other publisher under the sun has supplied GMG with keys, despite this.

Why?

What's different here?

 

[duckroll]

Strange to see people rushing to CDPR's side on this. I mean, if they don't want to deal with GMG directly, that's their right, but they also can't stop GMG from selling the product. If they don't like someone selling stuff cheap, they can piss off? Price fixing is considered an unfair business practice in many parts of the world. They can be unhappy about it, but putting out a statement telling people not to buy from a retailer is a dick move. If they think the keys are stolen, they should investigate and present evidence. If the keys are not stolen or illegitimate then they should shut up.

 

[DocSeuss]

Honestly, the way this is turning out is looking to be bad PR for CDPR. To someone reading the annotations, GMG is biting the bullet and losing money on selling the game for $39, CDPR refused to work with GMG, GMG is receiving their copies from an authorized retailer who's currently unknown.

As someone looking into the box from outside, GMG is the company that's doing things 'Right'(Whatever that means), and CDPR is scummy. Unless something is being omitted..

Cui Bono?

GMG would never simply start selling keys out of the goodness of their hearts. There's no way they're "biting the bullet," as you put it. They're profiting from it.

But more on that in a minute. Let's talk about GMG.

This is the company that recently began packing in 'free' extra steam codes (stuff that costs a couple bucks at most) with certain preorders so that, should you decide to cancel a ($60) preorder, they can point to that free code they gave you and choose not to refund you.

This is the company that reduced vouchers from 33% to an average of closer to 20%, who took their 'earn stuff by playing games' program and ran it into the ground. This is not the GMG that most of us knew and loved. They've been maximizing their profit as best they can for a year or so now, and it's getting pretty bad.

CDPR can absolutely choose who to sell their products to. If they don't want to sell to GMG, they don't have to. That's within their right. It's neither good nor bad, it simply is. Producers are not required to sell to all retailers.

Which brings me to this point: GMG would never simply sell CD keys at a loss out of the goodness of their heart. You would have to be a complete and total idiot to think they would.

Furthermore, if there were someone offering Witcher 3 keys in the West at a price that GMG could benefit from, we'd know about it. There's no secret third party out there magically selling keys that only GMG has access to and nobody else knows about.

The most likely scenario is that GMG is buying keys from other regions where the game is cheaper, then reselling those keys in the West. Like, hey, I think it's something like $15 in Russia? Cool. They're making a nice $24 off of that deal. CDPR isn't getting their 'fair' cut. They're getting a drastically reduced cut intended for a market where people either pirate or buy dirt cheap.

If that's the case--and it is the most likely one--there is literally no way GMG are the good guys in this. Them not saying where they got the keys from would seem to support this. CDPR is absolutely fine.

To everyone mad at CDPR: stop getting mad at them just because they might be denying you a sweet deal.

 

[Kiyo]

You're right, but in the absence of any knowledge we don't even know if GMG knows if their source is legit or not.

Some potential scenarios in descending order of likelihood and morality:

-The keys are legit, GMG broke their own policy
-The keys aren't legit, but the middle man selling to GMG poses them as legit, GMG broke their policy and unknowingly sold bad keys
-The keys aren't legit, GMG don't even care and they just want to get the game on their store

The last one is unlikely but even in the best case GMG still pulled something shady and are still being shady about it.

Why isn't there an option of "The keys are legit and GMG got them from Namco"?

 

[gai_shain]

I have zero sympathy with CDPR in this.

Because they told people they dont know where the keys come from and they should hold off buying there until it gets resolved?

Or because of 2 companys not comming to a business agreement?

 

[serenewarfare]

The last one is unlikely but even in the best case GMG still pulled something shady and are still being shady about it.

This situation is about as "shady" as me selling you a candy bar I bought from a guy next to a vending machine and telling you I bought it from the vending machine.

 

[derFeef]

Strange to see people rushing to CDPR's side on this. I mean, if they don't want to deal with GMG directly, that's their right, but they also can't stop GMG from selling the product. If they don't like someone selling stuff cheap, they can piss off? Price fixing is considered an unfair business practice in many parts of the world. They can be unhappy about it, but putting out a statement telling people not to buy from a retailer is a dick move. If they think the keys are stolen, they should investigate and present evidence. If the keys are not stolen or illegitimate then they should shut up.

My exact stance on this as well. Also funny how they kinda do not mention Steam in any way.

 

[MarcoZombieCannon]

Every other publisher under the sun has supplied GMG with keys, despite this.

Why?

What's different here?

CDPR being the differentiator. There's a short list of retailers who have not been given keys. Amazon among them. Dunno why the decision was made, but it is what it is.

