GOG apologizes for newsletter with SS runes in subject line

Gaming platform GOG has issued an apology for a newsletter where the subject line featured characters that bore a striking resemblance to Nazi SS runes. Although intended to reflect the Slavic mythology of the new indie game "The End of the Sun," the presentation of these symbols caused significant concern.

The newsletter was promoting "The End of the Sun," an adventure game based on Slavic mythology. GOG utilized two consecutive Sowilō runes in the email's subject line. These are pre-Christian Germanic symbols representing the sun. However, depending on the rendering in various email clients and browsers, these characters appeared very similar to the prohibited double-Sig rune used by the SS.

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), GOG explained that the error was a result of multiple mistakes, including incorrect placement of the runes and insufficient testing across different platforms. The company reportedly halted the newsletter's distribution upon discovering the issue. GOG indicated that their German QA team had identified the problem before the send-out, but the feedback did not reach the international version team in time. The company used the Unicode character U+03DF (Greek Small Letter Koppa), whose display varies by software.

The Polish developers of "The End of the Sun" expressed surprise at the symbols used. GOG stated it plans to revise its review processes to prevent such errors in the future. The gaming platform was separated from CD Projekt in December, following its sale to co-founder Michał Kiciński.