Did it really say sold by Amazon? Damn, then Amazon really does need to have checks in place.Maybe some basic ID checks should be in order.
Remember, this is sold by Amazon, not a 3rd party marketplace. All these guys did was take the GOG game and say "Oh hi this is our game please sell it". It'd be the same as getting the GOG version of a game on Steam.
No. It's not that Amazon is providing the marketplace for the third party to sell pirated games. It's basically as the title suggest, Amazon is the one who is selling them.
I couldn't help but burst out laughing at work while reading this. Thanks.
They didn't even try to make home made CDs and slap a skin to it? So lazy.
Chat. Mentioned malicious code and piracy.We'll never buying from them again. Is it possible this Frostpunk copy is malicious? I have the installer downloaded but haven't ran it yet. At the very least it might be a good way to test if it can run on my laptop.
Chat or email?
It would be great if they did. It sucks that people are taking advantage of GOG's DRM free policy. This is why we can't have nice things.GOG should hold Amazon's ass to the fire on this since this could really impact their own business, particularly if publishers become more reluctant to support DRM free games.
No. It's not that Amazon is providing the marketplace for the third party to sell pirated games. It's basically as the title suggest, Amazon is the one who is selling them.
Interesting. The plot thickens if true. Seems like we need to dig deeper.No, it looks like OP (and everyone else itt aside from ming ) mistook the third party seller "Amazon.com Services, Inc." for being Amazon actual, when they are not. "Amazon Digital Services LLC" is the correct name.
Just because it isn't a cracked copy doesn't mean that it isn't piracy.
I think I only quoted other people saying that so im absolved lolNo, it looks like OP (and everyone else itt aside from ming ) mistook the third party seller "Amazon.com Services, Inc." for being Amazon actual, when they are not. "Amazon Digital Services LLC" is the correct name.
edit: I could be wrong too, it's hard to research now it seems that all the dodgy items are now "currently unavailable".
It is not the same problem.
Re-selling an issued humble key is still not legal to the purchase agreement, but at the very least you aren't replicating the game, impersonating developers or selling disfunctional goods.
Well I was a rube and bought a copy after it was linked to me this morning. I thought it was a legit copy / price error. Any way to get a refund?
I think GOG and the Companies that use it should find a way to protect themselves against these kind of acts, I don't know much how these things work, but they could do things like putting unique serials and signing the executable? that way any copy sold would be unique, while remaining free of other obtrusive DRMs and trying to pirating a copy would traceable at least. What do you think?
I understand being optimistic, but....this is the US.Why?
• Because it is illegal.
• Because amazon is making cents out of it.
• Because there will be a ton of negative PR.
• Government fines for piracy.
• Potential for lawsuits from publishers/customers.
I am still waiting for someone, or some website, to review the Twitch Prime free games, whether any of them fall under this category of being repacked and redistributed by a scammer.
someone was asking about this earlier. what game was that?They do this to the Twitch Prime games too.. GOG games that clearly have GOG Galaxy messaging in the game for any online functionality. Which doesn't work. (Even with GOG Galaxy running in the background)
The ultimate goal of DRM would be to have executables that could be uniquely identified, like real objects are, so that they can't be duplicated.I think GOG and the Companies that use it should find a way to protect themselves against these kind of acts, I don't know much how these things work, but they could do things like putting unique serials and signing the executable? that way any copy sold would be unique, while remaining free of other obtrusive DRMs and trying to pirating a copy would traceable at least. What do you think?
Good idea.It would be really great if jschreier or someone at Kotaku/another gaming news site could shine some light on this whole fiasco. The fact that there's a dev who reported pirated digital copies of their game being sold on amazon SEVEN months ago, and amazon has done nothing, shows that this is a serious issue that needs to have the spotlight on it.
GOG was caught in the past selling games with no cd crack and fan made patch to make them work :) .
They do this to the Twitch Prime games too.. GOG games that clearly have GOG Galaxy messaging in the game for any online functionality. Which doesn't work. (Even with GOG Galaxy running in the background)
I'm not sure it's a good idea, they might don't want the spotlight because a lot of people don't seem to realize that DRM-free = can make copies without repercussion. (Beside moral ones.)It would be really great if jschreier or someone at Kotaku/another gaming news site could shine some light on this whole fiasco. The fact that there's a dev who reported pirated digital copies of their game being sold on amazon SEVEN months ago, and amazon has done nothing, shows that this is a serious issue that needs to have the spotlight on it.