 

[danthefan]

Because the keys were purchased indirectly from CD Projekt - through a middleman - only the Middleman themselves paid for the keys. GMG is now selling them again, presumably at a markup, cutting CD Projekt out of the entire transaction.

Make no mistake: CD Projekt is seeing nothing from GMG's transactions.

The keys didn't appear out of thin air. CDPR had to have sold them in the first place, hence they have to be making money from them.

I've bought keys from all sorts of places in the past so can't really claim any high ground but I'm struggling to see the big problem here. CDPR sell something to someone. It's now being resold by that someone to someone else. Sounds like any other product in the world.

 

[LurkerPrime]

Why?

Just the thought of it. Why not get the keys directly and avoid all that waste?

 

[Docflem]

Cui Bono?

GMG would never simply start selling keys out of the goodness of their hearts. There's no way they're "biting the bullet," as you put it. They're profiting from it.

But more on that in a minute. Let's talk about GMG.

This is the company that recently began packing in 'free' extra steam codes (stuff that costs a couple bucks at most) with certain preorders so that, should you decide to cancel a ($60) preorder, they can point to that free code they gave you and choose not to refund you.

This is the company that reduced vouchers from 33% to an average of closer to 20%, who took their 'earn stuff by playing games' program and ran it into the ground. This is not the GMG that most of us knew and loved. They've been maximizing their profit as best they can for a year or so now, and it's getting pretty bad.

CDPR can absolutely choose who to sell their products to. If they don't want to sell to GMG, they don't have to. That's within their right. It's neither good nor bad, it simply is. Producers are not required to sell to all retailers.

Which brings me to this point: GMG would never simply sell CD keys at a loss out of the goodness of their heart.

You would have to be a complete and total idiot to think they would.

The most likely scenario is that GMG is buying keys from other regions where the game is cheaper, then reselling those keys in the West. Like, hey, I think it's something like $15 in Russia? Cool. They're making a nice $24 off of that deal.

CDPR isn't getting their 'fair' cut. They're getting a drastically reduced cut intended for a market where people either pirate or buy dirt cheap.

There is literally no way GMG are the good guys in this. CDPR is absolutely fine.

To everyone mad at CDPR: stop getting mad at them just because they might be denying you a sweet deal.

Stop and read the post above yours, they are basically price-fixing, and really it is pretty un-ethical, even if something that happens all the time.

 

[Kiyo]

Because they told people they dont know where the keys come from and they should hold off buying there until it gets resolved?

Or because of 2 companys not comming to a business agreement?

Their claim of getting $0 from these looks pretty bad and accuses GMG of selling stolen keys. Their mods going out on their forums and claiming GMG has always had a bad reputation and has sold stolen keys for 2 other games.

Those are the reasons they're coming off bad.

 

[DocSeuss]

Stop and read the post above yours, they are basically price-fixing, and really it is pretty un-ethical, even if something that happens all the time.

I read it and I disagree.

 

[publicpwnerer]

CDPR being the differentiator. There's a short list of retailers who have not been given keys. Amazon among them. Dunno why the decision was made, but it is what it is.

Because greed.

When they initially started, it was all "free DLC yo, we're your friend". Now that they have their digital store and are able to self publish in various countries, it's all about that dosh. When they're charging $25 (AUD) more for digital than retail, they have no leg to stand on.

Despite how good their games are, they've lost all good will from me. I no issues as to where I get my keys from regarding CD Projekt titles. Also, GMG have ties to the retail side. So I imagine their keys are legit boxed copies. Of course that's not entirely certain, but I think they're a farcry from Kinguin, G2A and all the other dodgy key sellers.

 

[linkent]

GMG has always been selling many launch game at lower price, has Steam close down yet?
It is CDPR game, and they are allowed to sell whatever price they want. But it can be up to GMG to sell theirs at any cost as long as they are legit. And they could be getting their keys from the authorised CDPR seller and resell themselves.
As for lower price, maybe they are selling at loss from their claim? There is nothing Grey about this. And i believe them.
They have reputation and wouldnt want to it to be destroyed over 1 game.

But whatever claim from CDPR and more importantly this article from Gamespot has somewhat destroy some of GMG reputation.
Too many are rushing to defend CDPR due to being their fans.

 

[Lach]

I think this is another example of CDProject being fucked over by the deal they made with Namco. Through that publishing deal they were forced to introduce regional pricing on gog.com (something they prided themself in not having).

It's probably part of the deal that they don't undercut the retail, and have a certain minimum price they have to enforce the retailers don't go under. It would be pretty ironic if the keys on gmg came from Namco.

