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[Green Yoshi]

Like I said, copies after the launch will not require this file to be downloaded, if it's such a pain then wait a week after launch and get it then.

The copies one week after the launch will be the same. Production of the copies without this requirement won't start before launch date. If you buy the game in July, you should be on the safe side. Or just buy a small USB-stick, download the file and put in the box.

 

[Klossen]

So you preordered a retail copy? Pretty sure most people preordered digital.

You're still walking around the actual subject. Those who pre-ordered physically expecting a DRM-free game as advertised are getting the shaft.

 

[RipperGrim]

Shame about everyone pre-ordering the game and not hearing about this until now...

lol okay man feel free to believe what you want, CDPR are sneaky lairs and have secretly put DRM into their games lying to everyone, their reasoning for the last file is totally not plausible and the people who pre-ordered the boxed edition are fucked.

The copies one week after the launch will be the same. Production of the copies without this requirement won't start before launch date. If you buy the game in July, you should be on the safe side. Or just buy a small USB-stick, download the file and put in the box.

Yea when I looked ta my post again I realized a week would probably too short of a time span unless they are producing the games in limited enough quantities to have control of the batches being released. I wonder if they will have a sticker on the box to identify which version is which

 

[Sijil]

You're still walking around the actual subject. Those who pre-ordered physically expecting a DRM-free game as advertised are getting the shaft.

Name me the DRM software being used in this case.

 

[Theonik]

Good point, and further proof that GMG is in the wrong here.

I am not trying to say GMG is necessarily in the wrong here, they are trying to conduct a business. CDPR is also very right to be upset at what GMG is doing, however the way they are going about it, especially the smear campaign they are putting up is completely unprofessional.
Edit: Of course who-ever is selling GMG the keys is the only one not losing money here, but I am almost positive their distribution contract includes a clause about selling keys in bulk like this.

 

[boskee]

lol okay man feel free to believe what you want, CDPR are sneaky lairs and have secretly put DRM into their games lying to everyone, their reasoning for the last file is totally not plausible and the people who pre-ordered the boxed edition are fucked.

I cancelled my pre-order for CE and burned their market stock I may or may not hold. First it's anti-leak protection, then it's gulags. /s

 

[soulassssns]

Sorry CDPR but I will be sticking with GMG as they have never let me down. Origin and Uplay on the other hand can go pound sand.

I just think CDPR is just not in the know and maybe they should have verified with their publisher/s first before assuming such things.


or....I should have just read through more of this thread before posting. ; )

 

[Tovarisc]

Name me the DRM software being used in this case.

Internet

 

[michaelius]

Looking at it as a whole-
CDPR has worked with GMG over W2.
CDPR and GOG are tied.
GOG recently announced GoGalaxy. Or whatever it's called.
Suddenly they refuse to sale for GMG. The reason we *believe* they're not working with is because GMG tends to heavily undercut competition.
GMG, feeling 'betrayed', buys keys from an unknown company that is authorized to sale W3.
GMG decides to HEAVILY undercut competition by selling it $20 cheaper.
CDPR, catching wind of this, denounces GMG and says 'Hey we don't know where you guys got your keys from'.
GMG shoots back saying 'We got the keys from an authorized seller of W3. We tried to work out a deal with CDPR, but they neglected and ignored us.'

