Previously I posted announcements and updates regarding this in the thread for W3, but now that GOG Galaxy has finally entered public beta I feel that it's about time that it gets its own thread here. For those who are unfamiliar with this, GOG Galaxy is a fully optional client that works like an online platform to link the functions of the DRM-free GOG.com website and its community, along with adding many new features. Think of it as something like Steam, but completely optional (so you can still download and play games from GOG.com without the client) with full offline functionality, respectful of your privacy, completely devoid of DRM, customisable (you can turn off features like automatic updating, achievements, crash reports or anything else if you don't like it) and made by people who actually value your point of view. Of course, this is still in beta so some of the features are not yet available and not all games are supported, but it will grow and become better with time. You can learn more about it and download it here.
All the features basically resembles those of Steam when it first came out. I know that GOG has existed for quite sometime, but I've never purchased a game from there since I try to restrict online game purchases as much as possible because I prefer the physical copy (this includes Steam games). Also, isn't it up to the developers, of a game, to decide whether they wish for the player to experience, their game, DRM free? I haven't run into a game, on Steam, that requires me to be connected to the internet in order for me to play it. I know of a few, though, like Assassin's Creed II, I think Max Payne, etc, but I haven't bought those yet. For a game, such as Assassin's Creed II, does GOG provide DRM free experience? Because I know Ubisoft is very strict, about dumb things like this, when it comes to using one of their products.
Not all DRM is based around a constant connection to the internet though (that's relatively new in the history of gaming DRM) - disc checks, security checks (like SecuROM), limited number of installations, CD keys, messing about in the software of pirated/modified copies and many more are also types of DRM that don't require an online connection. The fact that you have to log into your Steam account to play any of your games is a form of DRM as well. But yeah, Steam has some offline functionality, but my experience with it was problematic which is one of the reasons why I stay online - even if in offline mode sometimes. Plus you lose half of the features of the Steam platform when playing offline and I can't deny that I've grown accustomed to them. GOG Galaxy is different in that it is first of all completely optional, so if you don't like it you can still just play your games from GOG.com like you used to. You can make as many backup copies of all your purchased games as you like. As for Assassin's Creed II - all products sold at GOG.com are DRM-free, but Assassin's Creed II is not yet available on there. However, the director's cut edition of the first Assassin's Creed game is. The main disadvantage of GOG is that it has a much smaller catalogue of games than Steam (though it has grown immensely in the recent past), which is due to large publishers basically not wanting their games to be sold without any DRM. So the folks at GOG have to put a lot more work into securing deals with publishers than most other storefronts, as they are quite unconventional in terms of how they treat DRM, returns, prices and all that jazz compared your typical online shop.
Ah, okay. Then I have run into DRM before. When the first BioShock came out, there was a DRM restriction where it only let you, install the game, for about ten times. After a year or so, the developers removed it. Is the Steam platform interface you're talking about the screenshot, chat, connect to community while in game kind of stuff? Okay, I think I understand it now . With just GOG, you can only play games -though; you cannot chat with friends, such as in steam- and browse around the "GOG Community" while in game, right? So that's where GOG Galaxy comes in; to replicated the user interface similar to Steam but with GOG as the distributor? Mmm hmm. I kind of noticed that when I was browsing, through their catalog, just know. Hopefully it’ll get to be as large as Steam –though, with better options. Thanks for the input
I don't have much of a reason to bother trying it at this point (at least until TW3 comes out) but it does look interesting. I'd like to see them become a big competitor with Steam, and this is a good first step.
Yes and yes. Indeed. It is very basic right now with most of the features missing, but I'm looking forward to how this will grow.
M2033 Redux has just arrived at GOG.com, so you can now grab redux versions of both Metro games DRM-free and with a neat discount here.
Bethesda has started a partnership with GOG.com, so now you can finally get some of their old classics in a new DRM-free outing - some of which have become almost impossible to find in stores. This includes games they have worked on in the past (An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire, The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind + when you purchase any of these, you get Arena and Daggerfall for free too) as well as id Software classics (Quake, Ultimate Doom, Doom II). The first three Fallout games (Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics) have returned to GOG as part of this partnership. Right now all of these are being sold at a discount, so if you want them you gotta grab those buns while they're hot.
Witcher franchise is at a discount on GOG.com at the moment; W3 at 30% off, W1 & W2 at 85% off, Witcher Adventure Game at 59% off. You can buy them all together or separately here - 6 days left until end of sale. Alternatively, you can get a GOG key for W3 at a massive discount on Green Man Gaming, where they are currently selling them at 60% off the original price (in the UK this shows up as £19.99). You can buy that here.
No way O___0 I don't like steam that much and if more games would be sent over to GOG....Oh man. This is the best.
As TAaron said, you get DRM-free versions of your games (and the GOG versions sometimes have extra goodies included with them) which don't require Steam or anything else to launch. Plus you can treat them like backup copies, as they will remain tied to your account and downloadable even when the deal between publishers and GOG runs out and they're gone from the store.
Yes, I remember something about still being able to download the games you've bought even if Steam goes down, but I don't think there was anything about the lack of DRM in there so those theoretical backup copies (which may not even exist or ever become available considering how well Valve is doing) might still contain some shitty copy protection put in by the publishers - many Steam games already do in addition to the application itself.
Everyone with a GOG account might wanna check out the summer sale that's going on over there. You can get up to 4 games for free as rewards for spending money in the sale and taking part in activities. And it really isn't much, I've ended up spending around £6 on 4 games and got 3 more games for free. If I wanted to get another free one, which is also usually sold for a higher price than the previous ones, then I'd have to spend around £9 more (this could get me between 3 and 12 games on its own depending on whether I'm buying expensive games, bundles or several cheaper ones). Obviously, things like this are put in place just to get you spending more in their store, but if you're there with the intention of buying games then you might as well take advantage of the awesome deals they have.
