this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2024
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GOG reportedly suffering from staff turnover and poor management: “Current business model is likely running out of steam” (gameworldobserver.com)
submitted 1 day ago by lazycouchpotato@lemmy.world to c/games@lemmy.world
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[–] Nibodhika@lemmy.world 3 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

No you don't. You get the same license as you do on Steam, here's the license btw https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/16034990432541-GOG-User-Agreement-effective-from-17-February-2024?product=gog :

We give you and other GOG users the personal right (known legally as a 'license') to use GOG services and to download, access and/or stream (depending on the content) and use GOG content. This license is for your personal use. We can stop or suspend this license in some situations, which are explained later on.

Which is very similar to Steam. In both cases you can keep the files you've downloaded on your machine, and on most cases you can copy those files to a different machine and keep playing it. GOG has better marketing on this regard, but they're both very similar, neither enforces DRM nor forbids it entirely, although GOG does tend to be a bit stricter (but they still allow it) whereas steam is a bit looser but knowingly implemented a weak DRM and let's you know in the game page if the game has any stronger form of DRM.

[–] dbat@mastodon.gamedev.place 2 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

@Nibodhika @Evil_Shrubbery Stop Killing Games opened my eyes to the software "ownership" situation. In USA, apparently, noone ever owns any software. It's always licenced. Even if on physical media. Quite bizarre.

In rest of world it varies but also sucks.

[–] Nibodhika@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Yup, GOG just has good marketing department and lots of people fall for the DRM-free (but not really) games you own (but not really) campaign.

[–] obsurveyor@mastodon.gamedev.place 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

@Nibodhika @dbat Steam did the exact same thing when it was new when they would say "If Steam ever shuts down, we'll give you perpetual licenses to the games in your game library." Probably around the same time in their existence as GOG hyping DRM-free.

[–] dbat@mastodon.gamedev.place 1 points 3 hours ago

@obsurveyor @Nibodhika from what I have heard, they cannot give licences to Americans, at least. Perhaps to other countries, but they prob never will. I mean if Steam ever was closing down, they wouldn't care.

[–] dbat@mastodon.gamedev.place 1 points 9 hours ago

@Nibodhika It's freaking evil, but in their defence, it's more America's evil than any one business. They have set about systematically reducing freedom for decades.