Ball is back on CDPRs court, but the balls starting to look deflated at that point. The reason why, IMO, CDPR didn't make a deal with GMG, knowing their tendencies to undercut competition, is that they didn't want to have a service that's supposed to compete with Steam, Origin, what have you, arrive dead on the water by the time W3 released because of a popular game being undercut by a huge amount. Unfortunately, that happened anyway. And at this point, like Tidal, would anyone REALLY migrate over to Galaxy if they're already on Steam/Origin/uPlay? GoGs biggest push for that, Witcher 3, is arriving soon. That could've been a HUGE sale for the Galaxy service. I'm extremely interested in seeing where it goes from here.

~~~
Someone mentioned that corporations aren't your friends. And yeah, I agree wholeheartedly.

Actually GMG is selling keys that are activated on GOG anyway. So in the end consumer still arrives on CDP owned digital platform. So it looks like CDP is fightning for more revenue if people buy on gog.

 

[Denton]

You're still walking around the actual subject. Those who pre-ordered physically expecting a DRM-free game as advertised are getting the shaft.

No, they are not.
They are getting DRM-free copy which requires one time connection to download small exe file, and they are informed about it beforehand.
No matter how much you insist on being wrong, it will not make you right.

 

[liezryou]

Here




Last half is speculation but seems plausible to me

This is pretty false, they didn't 'suddenly' decide not to sell, as per the article, talks have been going for over 6 months at least.

 

[Klossen]

Name me the DRM software being used in this case.

Again, I'm stressing the fact that a game requiring an online connection for activation can hardly be regarded as DRM-free.

 

[Green Yoshi]

Second, are there even any retail AAA games released that have zero protection and work without internet on day one? Care to give any examples?

Risen 3, but it's more AA than AAA. Broken Age has no DRM in the boxed version, too.

 

[Sijil]

Internet

Not a software, but you need the internet to buy the game in the first place, even then I assume that to pre order the physical copy online you still needed internet access. Am I to beleive cavemen are pre ordering the physical copy to play on their Flinstone PC?

 

[ReBurn]

So according to you logic, they should have included exe file in manufacturing, thus ensuring that the game will be leaked on torrents weeks before launch.
Sorry but that is moronic.
The game is still DRM-free.

When did expecting an exe file to be included with physical media become a weird thing?

 

[liezryou]

You're still walking around the actual subject. Those who pre-ordered physically expecting a DRM-free game as advertised are getting the shaft.

I think they would rather connect to the internet for a few seconds rather then seeing people who pirated leaked copies play the game 1 week before them.

This is the absolute minimum required so that the game doesn't leak early so i'm OK with it.

 

[RipperGrim]

When did expecting an exe file to be included with physical media become a weird thing?

When leaks started to happen weeks before the game launched unfortunately. It's not so much an issue now because Steam games do the same thing with their pre-load feature.

 

[Denton]

Risen 3, but it's more AA than AAA. Broken Age has no DRM in the boxed version, too.

Broken Age really isn't AAA, Risen 3 isn't either. Still surprising though, I own Risen 3 Steamworks.

When did expecting an exe file to be included with physical media become a weird thing?

Since years ago.

 

[Sijil]

Again, I'm stressing the fact that a game requiring an online connection for activation can hardly be regarded as DRM-free.

DRM stands for digital rights management, meaning it has to contain a software that restricts a users ownership and what they can and cannot do with the product they bought. The game does not contain any such software, not Securom, Starforce or Denuvo. You said they're being two faced but if that's the case then why is the game DRM free digitally? Where's the software that prevents license transfer?

 

[thebloo]

Not a software, but you need the internet to buy the game in the first place, even I assume that to pre order the physical copy online you still needed internet access. Am I to beleove cavemen are pre ordering the physical copy to play on their Flinstone PC?

If I go to a store and purchase a Retail copy of Witcher 3 that was printed before launch (which would be pretty much all on day 1) I would need to access the Internet in order to play.

Now, that's not a hassle, but it is a form of DRM. See here: http://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Digital_rights_management_(DRM)#Online_activation

 

[boskee]

Sorry CDPR but I will be sticking with GMG as they have never let me down. Origin and Uplay on the other hand can go pound sand.