People are too used to DRM protecting the copying of games that they seem to forget that an executable normally is infinitely copyable data, even if you paid to have access to it.Wow. Just how do you even make pirated copies off of digital versions of games?
That's news to me.
I'm not sure it's a good idea, they might don't want the spotlight because a lot of people don't realize that DRM-free = can make copies without repercussion. (Beside moral ones.)
GOG works on trust and good reputation. Discussing it in public would put pressure on Amazon who is breaking the trust chain, but it would also highlight to potential copycats that anyone could do this with any GOG game.
Maybe I'm worrying for nothing but I feel like there's a tipping scale factor to take in account.
Edit: actually the faster Amazon reacts the best, so I'm probably worrying about the wrong thing.
GOG has always been DRM free, it's never been some kind of secret. Humble Bundle and Twitch (I think) also sell DRM free games--GOG just takes special care to ensure their entire library is DRM-free.I'm not sure it's a good idea, they might don't want the spotlight because a lot of people don't realize that DRM-free = can make copies without repercussion. (Beside moral ones.)
GOG works on trust and good reputation. Discussing it in public would put pressure on Amazon who is breaking the trust chain, but it would also highlight that anyone could do this with any GOG game.
Maybe I'm worrying for nothing but I feel like there's a tipping scale factor to take in account.
Wow. Just how do you even make pirated copies off of digital versions of games?
That's news to me.
This is what I was thinking. Didn't have time to check it myself. It makes more sense if this is true. Will probably lead to policy changes. Curious to see if Amazon is going to issue a response to this.No, it looks like OP (and everyone else itt aside from ming ) mistook the third party seller "Amazon.com Services, Inc." for being Amazon actual, when they are not. "Amazon Digital Services LLC" is the correct name.
edit: I could be wrong too, it's hard to research now it seems that all the dodgy items are now "currently unavailable".
The DRM measure I'm thinking of would be checked, but just one time, at the time of the sale. It would be registered that a specific serial has already been sold.The ultimate goal of DRM would be to have executables that could be uniquely identified, like real objects are, so that they can't be duplicated.
DRM are just the classification of every technology and technique that people tried to get that working.
(Well, expiration and remote control is also part of the ideas managed in DRM. It's a bout Digital Right Management = Control after all.)
The ID you are talking about would be part of a DRM if it's checked. If it's never checked, then it's useless to have such ID. GOG doesn't want to use DRM that might restrict your access to the game, so they trust the users to be reasonnable (since there is nothing stopping them from copying the executable ad infinitum).
I believe their only "practical" protection against piracy is faith in their users and giving good services to have a good reputation as a store and thus get clients.
I understand being optimistic, but....this is the US.
• Because it is illegal. < Hahahahaha, this is among the least illegal thing Amazon has done and gotten away with. In the US, individuals can't even be actually liable for this or punished. Amazon will have to, at best, pay a fine that is .0001% of .00001% of their profits.
• Because amazon is making cents out of it. - Yep.
• Because there will be a ton of negative PR. - Is the negative value of this more money than the profit? Probably not.
• Government fines for piracy. See point 1.
• Potential for lawsuits from publishers/customers. - It is much too costly for indie devs and gamers to sue Amazon, their legal budget alone is probably 1000 times the amount of money they could lose from this even if they lost in court, which they wouldn't, as they would just continually appeal and waste all your money.
Yup. I took screens in case those get taken down, too.Amazon took games off from US but other sites still have them:
Pirate game https://www.amazon.co.uk/Haemimont-Games-Surviving-Mars-Download/dp/B07FKFQDCD/
Real game: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Surviving-Mars-PC-Mac-Code/dp/B07BFFNDS9/
Both say "Sold by Amazon Media EU S.à.r.l."
Not third party marketplace seller.
I have checked your chat conversation and I am really sorry for the trouble you have with "Frostpunk [Download]".
I have successfully escalated this issue to our Amazon games and Software technical team.
Here is the Ticket ID: [XXXXXX].
I will personally follow up with your account and get back to you with more information via Email once I have received an update from our technical team.
I appreciate your understanding and patience in this matter.
That sucks. Maybe it's gotten big enough that they noticed there was a problem and preventing too many issues.For what it's worth, I got my reply from their CS supervisor:
Dunno why everyone else just got refunds. I used the same kind of language others are saying they used.
For what it's worth, I got my reply from their CS supervisor:
Dunno why everyone else just got refunds. I used the same kind of language others are saying they used.
Anyone who sells their games in GOG is fully aware that it will be more easy to pirate them. GOG isn't at fault here. Amazon is since they are allowing those pirates to sell them.