dream
Member
I don't think I'm upset (yet) about this debacle, but I buy almost every game from GMG.
CDPR keeping Witcher 3 keys for Origin, uPlay and GOG; tell GMG to go pound sand
- Thread starter dex3108
- Start date
I don't think I'm upset (yet) about this debacle, but I buy almost every game from GMG.
I wouldn't say I'm upset, but I pre-ordered it for the ps4.so I don't really have a horse in the race.
RipperGrim
Member
Because the physical release gets leaked a lot earlier, you could be looking at a full leak a week before the launch.
Best Buy. $48 with GCU + a $10 rewards certificate for pre-ordering, making it basically $38.
Take look into GMG?
Definitely. Was waiting for a VIP deal. I should have jumped on that 35% deal.
Reminds me of this bish-verified/approved post from an insider at CDP:
Iorv3th
Member
It's called MAP pricing. Minimum Advertised Pricing. It's done to keep big companies that buy in bulk from undercutting everyone else and usually to keep a product from being devalued. Several businesses use it. I don't know how often/many of them do it in the video game market, but it's nothing new.
Maybe I should cancel that ps4 order
Among the AAA devs, no one is even close. They still have a looonnngg way to go before they are at the level of MS, Sony, EA, Ubi, and the rest.
LurkerPrime
Member
Yes, CD Projekt is not following a Pay What You Want system for Witcher 3. 'Tis the truth.
Though that reminds me, Humble Bundle still exists and they also champion DRM free releases, so there's actually two last bastions. One, and then one redundancy in case the other fails, at which point it's a free fall into doom.
I'll never understand how people can support uPlay after the constant online connection stuff Ubisoft pulled. I know they don't do it anymore, but their precedent for attempting it will always be there. Makes me wary as heck.
Exactly where I'm sitting. Was even going to purchase it (35% off) today because the heat was starting to feel real.
TheSlySoul
Member
I have a feeling it is going to be a buggy mess at launch. I will wait for the GOTY edition.
I just think that if GMG decided to stop whatever they were doing, there must be a reason besides "bad PR". CDPR said they control the digital keys, so they must have a legal document that prevents cases like this one. If GMG tried to go around that, then this issue is understandable. It wouldn't be if they were authorized, tried the discount and CDPR/GOG cut ties.
I've seen many different prices for this game in the official digital stores. In fact, it's even cheaper for me on Steam than on GOG! I really don't see any kind of price fixing. For example, major Ubisoft games cost the same at launch for me on Steam, Origin and uPlay. The Witcher III does not.
I've seen many different prices for this game in the official digital stores. In fact, it's even cheaper for me on Steam than on GOG! I really don't see any kind of price fixing. For example, major Ubisoft games cost the same at launch for me on Steam, Origin and uPlay. The Witcher III does not.
Turin Turambar
Member
Maybe you shouldn't buy any big game, ever. Because constant crunch and misleading marketing is standard in the industry.
edit: and at this point they have shown several hours of the game streamed. So people had an opportunity to see the real game for themselves, not only souped up trailers from two years ago.
Wait, CDPR are AAA devs now? Because I don't think that's even remotely close to being true. Sales definitely don't back up that moniker. Witcher 3 preorder numbers in my area are quite soft.
Theonik
Member
This was posted a few pages ago:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=163037095&postcount=1593
And GMG's current price with 23% off code.
Maybe you should read the line directly before the crunch one.
Definitely shouldn't preorder any game ever unless you are dead certain you ok with the risk of buying something potentially shitty.
Sorry I should've been more clear. I meant an authorized digital reseller.
I have no idea what the threshold is for "AAA". Is the Witcher 3 not a AAA title? Regardless they are still better than anyone in that space.
They sure fooled me with witcher 2 if they aren't AAA devs.
Turin Turambar
Member
Again, it also doesn't hold up. They haven't hidden the game. They have shown several hours of the gameplay at this point. If anything, the game is overexposed, with hundreds of screenshots, a dozen trailers, a pair of official stream videos and a dozen of famous youtuber videos, each one from 20 to 50 minutes (apart from the spoken and written impressions of the people who have played it already during two days).
