Free Games Thread

[lexluthermiester]

What's with the GOG giveaway? I thought they were supposed to offer a free game each day up to the end of the month, but I can't see any indication of it on the website anymore.

I don't see it either.. Wonder what happened..

You can find the advent calendar on the Winter Sale page. Today's (15) gift isn't enabled yet.

Ah, yes, there it is. They moved it..

GOG.COM

Download the best classic and new games on Windows, Mac & Linux. A vast selection of titles, DRM-free, with free goodies and 30-day money-back guarantee.

www.gog.com

 

[Mac the Geek]

That's from days ago. I didn't see their offer on the 13th, yesterday, or today.


Ah I see! So it's not necessarily a game each day, that's why it's not on the main page. Interesting.

Clicking on the icon for the 13th downloaded a wallpaper pack, and the 14th is a 20% discount code for Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - Reforged.

The December 15 gift is a 90% coupon for four Thief titles.

 

[Ruru]

The December 15 gift is a 90% coupon for four Thief titles.

What a time to be broke. Oh well, I have them on Steam...

 

[AusWolf]

The December 15 gift is a 90% coupon for four Thief titles.

Not much of a gift if it's not free, imo.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Not much of a gift if it's not free, imo.

The coupon is free and that's the gift.

 

[AusWolf]

The coupon is free and that's the gift.

But it's worthless unless you spend money. A gift is something you can use out-of-the-box for free, imo.

 

[lexluthermiester]

But it's worthless unless you spend money. A gift is something you can use out-of-the-box for free, imo.

I get gift cards from time to time(mostly BestBuy) and I'm always adding my own money in during a purchase. This doesn't make the gift card any less a gift. Discount coupons are no different. But to each their own. I already own the Thief series so it's useless to me, but if I didn't, I would consider it very useful and a nice gesture from GOG.

 

[AusWolf]

I get gift cards from time to time(mostly BestBuy) and I'm always adding my own money in during a purchase. This doesn't make the gift card any less a gift.

But you don't have to add your own money, you do it as your own choice, which I think is a big difference.

Discount coupons are no different. But to each their own. I already own the Thief series so it useless to me, but if I didn't, I would consider it very useful and a nice gesture from GOG.

Yep, each to their own.

I see it as a scummy business tactic to force you into spending money. They could have applied a limited time 90% discount on the game for everyone, but no, they had to gift-wrap it as a unique present, just for you, just today. I think it's disgusting.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I see it as a scummy business tactic

Scummy? How is a 90% discount scummy? What am I missing here? I'm not seeing the problem...

to force you into spending money.

No one is forcing anyone. If someone doesn't want it, they don't have to use it. The gift is the 90% discount, not the game.

 

[AusWolf]

Scummy?

Yep. Why not just apply a 90% discount on the game? Why the whole charade with the gift thing? What about people who didn't notice the giveaway and paid full price (during the time of the giveaway)?

No one is forcing anyone. If someone doesn't want it, they don't have to use it. The gift is the 90% discount, not the game.

Like you said, each to their own. I will never see any discount as a gift, because you have to spend money to use it. That's the exact opposite of a gift, imo.

 

[lexluthermiester]

This where we need to agree to disagree. I just can't understand why a 90% discount is scummy or can't be a gift.

For the record, in my shop, as a Christmas bonus I "gift" my employees a 75% discount for upto $750 of any product(s) that's in the shop. Is that scummy? Is it any less a kick-ass deal for them because it's not 100%? Is it not a VERY generous gift on my part to them?

 

[AusWolf]

This where we need to agree to disagree. I just can't understand why a 90% discount is scummy or can't be a gift.

If there's a 90% discount on the game for everyone, then it's fair, there's nothing scummy about that. But if it depends on clicking on a gift box in a hidden corner of the website, then it's unfair. What about people who don't know about the giveaway? Are they okay to pay full price?

I don't like Epic Games, but I have to take their side on this one. When they do a giveaway, then it's free for everyone - you don't have to find the icon of a box on the bottom of their website to get it.

For the record, in my shop, as a Christmas bonus I "gift" my employees a 75% discount for upto $750 of any product(s) that's in the shop. Is that scummy? Is it any less a kick-ass deal for them because it's not 100%? Is it not a VERY generous gift on my part to them?

I'd say that depends. If you sell a wide range of stuff that they need, then fair enough. If the company I work for did a similar thing, even with a 99% discount, it'd still be useless to me, as I need absolutely nothing of what we sell (not that I'm in danger of that, though - I work for the only company on this planet that gives you jack shit for Christmas).

Not to mention you're forcing them to pay the other 25%. If you really want to be generous, then give them a 100% discount, but with a lower value, imo.

 

[AUTOEXEC.BAT]

The coupon is free and that's the gift.

This topic is about free games. not about discounts or free games when you have prime. All these comments to discounts or Prime "Free games" are free are a little disappointing.

