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GOG's Nazi Symbol Blunder: "Series of Mistakes"
6 Jun
Summary
- GOG used Nazi-associated symbols in a game newsletter sent on June 5th.
- The company cited errors, including miscommunication and understaffing.
- Game developers expressed surprise at the symbol's inclusion.
On June 5th, GOG distributed a newsletter promoting the game 'The End of the Sun' that inadvertently contained symbols associated with the Nazi SS. The digital storefront attributed the inclusion to a "series of mistakes." These errors reportedly included miscommunication with their German quality assurance team, inconsistent font rendering, and insufficient staffing due to a bank holiday.
The game itself is based on Slavic mythology, and the newsletter featured Slavic runes, one of which, Sowilō (meaning "sun"), was rendered as 'ϟ' on certain platforms, including mobile devices. This specific symbol, when presented in a particular context, can bear an unfortunate resemblance to Nazi iconography.
While GOG stated that the material was not sent to the German community due to sensitivities, the decision to distribute it elsewhere has raised questions. The developers of 'The End of the Sun' have also voiced their surprise, indicating they were unaware of GOG's decision to use these specific symbols or the old logo in the newsletter.