I just think CDPR is just not in the know and maybe they should have verified with their publisher/s first before assuming such things.


or....I should have just read through more of this thread before posting. ; )

CDPR is self publishing its own game, so no, they didn't have to verify with non-existing publishers.

 

[Klossen]

Not a software, but you need the internet to buy the game in the first place, even I assume that to pre order the physical copy online you still needed internet access. Am I to beleove cavemen are pre ordering the physical copy to play on their Flinstone PC?

This is exactly how people defended Xbone's online DRM. A retail physical game has no reason not to be sold in complete form. The fact that you need to download additional files online for installation cannot be a necessity if the game is supposed to be DRM-free as advertised.

 

[drunkenbaker]

I love that everyone's jumping to the conclusion that GMG are selling stolen or unofficially sourced keys rather than:

- Using their retail contacts (they used to sell retail games) to source shipments of the boxed game in bulk, receiving a discount in return
- Gutting them for their GOG codes
- Inputting them into their database and selling them on to customers

This is the most logical course of events, they even list Namco as the publisher on the page to make it obvious. No conspiracy theories.

It's not like this practice is unheard of, GameKeysNow literally makes their entire business out of gutting retail copies for Steam keys. They even have a page showing their stock deliveries, and one showing how it all works. The only thing that saddens me is the destruction of all the physical media.

 

[Kama_1082]

Just bought a copy for my friend on GMG. Thanks CDPR!

 

[Asd202]

Actually GMG is selling keys that are activated on GOG anyway. So in the end consumer still arrives on CDP owned digital platform. So it looks like CDP is fightning for more revenue if people buy on gog.

Yep, It's always about money.

 

[Bony Manifesto]

CDPR is self publishing its own game, so no, they didn't have to verify with non-existing publishers.

The physical versions most definitely do have publishers.

 

[soulassssns]

When leaks started to happen weeks before the game launched unfortunately. It's not so much an issue now because Steam games do the same thing with their pre-load feature.

So every time you reinstall the game you have to download this exe file? So what happens when they begin not providing the exe file to download anymore (in so many years down the road for example)?

 

[Denton]

The physical versions most definitely do have publishers.

They have distributors.
But CDP self-funded the game themselves.

 

[boskee]

The physical versions most definitely do have publishers.

Distributors. I am tired of repeating myself.

Update: A Warner Bros. representative confirmed to Polygon that the company is just distributing The Witcher 3 in North America; CD Projekt is publishing the game. We've edited the story to reflect this.

http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/25/45...d-hunt-north-america-distribution-warner-bros

 

[Sijil]

If I go to a store and purchase a Retail copy of Witcher 3 that was printed before launch (which would be pretty much all on day 1) I would need to access the Internet in order to play.

Now, that's not a hassle, but it is a form of DRM. See here: http://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Digital_rights_management_(DRM)#Online_activation

That's being nitpicky to be honest. When you download that.exe file you can lend, borrow and resell the game at your leisure, how can anyone call this DRM? Online activation usually means inputting a CD key to permanently register a license to you and you alone. Doubt many would care, the bulk of the players would've gone digital as usual, which is also DRM free.

 

[Sijil]

So every time you reinstall the game you have to download this exe file? So what happens when they begin not providing the exe file to download anymore (in so many years down the road for example)?

I'm sure that file will still be available online somewhere.

 

[Kimawolf]

Yeah DRM is DRM. If I have to connect to the net to download a file to play my game its DRM. Sorry to people who love a game corporation and can't accept they may be doing something shady. Its no different than MS always online crap they tried to pull.

Sorry CDPR I will be getting the game from GMG as well.

 

[Mad Season]

Its sad that a week and a half before launch that this is now killing all of cdpr marketing of the game. I feel bad for the folks who worked on the game

 

[Tovarisc]

So every time you reinstall the game you have to download this exe file? So what happens when they begin not providing the exe file to download anymore (in so many years down the road for example)?

