These two quotes pretty much echo my own sentiments. I also wonder how exactly GOG intends to make much of a splash into the rest of the crowded and well-established DD outlets (Direct2Drive, Steam, Impulse) out there with the New(ish) game market. Their own niche for unique (and often not available legally elsewhere) classic games is a streetcorner they've already cornered, and seems to be a popular and reliable moneymaker for them. I'd rather they focus on that rather than try to branch their business-model and spread themselves too thin over old/new, mainstream/indie spheres alike. There's still a considerable backlog from EA alone that many of us would be ecstatic about if the new release cycle would focus on it.

So I'm lukewarm on the idea. Of course, GOG's wants and demographic aims go beyond just what I (and other traditionalist gamers) want. There's not as much money in it. I'm also wary about a major and unnecessary site re-design/overhaul into something flashy, clunky, and less navigable simply because it's "time to upgrade and stay fresh," something I've seen happen to dozens of my favorite websites with an atrocious makeover. I guess as long as I'm able to re-download my DRM-free games here I've already purchased I'll be content, at least.

We'll see. Of course I'm biased because I've basically given up on modern gaming and its trends thereof. Nothing from the ashes of Black Isle Studios, Looking Glass, Troika and old Bioware have enamored me. Bethesda and Obsidian Entertainment carry the torch but I don't much care for the light. The biggest appeal to an expansion, merger, whatever GOG are planning for me is greater bargaining power with publishers in getting developers and their backlog of games on here, goodies and all, including classics from Blizzard and Eidos. Hopefully you fellas' optimism is validated.

I know what you meant, and I think GOG aim to have certain new game releases as exclusive titles for a period of time (two weeks, two months).

You know these changes always happen when a new boss comes in....GOG did your old boss go bye bye? And now a new one has arrived who thinks everything old is wrong? I have seen a number of new bosses myself, and they are all the same: You did it this way, that was all wrong, now we are going to do it this way, it's going to be great! Then a little while later, nobody cares much, the energy is gone, and it's mostly all the same. Then a little while after that the boss starts getting grumpy and mean. Then he gets canned or goes somewhere "better," Then enter a new boss, owners hot on his heels, and the whole cycle begins over again. This is all wrong! lol

Of course this may very well not be the case. Maybe, like I said before, the number of Good Old Games GOG can get fairly "easily" is down, and in order to keep their catalouge growing as it has been is to add newer titles. It makes sense to me. I wish they would get more older games more than newer ones personally, but, at the same time I would rather them add something as opposed to nothing (as long as it's not bad), even if it is a newish game. Of course, if they only add newer DRM free titles that are also DRM free on others sites, namely Gamers Gate, there is probably going to be some negative backlash from people here, since Gamers Gate will most likey have much better sales on these games then GOG, and of course we like more unique releases here as well.
Really though, it is out of our control GOG'ers, so lets not get overly vexed, what happens happens. It is good to tell GOG what we think though, so that maybe they can plan ahead and keep their site great, even with New games beside the Old ones. :)

Yeap. Woot! ;-D

I'm totally on board with this. The DRM-free model is my favorite part of good old games. I also appreciate getting old games that are compatible with newer operating systems. Selling the good old stuff by the good new stuff is just dandy, so long as the DRM stays out. That's what makes gog unique.

With newer games, it might help to use some kind of platform so gog users can easily find one another in multiplayer. As useful as gameranger and the like are, they have limited functionality and it would be interesting to see something like that here. You have a stand-alone download management program, is an analogous program for multiplayer possible?

Anyway, I'm excited to see this new direction. As always, keep up the good work!

Same here!

I hate it when games are fragmented. It's okay if it's in the first few weeks of a release but if it's permanent it just encourages the hard core fans to pirate it.

Just two questions:
1. How’s this
..to what Guillaume said about hoping to reach over 400 games at the end of 2012?

2. Are the new pricepoints ($13.99 and $16.99) planned for new games only or it’s possible that some of incoming classic games will be priced with them as well.

