Thronebreaker - GOG Exclusive

I hadn't considered them wanting to maximize their audience - just maximize their profit.

Likely they just experiment with a game that won't sell allot either way.
No way they'd dare to take the exclusive jump with 2077 but depending on numbers a witcher 4 could possibly be exclusive to GOG.

Doubt I'll really enjoy the card game much but I'll buy this anyhow for the story experience.

Originally Posted by Ripper
But, if they're doing it because they've looked at the figures, and concluded that paying 30% to Steam is very bad value compared to distributing it themselves, don't you think that would be fair enough?

You have to bear in mind that choosing Steam is not a neutral choice. What they charge is way beyond what would be a reasonable price for outsourcing the distribution infrastructure - it's a very high tariff they can charge because they are the gatekeeper of the dominant market.

My understanding is that gog charges a very similar amount to steam if not the same and whilst I appreciate that it feels to me that this is not the case.

Simply my opinion and view.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Pladio
My understanding is that gog charges a very similar amount to steam if not the same and whilst I appreciate that it feels to me that this is not the case.

CDP owns GOG, so that obviously doesn't apply to them.

I'm against exclusive deals like this. It seems every publisher out there wants to do it now, which is why we'll soon need an account for every publisher. Uplay, Origin, Steam, Battle.net, GoG, Bethesda (they have confirmed they'll try to skip Steam) and so on and so forth.

I get the whole 30% thing, but at some point people will just go back to torrenting. It's the same problem with Netflix, HBO and so on. People favor legal options as long as it's not too much hassle, but when it becomes too much of a mess, they'll just go straight back to torrents. Piracy is up for the first time in years, and I've no doubt it's down to all the exclusive deals among streaming services, so we might see the same in gaming if this trend continues.

The definite problem is Valve's 30%. Always was and always will be. I'm not saying if it was lower Origin and uPlay wouldn't exist, but thanks to Valve's greed other clients appeared perhaps earlier than would be "natural".

Streams piracy IMO has nothing to do with this. Torrents? For all I know those lost their "popularity". Today people don't bother with download but just use illegal streaming sites. They normally pay for Netflix, for Amazon, for whatever other possible catalogue out there, but when something isn't on any legal platform (yet), Google where you can watch it and click. And then battle the malware coming from there.
The major problem with streams is geoblocking. Sometimes VPN can help, in many cases can't. Geoblocking needs to be killed.

Next time Valve publishes a game, how likely do you think they'll be to release it on GOG?

From a consumer's perspective, the main difference between owning games on Steam vs GOG is DRM. At least with GOG you can just DL the installer for a game for your account and then once it is installed you never have to login to GOG again to play that game (unless of course there's a patch you want to DL). But unlike Steam there's no client you have to deal with as Galaxy is optional. And I can remain logged into GOG forever as long as I don't clear my cookies. Steam periodically makes me submit validation keys if they "don't recognize my device".

I don't see how a game distribution platform could be less of a hassle than GOG. At some point years ago I made an account for GOG and verified my email address. Probably took a couple of minutes. I don't think this is going to lead to an uprise in piracy, but that's just me.

Well in Steam's defense you can buy games on steam elsewhere; but with gog so far the only place I've seen to buy a gog game is on gog. Of course gog has the advantage of being drm free and ok prices.

Originally Posted by daveyd
Next time Valve publishes a game, how likely do you think they'll be to release it on GOG?

From a consumer's perspective, the main difference between owning games on Steam vs GOG is DRM. At least with GOG you can just DL the installer for a game for your account and then once it is installed you never have to login to GOG again to play that game (unless of course there's a patch you want to DL). But unlike Steam there's no client you have to deal with as Galaxy is optional. And I can remain logged into GOG forever as long as I don't clear my cookies. Steam periodically makes me submit validation keys if they "don't recognize my device".

I don't see how a game distribution platform could be less of a hassle than GOG. At some point years ago I made an account for GOG and verified my email address. Probably took a couple of minutes. I don't think this is going to lead to an uprise in piracy, but that's just me.

Originally Posted by you
Well in Steam's defense you can buy games on steam elsewhere; but with gog so far the only place I've seen to buy a gog game is on gog.