It's funny how people like to latch up to negative rumours from an anonymous source, even when we have concrete evidence at this point of the game.
A.Romero
Member
I think there is none. What they are saying is "they are not buying from us, we don't know where they come from. Don't buy from them"
No legal action or anything like that.
You are right you are free to do it though.
At least everyone seems to treat them as such nowadays.
Of all of those, Best Buy is the best bet. Though that requires the $30 membership to GCU if you don't have it.
It comes with a gog key so it's the best option.
At the end of the day it's still just videogames for a lot of people. You know, just a hobby. Something that isn't worth getting angry/worked up about.
Not really.
The bold part won't happen with The Witcher III, because it doesn't attach the key (considering it's really a key and not necessary files for the game) to your purchase. It's an universal thing.
Man, CDPR really have a passionate fanbase. The number of people that defend them fiercely is on par with Nintendo.
Said that, i don't agree with the actions of GMG. I think they should had a big banner on the site explaining that they would not sell Witcher 3 because they couldn't reach a agreement with CDPR and people would take their own conclusions/actions.
CDPR just proves that they are a company like the others, who wants (rightfully) to get paid for their product. But at the same time they aren't the gamers holy grail, they will take the necessary actions to diminish the competition.
And I bought my copy from Steam, being from brazil and having the 2 previous games, i only payed like $25.
I just think they could have reached a agreement earlier and avoided all this mess.
Said that, i don't agree with the actions of GMG. I think they should had a big banner on the site explaining that they would not sell Witcher 3 because they couldn't reach a agreement with CDPR and people would take their own conclusions/actions.
CDPR just proves that they are a company like the others, who wants (rightfully) to get paid for their product. But at the same time they aren't the gamers holy grail, they will take the necessary actions to diminish the competition.
And I bought my copy from Steam, being from brazil and having the 2 previous games, i only payed like $25.
I just think they could have reached a agreement earlier and avoided all this mess.
damn. pre-order at your own risk people!
Exactly. People are freaking out because a store tried to sell keys without the authorization of the ones responsible for them. Everyone has a choice to buy the game if they want, in any platform they want, whenever they want and at the price they want. For example, I'll buy next year on PC. Still undecided if I'll go to GOG or Steam. Plenty of time until then. Since there are different benefits with both choices, I can have some time.
EDIT: Oh, right, there's Nuuvem too!
BibiMaghoo
Member
The first line invalidates it. It is not copy protection, nor is it managing of digital right or entitlement of ownership. It is dictating only when you can start playing the game. Nothing there about DRM stopping people from using products before they are even released.
Videogames is hobby that has multiple developers and publishers in it, providing you with games to play. Missing out on game X because you can't support actions of developer/publisher behind it shouldn't be that huge deal. Going to gray market or even pirating just out of spite and because just have to play game X no matter what is just so two faced.
"I really don't agree with anything you do as business, but because you made cool looking game I go to gray market stores just out of spite!"
Theonik
Member
As of now, I don't really know who is or is not as such! For starters this doesn't prove price-fixing anyway since for all we know, CDPR is selling keys to authorised retailers relatively close to that price so they have very little room to undercut while making a profit.
Nuuvem (with discount if you own the first two games on GOG) and GMG are now selling GOG keys. Steam, uPlay and Origin are the other digital sellers that add their own technologies into the game (maybe? Could someone confirm if you get Origin and uPlay achievements?).
Unless this escalated to a trial it wouldn't be wise for GMG to disclose that specific information. For us consumers we should get this information but exposing whoever they purchased keys from could damage their existing business relationship. CDPR would need to force the matter with a lawsuit but it seems like they resolved their issues already.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
GatticusFinch
Member
It's not managing the rights I have in a digital product that I legitimately purchased by not letting me use the product until they say so? Could have fooled me.
What i don't understand is why people are comparing GMG to gray market, kingin or even pirating the game.
Yes, they aren't getting the keys directly from CDPR (and that's even against their own policy) but we have any proof that they are getting this keys in a scummy way?
Does GMG have people that goes on reddit and buy all the Nvidia codes that have been popping lately? Does they buy keys from regions that are cheaper than US and then resell them?