That's all speculation though.

 

[serenewarfare]

Cui Bono?

GMG would never simply start selling keys out of the goodness of their hearts. There's no way they're "biting the bullet," as you put it. They're profiting from it.

Do you have any evidence to support this claim other than "because I think so" or "because other options seem unlikely"?

 

[Dr.Acula]

Every other publisher under the sun has supplied GMG with keys, despite this.

Why?

What's different here?

I'm guessing other pubs have complete control over the cost and volume of the keys. If GMG is just getting them from somewhere then it's problematic. What if this is a batch of keys meant for a much cheaper market? So now that cheap market is depressed because the keys meant for them are going to GMG.

CDPR are keeping this close to their chest. I imagine someone from CDPR has bought a key from GMG and they've traced it, but it seems like they're figuring out their options.

 

[stan423321]

Sure, but with either option CDPR can't stop GmG from selling it, and GmG isn't doing anything illegal.

In case of retail partner knowingly selling the key to GMG, CDPR could basically claim that keys were "stolen" by the retail partner, and demand GMG to "return" them, probably offering legal help with getting money back from that retail partner.

That's for sure what happens if you find your stolen phone in a used things shop. They probably paid for it, but the phone is yours.

 

[gai_shain]

Strange to see people rushing to CDPR's side on this. I mean, if they don't want to deal with GMG directly, that's their right, but they also can't stop GMG from selling the product. If they don't like someone selling stuff cheap, they can piss off? Price fixing is considered an unfair business practice in many parts of the world. They can be unhappy about it, but putting out a statement telling people not to buy from a retailer is a dick move. If they think the keys are stolen, they should investigate and present evidence. If the keys are not stolen or illegitimate then they should shut up.

So you want them not to saying anything while it is being investigated and people continue buying stolen keys that then maybe wont work if it turns out true?

 

[MarcoZombieCannon]

So you want them not to saying anything while it is being investigated and people continue buying stolen keys that then maybe wont work if it turns out true?

Money can be refunded or replaced relatively easily, reputation cannot.

 

[danthefan]

In case of retail partner knowingly selling the key to GMG, CDPR could basically claim that keys were "stolen" by the retail partner, and demand GMG to "return" them, probably offering legal help with getting money back from that retail partner.

That's for sure what happens if you find your stolen phone in a used things shop. They probably paid for it, but the phone is yours.

Would you not need, you know, evidence that the keys are stolen?

 

[duckroll]

Their claim of getting $0 from these looks pretty bad and accuses GMG of selling stolen keys. Their mods going out on their forums and claiming GMG has always had a bad reputation and has sold stolen keys for 2 other games.

Those are the reasons they're coming off bad.

This is definitely what bothers me about this entire situation too. CDPR has basically decided to publicly shame a competitor (of GOG). They also admit that they don't know for sure what GMG's situation is, which suggests that they have no evidence that the keys are improper. Calling them out like this is really bad form.

Now, it might come to light that GMG is selling stolen keys and they are shamed out of the business in future, but even if that happens, the way CDPR went about doing this is pretty iffy. If they conducted an investigation and exposed a digital retailer for selling stolen keys, I would have nothing but respect for them, but here they're coming off as being desperate and petty because they expected full control of the digital retail situation, got caught off-guard, and decided to have a pissing match.

 

[Docflem]

In case of retail partner knowingly selling the key to GMG, CDPR could basically claim that keys were "stolen" by the retail partner, and demand GMG to "return" them, probably offering legal help with getting money back from that retail partner.

That's for sure what happens if you find your stolen phone in a used things shop. They probably paid for it, but the phone is yours.

What? CDPR can't just declare something stolen, that's not how that works. They were legally sold to someone, and if that violated a contract then CDPR can go after the retail partner for violating a contract, but they can't just call the sold item stolen.

 

[DocSeuss]

Do you have any evidence to support this claim other than "because I think so" or "because other options seem unlikely"?

My informed opinion as someone who basically wrote the book on getting games for cheap is more than a simple 'because I think so.'

The facts:

1) GMG has been increasing profit margins as of late
2) GMG has never sold a game below the cost it takes for them to acquire
3) There are no known locations among any of the bargain hunter sites where these keys are being sold in the west for less than $39, which is what GMG is likely acquiring them for
4) The only known location for these keys less than what GMG is paying at present is in other markets.
5) GMG is refusing to acknowledge where they got the keys from.

The likelihood that GMG is obtaining these keys from other regions and importing them into the West is extremely high.

Most sites that do this are banned from discussion on GAF.

 

[gai_shain]

Money can be refunded or replaced relatively easily, reputation cannot.

