'Hitman' review bombed on GOG for going against anti-DRM policy

The 2016 edition of Hitman on GOG has been hit with overwhelmingly negative reviews due to the inclusion of DRM. However, the store is removing reviews after labelling the backlash as a review bomb.

Hitman currently sits at a review score of 1.4/5 on GOG, with the overwhelming majority of negative reviews highlighting the game’s DRM. This means that despite being a single-player game, an online internet connection is required to play some aspects of it.

This goes directly against GOG’s policy for games on the platform. On the about page for GOG, the site expressly lists that the store offers “a selection of great DRM-free games”.

A spokesperson for GOG has acknowledged the issue, stating, “we’re looking into it and will be updating you in the coming weeks”. On GOG’s filtering of negative reviews, the spokesperson adds:

“At the same time, while we’re open for meritful discussion and feedback, we will not tolerate review bombing and will be removing posts that do not follow our review guidelines.”

As highlighted by this Reddit post submitted yesterday (September 26) which has received over 7000 upvotes, the spokesperson also explained that “if you are unsatisfied with the game (e.g. the gameplay, graphics, in-game mechanics and features), you are free to write a review and share your opinion”.

Since launching on GOG, a disclaimer has been added noting that an internet connection is required for certain areas of Hitman. However, it fails to mention that offline players will not access features like “unlocking weapons, outfits, starting locations and more”, according to one review.

In other news, earlier in the week, Fall Guys earned a Guinness World Record as the most downloaded PS Plus game ever.