If they are obtaining this keys in a legit way i don't see any problem with what they are doing (besides their own policy contradiction). CDPR already got they share. It's not different than I as a person buying a copy and them reselling to a friend.
Hell, that's exactly what the used games market is, and everybody remember what was the reaction the last time a company proposed a change (for worst)....
Yes, they aren't getting the keys directly from CDPR (and that's even against their own policy) but we have any proof that they are getting this keys in a scummy way?
Does GMG have people that goes on reddit and buy all the Nvidia codes that have been popping lately? Does they buy keys from regions that are cheaper than US and then resell them?
If they are obtaining this keys in a legit way i don't see any problem with what they are doing (besides their own policy contradiction). CDPR already got they share. It's not different than I as a person buying a copy and them reselling to a friend.
Hell, that's exactly what the used games market is, and everybody remember what was the reaction the last time a company proposed a change (for worst)....
I also agree it's unfair to label them as grey market, but the issue is probably legal. For you to sell The Witcher III on your store, you must get CDPR's authorization. Probably.
I hadn't even thought about that. This may actually be the reason why they refuse to sell keys to GMG and Amazon.
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
All these johnny come latelys to PC games don't know GMG has been around for a long time and is on the up and up. They just see low prices and assume.
BibiMaghoo
Member
Haha, until they say so being when the game is actually released?
No. It is not DRM. It is no more DRM than the shop that refuses to sell you a game before launch. Not sure how you legitimately purchase and have ready to play a game that is unreleased.
cartographer
Member
Well, it is "grey market" in this case. We don't know for sure where they got the keys, just that they didn't get them from the source. Some grey market keys aren't shady and are legitimate and region-appropriate. Some are shady. The term is typically brought up to reference the shadier practices, but it's a broader term than that.
From an ethical standpoint, if they are legitimate, region-appropriate keys, then I don't have a problem with the practice.
But (and correct me if I'm wrong) users of GMG expect the company to not use grey market keys, even if legitimate. That's why they have a higher reputation than other sites. In that case, I do think GMG should have been more transparent about what they were selling, even if legitimate and region-appropriate.
Theonik
Member
Grey market in this particular context would include GMG since they were not selling keys directly purchased from CDPR. This is even more embarrassing for them since they base their entire publicity around 'We are not grey market we buy all our keys from the devs honest' which they did not in this case and were not transparent to their customers about. Now, whether and how shady their keys are in this case nobody has any clue, which is why we had this debacle in the first place.
Technically speaking, they are only letting you download 99.9% of the game until launch and giving you the rest at launch to protect the interests of their partners in retail. But this is semantic since it is functionally the same thing.
Well, the selling of digital and physical games have a different regulation?
I ask that because if all the shops that want sell The Witcher III need to have CDPR's authorization we have thousands of brick and mortar stores across the world that are illegal.
If I have a mom and pop store and i go to Gamestop and buy 1000 copies, am i prohibited to sell them at my store? Even if i acquired them legally?
I totally agree that GMG should had been transparent with their costumers. Maybe they could have done something like Amazon third-party sellers, were they explicitly say that the product comes form other source but the transaction is fulfilled by them.
But i give them the benefit of doubt and prefer to believe that this case was an exception to the rule, because GMG always had lot's of promotions for games released and unreleased (just check how many times they were featured at CAG) and i don't remember i ever heard of anything wrong about the way they obtain the keys.
it's just an awful thing to do really. forcing a price and not selling keys to Amazon, GMG and others just is a a bad practice that hurt gamers like me. if they want to push their GoG platform let them do good offers that compete with other stores like what Steam and Origin do all the time, not allowing other stores to sell like usual is just very anti consumer behavior.
The retail copies are not published by CDPR, but by Namco. Therefore, they don't get as much profit as any digital version (30% only, if they follow the standard model).
Semantics really. Day 1 patches are usually multi-GB these days and games that require them aren't fully functional without them.
If the game doesn't work properly without the day 1 patch, how is this any different?
It is a free patch. Does not require any sort of authentication. Works with all physical copies of the game.
It's not a CD key.
The software that is shipping on the original CD is not 100% complete. On release day, there will be a small patch that installs the required files.