You can download install files from GOG and they include every necessary file for the game to work, post-launch that is.

Edit: Am I only one who finds it hilarious how people say "Fuck you CDP!" for doing alleged shady things by purchasing CDP's game?

 

[Sijil]

This is exactly how people defended Xbone's online DRM. A retail physical game has no reason not to be sold in complete form. The fact that you need to download additional files online for installation cannot be a necessity if the game is supposed to be DRM-free as advertised.

So now the copy I bought on Steam is it DRM free or not? What about the one on GOG?

 

[Klossen]

That's being nitpicky to be honest. When you download that.exe file you can lend, borrow and resell the game at your leisure, how can anyone call this DRM? Online activation usually means inputting a CD key to permanently register a license to you and you alone. Doubt many would care, the bulk of the players would've gone digital as usual, which is also DRM free.

You kept repeating how online activation isn't DRM, yet when proven wrong, you immediately change the subject into one of statistics rather than of principle. Seems more like you're vested in protecting CDPR rather than playing DRM-free games.

 

[thebloo]

That's being nitpicky to be honest. When you download that.exe file you can lend, borrow and resell the game at your leisure, how can anyone call this DRM? Online activation usually means inputting a CD key to permanently register a license to you and you alone. Doubt many would care, the bulk of the players would've gone digital as usual, which is also DRM free.

Definitions are usually nitpicky. Bottom line is that a PS4/X1 retail copy can be played without Internet, while a PC retail copy can't. That's a form of DRM. If GOG servers shut down, that first batch of copies is worthless.

Again, I don't really mind. I have it digital anyway and a small decryption file is pretty much accessible to (almost) everyone. But when you're always touting DRM FREE, stuff like this matters.

 

[boskee]

You kept repeating how online activation isn't DRM, yet when proven wrong, you immediately change the subject into one of statistics rather than of principle. Seems more like you're vested in protecting CDPR rather than playing DRM-free games.

It's not an activation. It's an HTTP get request to a server that will contain a file.

 

[Denton]

Yeah DRM is DRM. If I have to connect to the net to download a file to play my game its DRM. Sorry to people who love a game corporation and can't accept they may be doing something shady. Its no different than MS always online crap they tried to pull.

Sorry CDPR I will be getting the game from GMG as well.

No, it's not DRM. Words have meanings, you can't just change them to justify your outrage.
If you are really comparing MS's always online scheme with having to one time download few MB large exe file, thing that serves to prevent leaks, then sorry but that is one moronic comparison.

 

[Mithos]

The game is now £49.99 over at GMG, and even with the 23% of voucher, everyone else is cheaper now.

 

[Ophiuchus]

Looks like no one has done anything wrong in this fucked up situation. I do have to question how any of this makes financial sense for GMG. They are already taking a financial loss trying to resell keys, which is only made worse by the huge sale they are doing. And any benefits of having such a promotion has been countered by these allegations, which GMG probably should've forsaw.

Stuff like this is why I feel like we will one day wake up to find GMG having gone out of business overnight.

I really don't think that GMG is selling the keys at loss.Regional prices for TW3 is very different and prices vary very sharply.For example , it costs nearly 37$ in Poland and 26$ in Turkey (Retail PC version - I pre-ordered boxed version even at a discounted(14%) price).This pricing is actually very well though for some countries where there is high parity with foreign currency but this can also be used to have advantage over other markets.I really do not want to make any deduction since nothing is known yet but such conditions suck.

 

[Sijil]

You kept repeating how online activation isn't DRM, yet when proven wrong, you immediately change the subject into one of statistics rather than of principle. Seems more like you're vested in protecting CDPR rather than playing DRM-free games.

Never proven wrong to begin with and I answered the argument in first sentence of the quoted paragraph. Does requiring a downloadable file mean I cannot do with the game whatever I want? Does it remove ownership? Does it revoke any licenses? Because that is what DRM is in the end controlling ownership and licenses. In the end I will be able to resell, lend and borrow any physical edition of Witcher 3 on PC, install it and give it to someone else.

 

