GOG Denies New Policy Circumvents Australian Censorship of Witcher 2

Greg Tito

PR for Dungeons & Dragons
Sep 29, 2005
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GOG Denies New Policy Circumvents Australian Censorship of Witcher 2



Good Old Games now allows the user to select the region, but that change has nothing to do with the recent Australian censorship of The Witcher 2.

We reported last week that Australia requested some changes [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109795-The-Witcher-2-Sexed-Down-for-Australia] be made to CD Projekt's highly anticipated sequel The Witcher 2 in order to receive a rating to be legally sold in the country. Now though, CD Projekt's online retail arm Good Old Games no longer automatically detects a customer's location based on IP address, allowing the customer to choose their location from a drop down menu. This change allows people to buy games that may not be available "down under," but a representative from Good Old Games says that the change has nothing to do with the recent censorship.

"[The policy change] has nothing specific to do with Australia in particular," Trevor Longino from Good Old Games said of the change. "Our new policy simply reflects the way we think global digital distribution should be."

Longino admits that GOG is aware of what some people in Australia will now use the new system to do. "We're not stupid, of course and realize that some users may abuse this to obtain a version of a game that is not approved by their local Certification Board," he said. "GOG.com has always been about giving our users the power of choice; if they willingly choose to violate their local censorship laws, we can't condone that."

People against the censorship of videogames in Australia are all for the change in policy. "[It] highlights the absurdity of the current system," said Colin Jacobs from Electronic Frontiers Australia.

Longino said that the policy is all about treating PC gamers how they would like to be treated which is why GOG no longer records customers' IP addresses. "We don't make money by spying on our users," said Longino. "As part of this, we're no longer keeping their IP addresses geo-IP information on record. We don't need the info, so why keep it?"

Not only that, but users will now be able to choose "to be from" the region with the lowest prices. The cost of PC games in regions outside the U.S. are generally higher due to agreements with publishers but customers at GOG.com will now be able to circumvent those agreements in addition to any censorship.

If someone had told me five years ago that a company would make money selling good old games with no DRM or copy protection at cut rate prices, I would have spit my jack and coke in your face. But maybe GOG.com and CD Projekt have stumbled on to a novel idea: treating customers with respect can be profitable, too.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go play The Witcher in giddy anticipation of all the boobies I will see in my un-censored copy of the sequel. Mmm. Boobies.

Source: Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/34651/GOG_Denies_Policy_Changes_Were_Made_To_Increase_Australian_Witcher_2_Sales.php]

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rembrandtqeinstein

New member
Sep 4, 2009
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ok that quote sold me

"Longino said that the policy is all about treating PC gamers how they would like to be treated which is why GOG no longer records customers' IP addresses. "We don't make money by spying on our users," said Longino. "As part of this, we're no longer keeping their IP addresses geo-IP information on record. We don't need the info, so why keep it?"

Buying it.
 

bob1052

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Oct 12, 2010
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Of course they would never admin it, that would be bad for business.

Of course they would intend for it to happen, that would be good for business.
 

CM156_v1legacy

Revelation 9:6
Mar 23, 2011
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I'll be damned. These guys are the most progressive (in the good way) people in the video game industry I have seen in a long time. I might just pick up the first game, as I never got the chance to play it.
I DID pick up the first game just now($5? Hells yes!). After that, perahps I will get Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights. And then the first two Fallout games!

Oh, Happy day!
 

Callate

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Dec 5, 2008
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"GOG.com has always been about giving our users the power of choice; if they willingly choose to violate their local censorship laws, we can't condone that."
I think the use of "can't" condone rather than "don't" condone here might be telling. "Don't" would be wagging a finger, "can't" seems more like, "Well, we've got a business to run and we can't actively invite legal flak."
 

Tarlane

Charismatic Leader
May 5, 2009
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I do love you GoG. I have a pretty good stock of games from you already, but this is the sort of thing that makes me go and pick up a couple games that I was on the fence about and I know will sit in the 'to play' pile for a long time just because I want to support you guys and your style.
 

Braedan

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Sep 14, 2010
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Tarlane said:
I do love you GoG. I have a pretty good stock of games from you already, but this is the sort of thing that makes me go and pick up a couple games that I was on the fence about and I know will sit in the 'to play' pile for a long time just because I want to support you guys and your style.
QFT. i think i'm go buy some games now.
 

llafnwod

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Nov 9, 2007
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Oh man. Since Impulse got bought out these guys are easily my favorite publisher in the industry.
 

Soviet Heavy

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Jan 22, 2010
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CM156 said:
I'll be damned. These guys are the most progressive (in the good way) people in the video game industry I have seen in a long time. I might just pick up the first game, as I never got the chance to play it.
It's Ten Bucks right now as promotion for Assassin of Kings. Buy it.
 

tcurt

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Jan 28, 2010
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"CD Projekt's online retail arm Good Old Games"

How long have I been under a rock? I was completely unaware they were related in any way.
 

Delusibeta

Reachin' out...
Mar 7, 2010
2,594
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9_6 said:
So I can buy a game, download the installer of any version I want, store it and never ever have to go online or shove a cd into the drive again to play that game and don't have to worry about DRM?
That's a privilege reserved primarily for pirates so far.
Pretty much. Although the only games that's really much different on GOG is The Witcher 2.

Soviet Heavy said:
CM156 said:
I'll be damned. These guys are the most progressive (in the good way) people in the video game industry I have seen in a long time. I might just pick up the first game, as I never got the chance to play it.
It's Ten Bucks right now as promotion for Assassin of Kings. Buy it.
Correction: ten bucks is the standard, non-promotion price. Five bucks is the promo price.
 

Zipa

batlh bIHeghjaj.
Dec 19, 2010
1,489
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Well done GoG, its nice to see a company treating its customers with respect and not treating them all like pirates. I would tip my hat to you if I had one.
 

exampleAccount

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May 2, 2011
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GoG.com are fucking legends. They are living proof that:
A. Not all giant corporations are douchebags.
B. Not all customers are douchebags.

Seriously, It would be piss easy to pirate GoG's games due to how little protection they have, but why would you want to?
 

Casimir_Effect

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Aug 26, 2010
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CM156 said:
I'll be damned. These guys are the most progressive (in the good way) people in the video game industry I have seen in a long time. I might just pick up the first game, as I never got the chance to play it.
I DID pick up the first game just now($10? Hells yes!). After that, perahps I will get Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights. And then the first two Fallout games!

Oh, Happy day!
I'm assuming then that you have the Baldur's Gate games and, more importantly, Planescape: Torment? As they are also on the site for $10 and far more worth it than NWN or Icewind Dale.
 

RA92

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Jan 1, 2011
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Greg Tito said:
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go play The Witcher in giddy anticipation of all the boobies I will see in my un-censored copy of the sequel. Mmm. Boobies.
But I thought Americans are getting the censored version - waaait a minute, I think we've got a perpetrator here! Abusing GOG's trust, are we here? Shame on you Mr Tito! ;)

Also, lol boobs!