I dont know how sites that steal keys operate so im not sure if they give back money if the key stops working

 

[duckroll]

So you want them not to saying anything while it is being investigated and people continue buying stolen keys that then maybe wont work if it turns out true?

If their own suspicion of any wrong doing is "they didn't buy it from us" then yes, I expect them to say nothing until they have more because that doesn't mean anything.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Because the keys were purchased indirectly from CD Projekt - through a middleman - only the Middleman themselves paid for the keys. GMG is now selling them again, presumably at a markup, cutting CD Projekt out of the entire transaction.

Er.... and who do you think this middleman paid to obtain these keys? Santa Claus?

Make no mistake: CD Projekt is seeing nothing from GMG's transactions.

If you mean that they don't see a cent from GMG's transaction, then sure. If you mean that they don't see a cent from the sale of the game key per se, you're wrong and borderline libellous.

If I buy a key from CDPR, and then sell it back to my friend, my friend hasn't paid CDPR directly, but that doesn't mean CDPR didn't make money from the sale -- it made its money when I bought it from them. If I stole the key from CDPR and sold it to you, then CDPR would be very right to be upset. But there's no evidence of that.

(Honestly I can't believe I have to explain this...!)

Strange to see people rushing to CDPR's side on this. I mean, if they don't want to deal with GMG directly, that's their right, but they also can't stop GMG from selling the product. If they don't like someone selling stuff cheap, they can piss off? Price fixing is considered an unfair business practice in many parts of the world. They can be unhappy about it, but putting out a statement telling people not to buy from a retailer is a dick move. If they think the keys are stolen, they should investigate and present evidence. If the keys are not stolen or illegitimate then they should shut up.

Exactly. And if GMG's keys are legit, and they are selling them at a discount on their own dime, then they're clearly doing this to please their customers. Which seems a far more consumer-friendly approach to things than CDPR who simply refused to sell GMG keys to begin with. Unless they somehow thought GMG were a bad and shady store but there's no evidence of that... they've even admitted that GMG were a legitimate store, so. :S

 

[Hasney]

That isn't the same.

You are still purchasing stock from a verified distributor who is contractually allowed to supply to you, a verified vendor. You are simply purchasing from a different supplier in a scenario with multiple legitimate suppliers.

In this case, CDPR is the only supplier. There is no other legitimate supplier. A comparison between the two would be more akin to your company purchasing stock off of some random guy on eBay or out of the back of an unmarked truck. If you actually did that, it would be shady as fuck, since you are unable to verify the integrity of the products. That's the argument that CDPR is making. And that's also the policy of GMG, that they just admitted to breaking.

No, the CEX ones certainly weren't, but they were perfectly legal to sell. Those ones came from somewhere in France that had broken street date, stickered up with BBFC and put on sale.

 

[DocSeuss]

Exactly. And if GMG's keys are legit, and they are selling them at a discount on their own dime, then they're clearly doing this to please their customers. Which seems a far more consumer-friendly approach to things than CDPR who simply refused to sell GMG keys to begin with. Unless they somehow thought GMG were a bad and shady store but there's no evidence of that...

No legitimate business in their right mind ever offers a product that customers want by going out of their way to obtain those products and then resell them at a loss.

They're not your customers if they're not paying YOU for the games.

Even Pirate Joes has a markup from Trader Joes.

 

[publicpwnerer]

My informed opinion as someone who basically wrote the book on getting games for cheap is more than a simple 'because I think so.'

The facts:

1) GMG has been increasing profit margins as of late
2) GMG has never sold a game below the cost it takes for them to acquire
3) There are no known locations among any of the bargain hunter sites where these keys are being sold in the west for less than $39, which is what GMG is likely acquiring them for
4) The only known location for these keys less than what GMG is paying at present is in other markets.
5) GMG is refusing to acknowledge where they got the keys from.

The likelihood that GMG is obtaining these keys from other regions and importing them into the West is extremely high.

Most sites that do this are banned from discussion on GAF.

I love that subtle backseat moderating.

GMG have agreements with all the other major publishers as an official key seller. This situation with CD Projekt is unique. I guess it's up to each individual to decide whether or not they'll be taking their business elsewhere. As I've stated before, repeatedly, CD Projekt's greed will just further alienate consumers and push them towards more traditionally dodgy key sellers.

The reason why The Witcher 3 is on Steam, Humble, GoG and various other stores is because they (CD Project) set the price. The third for control is real.

 

[stan423321]

Would you not need, you know, evidence that the keys are stolen?

Correct. Assuming it would be seen as theft by court, it would be very easy to produce though.

