GOG sent a newsletter on June 5, 2026, promoting the Slavic fantasy game The End of the Sun that included runic symbols linked to the Nazi SS Schutzstaffel [1, 2, 3, 4].
The symbols featured the Sowilō rune, which means "sun" in Proto-Germanic, but when duplicated or displayed on some devices, it appeared as a double lightning-like symbol known as the SS Siegrune, a Nazi emblem [1, 3, 4].
GOG acknowledged the mistake and apologized in a statement, calling it an "unfortunate visual association." The company said the error resulted from miscommunication with German quality assurance, inconsistent font rendering on mobile devices, incorrect rune placement, use of the wrong game logo, and understaffing during a bank holiday [1, 2, 3, 4]. GOG stopped the mailout as soon as it noticed the problem [2, 4].
GOG said about half of its email base had already received the newsletter before it was halted [4]. The company also noted the newsletter was not sent to the German audience due to local sensitivities [1, 4].
The game developers, a Polish couple, said they were surprised and confused by the rune usage in the newsletter. They contacted GOG for clarification and speculated artificial intelligence recommendations might have contributed to the inclusion of those symbols, as well as the use of an outdated logo [1, 3].
GOG defended the use of the Sowilō rune as part of Poland's cultural and historical heritage, stating that it was meant as a reference to the sun central to the game’s theme. They said the display as a double lightning symbol on some devices was beyond their control [3, 4].
The next step is GOG revising its newsletter review process to prevent similar errors in the future [2, 4].