[Salaadin]

So now the copy I bought on Steam is it DRM free or not? What about the one on GOG?

Steam version has steam drm, gog version is drm free aside from the day one small file download Required to play

 

[Bony Manifesto]

Distributors. I am tired of repeating myself.



http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/25/45...d-hunt-north-america-distribution-warner-bros

Whether you call them publishers or distributors, isn't the point that any one of them could have sold GMG perfectly legitimate, legal stock without CDPR's knowledge? And if not directly by them, then through a wholesaler of some description? I just don't think CDPR has quite the iron grip over their distribution as you suggest.

 

[Chariot]

The game is now £49.99 over at GMG, and even with the 23% of voucher, everyone else is cheaper now.

Huh, uh?
What happened now, did GMG and CDPR finish a deal while users were hurling axes, swords and a rubber chicken at each other? Or did GMG just madr the price higher to end the debate?

 

[danm999]

I'm super confused by this whole entire thing so forgive me if I'm making some weird error, but is this suggesting that CDPR didn't want to engage in the usual launch discount that GMG does, therefore GMG had to obtain keys from an unknown source, and is selling at a loss?

I guess this somehow makes sense with how big Witcher 3 is going to be, but it seems really weird from a business side for GMG to do so. Also, I hope those keys continue to work at launch and CDPR doesn't somehow disable them.

There are a couple of explanations for why this might be happening.

1) They're buying it from authorized vendors and selling it at a loss to maintain profile/generate goodwill as a storefront. They don't want to be seen as the place where you cannot get big release games, and they do want to be seen as the place where you can get good deals.

2) They're buying keys in low cost regions and selling them in high cost regions, pocketing the difference in markup.

3) They somehow got hold of these keys and are simply selling them.

 

[Tovarisc]

The game is now £49.99 over at GMG, and even with the 23% of voucher, everyone else is cheaper now.

Yeah, discount is gone and price is now 59.99€ for me. This got even more interesting now as GMG in no way is obligated to increase the price as they aren't dealing directly with CDP on this one so they aren't taking suggested pricing from there.

Whether you call them publishers or distributors, isn't the point that any one of them could have sold GMG perfectly legitimate, legal stock without CDPR's knowledge? And if not directly by them, then through a wholesaler of some description? I just don't think CDPR has quite the iron grip over their distribution as you suggest.

Hence CDP not knowing from where GMG is sourcing their keys.

 

[boskee]

The game is now £49.99 over at GMG, and even with the 23% of voucher, everyone else is cheaper now.

Interesting. Was their promotion a one day only event or did they change the price after the whole drama? If it's the latter, then I'd question the legitimacy of the keys they're selling yesterday.

Whether you call them publishers or distributors, isn't the point that any one of them could have sold GMG perfectly legitimate, legal stock without CDPR's knowledge? And if not directly by them, then through a wholesaler of some description? I just don't think CDPR has quite the iron grip over their distribution as you suggest.

Namco/WB or any other distribution partner is only licensed to sell the retail version of the game. Whether or not they're allowed to sell a batch for the purpose of online distribution is something that CDPR would most likely have to argue in court and prove the intent.

 

[Klossen]

Never proven wrong to begin with

Except the fact that the source that was posted explicitly stated online activation as a means of DRM. Seems like you're trying to push your own definition of DRM rather than that widely accepted.

 

[RipperGrim]

Yeah DRM is DRM. If I have to connect to the net to download a file to play my game its DRM. Sorry to people who love a game corporation and can't accept they may be doing something shady. Its no different than MS always online crap they tried to pull.

Sorry CDPR I will be getting the game from GMG as well.

So their reasons of preventing a leak are bullshit? Is that what you are saying? The fact that you can buy the game afterwards in a complete state means nothing? You can get the game from GoG.com and keep the install file for the game as long you want and never connect to the internet again to install that game.

Honestly if you think that's "shady" then you're just witch hunting here and absolutely have to have something against CDPR.

The game is now £49.99 over at GMG, and even with the 23% of voucher, everyone else is cheaper now.

Have they maybe made a deal with CDPR then?