But that is a non-issue. It's not like you have to physically go to Steam to buy a game and some other vendor is closer. Now some vendors like Fanatical have sales on their own, regardless of Steam, but GOG has weekly sales so it's the same. Sure, if the game I want is significantly cheaper on one site I'll chose that, but if I'm just browsing for a random game (which I don't do, but some people do) it's functionally the same. Also, some GOG releases are available on Twitch's game store, but they don't tie to your GOG account.

Originally Posted by daveyd
I don't see how a game distribution platform could be less of a hassle than GOG. At some point years ago I made an account for GOG and verified my email address. Probably took a couple of minutes. I don't think this is going to lead to an uprise in piracy, but that's just me.

Originally Posted by Ivanwah
But that is a non-issue. It's not like you have to physically go to Steam to buy a game and some other vendor is closer. Now some vendors like Fanatical have sales on their own, regardless of Steam, but GOG has weekly sales so it's the same. Sure, if the game I want is significantly cheaper on one site I'll chose that, but if I'm just browsing for a random game (which I don't do, but some people do) it's functionally the same. Also, some GOG releases are available on Twitch's game store, but they don't tie to your GOG account.

The problem isn't whether or not GoG is a lot of hassle. The problem is that having 15 different accounts most definitely is, which is what exclusive titles force people to do. It's all good if GoG is already your preferred store (it is for me), but for a lot of people that won't be the case.

Specific example: I loathe being forced to have a Ubisoft account in order to play their games. Hate it. If every publisher goes that route, I'm not sure I will bother with it. GoG certainly offer a better overall solution, but the enforcement is still the same in this particular case.

Well it's nothing new as we already use different clients to play games. In fact reports show a lot of publishers are leaning towards their own client instead of steam.

So in 10-15 years we wont be just using Steam,Origin, and GOG for most games. Now I don't want to use multiple clients like that scenario either, but it looks inevitable.

The problem isn't sales; the problem is the actual $$ you pay.

Originally Posted by Ivanwah
But that is a non-issue. It's not like you have to physically go to Steam to buy a game and some other vendor is closer. Now some vendors like Fanatical have sales on their own, regardless of Steam, but GOG has weekly sales so it's the same. Sure, if the game I want is significantly cheaper on one site I'll chose that, but if I'm just browsing for a random game (which I don't do, but some people do) it's functionally the same. Also, some GOG releases are available on Twitch's game store, but they don't tie to your GOG account.

This might happen but I won't be going that route. There are enough games by small developers that will likely never have their own clients so if some AAA game is not available on the platform i use then I won't play it. However, if you want to chase each vendor personal client that is fine (for you).

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
Well it's nothing new as we already use different clients to play games. In fact reports show a lot of publishers are leaning towards their own client instead of steam.

So in 10-15 years we wont be just using Steam,Origin, and GOG for most games. Now I don't want to use multiple clients like that scenario either, but it looks inevitable.

Originally Posted by you
This might happen but I won't be going that route. There are enough games by small developers that will likely never have their own clients so if some AAA game is not available on the platform i use then I won't play it. However, if you want to chase each vendor personal client that is fine (for you).

Yes I want to use multiple game client.

You will have no choice just like every other tech advancement. It goes like this a segment of the population will hate something, but in a few years it gets accepted.

Still remember all the Steam hate now it's the dominate game client/service.

Now I'm sure those small million dollar games will always have a place on someone else's game client/service. That's just business as usual.

Now I bid you a good day as usual.

I never hated steam and i'm tired of leaky buckets These companies have moron writing their code and I refused to have more usernames/passwords at more gaming sites. As I said if you are game for it be my guest. I have reached my limit and will never play (for example) a bethesda game that is not on steam or gog.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
Yes I want to use multiple game client.

You will have no choice just like every other tech advancement. It goes like this a segment of the population will hate something, but in a few years it gets accepted.

Still remember all the Steam hate now it's the dominate game client/service.

Now I'm sure those small million dollar games will always have a place on someone else's game client/service. That's just business as usual.

Now I bid you a good day as usual.

Originally Posted by you
The problem isn't sales; the problem is the actual $$ you pay.

True, some of the more popular games are more often on sale either on Steam or on other sites that sell Steam keys.

Originally Posted by Ivanwah
I just hope they don't make it require Galaxy. Aside from no DRM, the fact that you don't need to have a client running is the main draw of GOG for me. But Gwent requires it and I fear this will too. Shame.

No, I dont think so. The GOG page for Thronebreaker states "DRM FREE. No activation or online connection required to play". The free-to-play Gwent tried a different route. This does not, luckily.