 

[Durante]

Strange to see people rushing to CDPR's side on this. I mean, if they don't want to deal with GMG directly, that's their right, but they also can't stop GMG from selling the product. If they don't like someone selling stuff cheap, they can piss off? Price fixing is considered an unfair business practice in many parts of the world. They can be unhappy about it, but putting out a statement telling people not to buy from a retailer is a dick move. If they think the keys are stolen, they should investigate and present evidence. If the keys are not stolen or illegitimate then they should shut up.

Exactly.

Because they told people they dont know where the keys come from and they should hold off buying there until it gets resolved?

Or because of 2 companys not comming to a business agreement?

Because they have no right to restrict resale of their product. (Note: restricting resale is different from not enabling resale, just to keep our arguments straight)

Their claim of getting $0 from these looks pretty bad and accuses GMG of selling stolen keys. Their mods going out on their forums and claiming GMG has always had a bad reputation and has sold stolen keys for 2 other games.

Those are the reasons they're coming off bad.

Yep, it's a smear campaign, basically. Fuck that.

 

[serenewarfare]

My informed opinion as someone who basically wrote the book on getting games for cheap is more than a simple 'because I think so.'

The facts:

1) GMG has been increasing profit margins as of late
2) GMG has never sold a game below the cost it takes for them to acquire
3) There are no known locations among any of the bargain hunter sites where these keys are being sold in the west for less than $39, which is what GMG is likely acquiring them for
4) The only known location for these keys less than what GMG is paying at present is in other markets.
5) GMG is refusing to acknowledge where they got the keys from.

The likelihood that GMG is obtaining these keys from other regions and importing them into the West is extremely high.

Most sites that do this are banned from discussion on GAF.

Even if all that you said is true, that does not make it right to assume wrongdoing.

 

[MarcoZombieCannon]

I dont know how sites that steal keys operate so im not sure if they give back money if the key stops working

GMG has been pressured to give refunds before. That will be fine if CDPR decides to take their ball and go home. What can GMG do if people start assuming they sell stolen keys after this? Which assuredly will happen either way.

But I think assuming anything about this now is just silly.

 

[Big_Al]

In case of retail partner knowingly selling the key to GMG, CDPR could basically claim that keys were "stolen" by the retail partner, and demand GMG to "return" them, probably offering legal help with getting money back from that retail partner.

That's for sure what happens if you find your stolen phone in a used things shop. They probably paid for it, but the phone is yours.

That seems like incredibly shakey ground to be treading on. You can call GMG unethical or breaking their own policy but getting legit keys, be it retail copies etc from another source and then selling them isn't illegal.

I'm surprised to see some folks mention G2A as well. Sites like that were selling blatantly stolen codes, that situation is very different. Getting a lot of retail stock and then flogging the codes from them could be considered shady as fuck but it isn't illegal. OK I am giving GMG the benefit of the doubt here but I seriously doubt they are selling stolen codes.

I'm surprised to see so many folk jump on CDPR's side, not because I think GMG are angels or anything but why would you care about CDPRs profit margins so much ? That's for them to worry about.

 

[Hisoka]

Whoa.. People jump so fast on conclusions in page 1.

Sure CDPR sees money. They see money everytime a seller sells his keys to his costumer.

Gmg is the costumer here.

They did stuff in advance, but didn't get the chance to sell it otherwise. Now they buy them like us. And sell them on a better price. Tell me, what's the negative point if a company tries to stay on time, and don't wanna miss out on a good game, because they know, some people would like to buy it from them?
So CDPR sees money indirect. Sure they don't get the money from Gmg, but from the seller they bought it.

I don't see the big deal here.

 

[Dr.Acula]

GAF has banned certain resellers for shady practices, and if GMG is going down this road then fuck 'em. Maybe CDPR wrote a bad contract with whomever GMG is buying from and GMG is in a technical legal right, in which case, CDPR got fucked.

This isn't an example of price fixing though. Price fixing would be agreeing with competitors to set prices, so that Batman, The Witcher, Mortal Kombat etc. all cost 60 bucks. CDPR telling consumers not to buy keys from a third party reseller isn't price fixing. Note that CDPR can't stop them. If it were price fixing, GMG would be selling them for 60 bucks.

To those that bought off GMG, do you already have your key, or will it be sent on launch date? Does it activate on GOG?

 

[serenewarfare]

This whole argument seems to boil down to "maybe they did something wrong, and maybe they didn't" because we don't have all the facts. Seems a pointless endeavor. Those who are inclined to believe there was wrongdoing won't be convinced otherwise and those who believe things are on the up-and-up won't either.