GOG is getting acquired by its original co-founder

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 6:19 AM UTC

georgeecollins wrote: post #91

Fiveplus wrote: post #23

> Can I still download offline installers? Yes. This is the only line I was looking for. I stopped buying on Steam sometime ago because I realized I was just renting licenses. GOG is the only major storefront where I feel like I actually own the product. As long as offline installers remain a core tenet, I don't care who owns the company. That said, it helps that it's someone returning to their roots rather than a pr…

OK, but the model that Valve pioneered is the model that supports 90% of all commercial PC games made today, a higher percentage if you cut out MMOs and free to play games, which you certainly don't own. I love GoG and I have worked closely with a lot of people there on projects they are great. This announcement seems like good news. No one has to sell games on Steam. No one has to use a model where they "rent licens…

Post by qwm » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 6:26 AM UTC

georgeecollins wrote: post #91

Fiveplus wrote: post #23

> Can I still download offline installers? Yes. This is the only line I was looking for. I stopped buying on Steam sometime ago because I realized I was just renting licenses. GOG is the only major storefront where I feel like I actually own the product. As long as offline installers remain a core tenet, I don't care who owns the company. That said, it helps that it's someone returning to their roots rather than a pr…

OK, but the model that Valve pioneered is the model that supports 90% of all commercial PC games made today, a higher percentage if you cut out MMOs and free to play games, which you certainly don't own. I love GoG and I have worked closely with a lot of people there on projects they are great. This announcement seems like good news. No one has to sell games on Steam. No one has to use a model where they "rent licens…

Post by dleslie » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 6:30 AM UTC

roxolotl wrote: post #251

legitster wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you’re not buying games you’re leasing them Counterpoint, the cost of "owning" offline games is not zero and their lifetime is not infinite. I have a stack of old games on CD (or older) and getting them to run on anything is a massive pain in the neck. (In fact, for nearly all that I care about I also have bought a Steam license in addition). Ultimately, everything comes down to user experience. We can pat ourselve…

Yea 100% it’s not as easy to use. But as far as I’m aware Steam doesn’t provide any guarantee games will keep working and GOG actually has it as a mission statement that, as least those selected as “Good Old Games”, will[0]. Now of course that requires GOG to survive so it’s sorta the same thing like you’re saying. But I’d argue there is a material difference between “if you try hard you can run an original copy of D…

Post by dleslie » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 6:33 AM UTC

MarsIronPI wrote: post #314

2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same but I strangely miss the social aspect of achievements on Steam. I prefer GOG but wish the achievements synced.

It seems to me (speaking from a non-gamer perspective) that Steam has nailed down the "app store" vibe better than GOG. I haven't looked much at GOG Galaxy, but AFAIK it's not a Steam-like app to search, buy, install and update games and DLC. I think that's a big part (the only part, maybe?) of Steam's value proposition.

Post by esrauch » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 6:49 AM UTC

chii wrote: post #309

ThrowawayR2 wrote: post #278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And the cut can't be lower? The rush to defend Valve's monopoly is so weird since HN usually hates fat cat billionaires. Valve is raking in so much money as a middleman that Gabe Newell has ~$1 billion worth of yachts alone, in addition to the rest of his wealth, yet gamers want Valve to keep on bleeding them and game studios?

> And the cut can't be lower? why should it be lower (or higher)? steam's cut should be whatever they set, and the market responds. The natural equilibrium would get reached. The value steam provides, imho, certainly justifies their cut imho. There's plenty of other platforms to release games on - including free ones (such as itch.io, or your own website).