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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 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] -5 points 5 months ago (3 children)

You really need to look at what you're buying. Whether it's a download, a DVD, or damn floppy disk, you're still just buying a license. A very revokable license. If it's online, the publisher can cut you off.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

GOG installer is offline:

https://www.gamesradar.com/games/valve-reminds-steam-users-they-dont-actually-own-a-darn-thing-they-buy-gog-pounces-and-says-its-games-cannot-be-taken-away-from-you-thanks-to-offline-installers/

https://x.com/GOGcom/status/1844752098145038435

A purchase of a digital product on GOG grants you its Offline Installers, which cannot be taken away from you.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

GoG isn't the publisher. Y'all don't read the shit you agree to, and know fuck all about media distribution. You've never owned a video game, a movie, or even a book that isn't in the public domain. You've only ever owned licenses for personal use, and those licenses have always been provisional and revokable. Always. Your ignorance is not change that.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Enhance your calm. I was merely pointing out that the game installers are offline for GOG, meaning there's not a physical mechanism to cut you off. As you mentioned, if it's online, then they can cut you off, which is true for Steam but not GOG.

[+] [email protected] -17 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (4 children)

And how does that work when they close down and servers that host the games can no longer be accessed to download your license free game?

Wheter you have a revokabke license or not, you still won’t ever be able to access the game….. how do people need this explained to them? And yet use this single reason like it matters lmfao.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

GOG installer is offline

You download it immediately after purchase, and should archive it somewhere, same as everything else you purchase digitally

how does that work

.....

[–] [email protected] 11 points 5 months ago (1 children)

When you buy a game on a CD or Cartidge, it's up to you to make sure you continue to own it from then on. That is the same model as GoGs digital downloads. You own it, you make sure you still have it on hand for as long as you want to still have it on hand for.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You own the media but just have a license for the game. You have never owned a game the media has always given you a license to play the game.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Whatever words you want to use, when steam decides you don't own a game anymore, they can take it away. I've had 2 steam games taken away from me.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago

When I buy a game from GOG, it comes with the presumption that I will download the installer in a timely manner and store a copy on my local storage device. Assuming I have good backup practices, that's really the end of the story. I can build a 100 new computers and install the game I bought on each one. GOG went bankrupt ten years ago? That's a shame, but my installer works just as well as when they were kicking.

When I "buy a game" on Steam, I technically get an installer, but Steam isn't going to help me keep it. Those 100 new computers are going to download that installer a 100 times. And if the 51st install comes around and Steam isn't around anymore? Or Steam decides not enough people play this game anymore and it no longer makes financial sense to host the installer? Well, at that point I guess I'll just regret not buying the game on GOG.

[–] brrt 4 points 5 months ago

how do people need this explained to them?

How do you need a simple concept like a backup explained to you? All while being smug…

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

Those are terminologies corporations care about. But, for real life use there is a difference between a product that can be remotely taken away and products that can't. Otherwise could be argued there is no difference between a pirated copy of Red Dead Redemption 2 and a legit one, which there is once you try to play offline.