 

[AusWolf]

This topic is about free games. not about discounts or free games when you have prime. All these comments to discounts or Prime "Free games" are free are a little disappointing.

This topic has been discussed thoroughly, and we all agreed that Amazon Prime free offers have their place here for the sake of Prime members.

 

[AUTOEXEC.BAT]

This topic has been discussed thoroughly, and we all agreed that Amazon Prime free offers have their place here for the sake of Prime members.

No problem at all, i'll unwatch

 

[AusWolf]

No problem at all, i'll unwatch

Nothing prevents you from skipping posts about Prime games and reading only what's important to you personally. I'm not a Prime member myself, either, but I don't see a problem in seeing posts that are meant for for those who are.

 

[john_]

and we all agreed that Amazon Prime free offers have their place

Not all. Let's say the majority, or those who manage this thread. For me having to pay to get access to free stuff, it's not free. But anyone who disagree with prime, can agree to disagree and just ignore everything about prime.

 

[AusWolf]

Not all. Let's say the majority, or those who manage this thread. For me having to pay to get access to free stuff, it's not free. But anyone who disagree with prime, can agree to disagree and just ignore everything about prime.

Exactly. While I'm on the same opinion as you, I don't see anything wrong with the other side of the argument, and Prime members scoring a few extra games thanks to posts this thread. I know how to scroll and move on.

 

[Space Lynx]

Turns out there will be days that not even wallpapers are given. Today's a voucher for 20% discount on Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged.

Bummer.

Yep, I checked it again today. the GoG advent calendar sale ended up being really junk... honestly I wouldn't have minded it if they just had been a bit more transparent about it. Just kind of annoying. oh well

 

[KLiKzg]

Noble's Life: Kingdom Reborn - Prologue on Steam

Experience the first months after a brutal assault on your own estate in the free prologue of a realistic simulator of a medieval noble combined with a strategy game of historical depth. Manage your town and villages and make decisions in non-linear events.

store.steampowered.com

 

[Ruru]

Once again just a discount code in GOG.. come on, where are the damn freebies?

Yep, I checked it again today. the GoG advent calendar sale ended up being really junk... honestly I wouldn't have minded it if they just had been a bit more transparent about it. Just kind of annoying. oh well

And those discounted games aren't even cheap :/

 

[lexluthermiester]

Not to mention you're forcing them to pay the other 25%. If you really want to be generous, then give them a 100% discount, but with a lower value, imo.

There are tax reasons for not doing that. This is because 100% discounts are taxed as a bonus at a MUCH higher 40% rate than offering a 75% discount that only has sales tax involved, meaning that my employees either pay 25%+sales tax or they pay the much higher 40% bonus tax rate on the total value. So there's that. Regardless of opinions, a discount that deep is a fricken excellent thing. Likewise, the COUPONS are what is the gift. Additionally, The Amazon Prime membership offer many, MANY benefits. The free games are a perk and are still free.

 

[AusWolf]

There are tax reasons for not doing that. This is because 100% discounts are taxed as a bonus at a MUCH higher 40% rate than offering a 75% discount that only has sales tax involved, meaning that my employees either pay 25%+sales tax or they pay the much higher 40% bonus tax rate on the total value. So there's that.

Oh. That is weird, but understandable.

Regardless of opinions, a discount that deep is a fricken excellent thing. Likewise, the COUPONS are what is the gift. Additionally, The Amazon Prime membership offer many, MANY benefits. The free games are a perk and are still free.

Discounts are nice if the product is really something you need or want. Like I said above, the company I work for could give me the biggest discount imaginable, I still wouldn't use it because I don't need or want anything that we sell. Or maybe I would just to sell it on eBay shortly after. Or maybe not, too much hassle.

Amazon Prime is nice of you order a lot, or if you're interested in their films or music. I wouldn't subscribe just for the free games, though (they're not really free in that case).

 

[unknownk]

I have neighbors who seem to get the Amazon truck at their house every other week. Every time I need something cheap from Amazon (a few times a year) they give you the free trial for Prime and when they do I snag the free games for a month before canceling.

If you are a casual gamer, I think EPIC, Steam, and GOG have made it so you don't have to buy games and just play the free ones or wait for very heavy discounts.

 

[Marcus L]

People with amazon Prime memberships haven't subbed for games, they do it for the free next day delivery and a bonus of a film/series streaming service (which IMO has improved a lot over the years and I will largely watch more than NF these days, but I digress) "Free" games are an added extra, I was only made aware of amazon games in the last year or so, though I have been subbed to prime for years for as I said, free next day delivery and their streaming service, also a lot of the games can be redeemed on GOG/Steam/Epic etc and are tied to your account regardless if you ever cancel your prime service, for me this is more free than GOG advent calendar which is just a discount on a bundle of games, which is "OK" I guess though wouldn't post them in the free games threads, so Amazon Prime seems more "free" to me but what do I know lol