While I get your point, I'm not sure having a non-curated store will provide an interesting answer to that issue. Opening the store to any release might even have the opposite effect. When an indie dev allocate the resources to make a DRM-free version of its game available on GOG he knows that he'll get significant visibility space (unless you release your game the same day as a major sale or the new XXXX - insert your favorite publisher's name here - but I noticed that either GOG or the developers try to avoid, if possible, such situation). Steam is starting to be like iTunes or GooglePlay and the only reason indie devs still care about it is the huge number of users meaning that if only a small percentage of users buy your game, it should be enough to make some cash.

GOG does not have this number of users, meaning that if open the "curation gate" (TM) you may have even less interest for an indie dev to care for GOG since its game will get close to no visibility and the number of GOG users is not big enough (at this time) to compensate. Therefore, I see the curation more as an added value for both the users and the devs than an obstacle but that's my humbly bundled opinion (*) and I'd gladly discuss this further.

I'd also would like to point out that, as far as my experience goes with GOG compared to other services I use (Humble) or have friends using (Steam), curation is also linked to (some extent) a guarantee that the game you buy here will be in a working state (and yes, there are hiccups and room for improvements - there always are).

(*) let's put this one on a lack of sleep, ok ;p

Five letters clearly show that two tiers is not a good idea: XBLIG.

Perhaps, but the chance of getting sales will still be much higher than on another non-curated DRM-free store. If that's not enough to get sales, then developers of unknown games won't see the draw, and the argument against opening the gates is weak.

I agree, except for the fact that quality is subjective. We're not talking about unfinished games. There are many finished and successful games that haven't been released here yet. Now, if DRM-free were the norm, I wouldn't mind at all. I would just buy the game I want somewhere else. Since it isn't, we are probably missing interesting games from not just a GOG release, but a DRM-free release. Sure, this is not just GOG's fault since the developers have other outlets where they can sell their game(s) DRM-free.

If the problem is resources and return of investment, then GOG could make said games available for a short period of time. If they sell enough, keep it. If not, remove it. But at least there's a chance of buying it. Not providing such chance is my main problem with "curation".