I must admit I’m not too thrilled about your plan. I don’t know why people delude themselves thinking that gog will add classics at a rate we got in the past PLUS new games. It’s obvious that if all goes well and introducing those 20 new titles in 2012 will be a successful operation – in time gog’s ‘gravity center’ will shift towards new games (new customers, more income, less work for support & legal team) and that hurts ‘classic’ releases on gog. On the other hand I cannot see the alternative for that move – even if all remaining big publishers join – how much titles could they put on gog – 200-300? It would buy 2-3 years for gog.com – what then? So best luck – do what you have to do to keep it running. I’ll support you with my wallet in this.

I`ve spent some time now reading over the comments in this thread, and come to the conclusion that some of you are...well,...how can I put this a nice way...?

BIGOTED HYPOCRITES...yeah, I know - that's not very nice. Sorry. But the truth is seldom nice.

I`ve read complaints over complaints over complaints from self-proclaimed prophets, painting the future of GoG.com in the darkest available black on a deep-black canvas.

I`ve seen posts predict the end of "old" games getting released, or at least their release-rate slowed down.
I`ve seen posts predict the implementation of DRM on GoG.com.
I`ve seen posts predict the rise of prices (on the old games, that - as we`ve been foretold by our prophets - will never be released at all in the future).
I`ve seen posts predict, that "new" games surely won`t get sold for $4.99/ $9.99.

OK then...here are my two cents:

First of all: if...I mean IF they ever implement a DRM - GoG.com would be dead, and the guys behind sure as hell know that!

Second: You can bet your a** they will charge a higher price on newer games - I mean...what the h*** do you guys expect them (and first of all: the publishers) to do?
Give two to three years old games away for $4.99? Does this fit the average price-dropping-rate in your countrys?
And: are you forced to buy them at all?

Third: If (IF) they rise their prices on the oldies...shit happens, but none of us is forced to buy them at a price we think of as too high!
And I know some (most?/all?) of you have the right strategy on this issue, `cos:
...on EVERY release day I read comments like:"Whoa, guys, I`m sooo happy...I`ve wanted THIS game sooo long to be released on GoG.com - I will definitely instabuy it...erm...on the next sale, cause - you see...right now, i`m unfortunately broke - so, for now I will just instawishlist it!"
Fourth: Assumed they really would cancel the release of oldies...so what?
How many of the games they released (and you bought so far) have you really played through until today?
And I want honest answers!

All I`ve read here lately is: "Why don`t you release more old games per week!"; "Right now, I cannot afford your new release! (maybe if someone would gift it,...?)"; "Nah,...that one isn`t worth that price - I`ll wait for the sale!"; "That new releases are all crap!But that`s good - saves me money!"; "blablabla....!"

So - all in all...You want more games, but cannot afford them...the games released aren`t what you want, and if they are what you want - you cannot afford them...and if GoG.com will offer newer games in the future, they have to renounce on you, for you are not going to to with that crap.

Man, am I happy that I´m not a GoG.com employee...with clients like you, I would have no alternative but buying a rope and drive to the next wood...

Sorry, if anybody feels himself offended, but I`m really pissed and I think this had to be said!

I personally have been waiting for this day. GOG has always gone above and beyond in support of their customers: making sure old games run when no one else will/can, giving extras like sound tracks for free when others charge for it, unlimited downloads and keeping all of it DRM free (when I buy it it's mine). The only thing that seems to be changing at all is that we will get more games that are newer. As long as they stay true to their founding principles, it's great.

In a world where too many companies treat their customers like criminals. I cheer that GOG will give us more. I've already re-purchased games here so I never have to worry about them being unplayable, and in the case of Broken Sword, repurchasing the game here was cheaper than just buying the soundtrack elsewhere. Heck, I like their attitude so much, I'd buy shoes here if I could.

I'm not sure whether new games would really generate fewer technical problems per player. But even if they did, higher sales again means more need for support. Plus, the average player might be less technically knowledgeable that the average GOG classic gamer, and therefore less able to fix smaller problems themselves.

I'd argue GOG's focus already has shifted towards newer games, and this new step is really just preparing to be able to keep releasing games. It seems the average release date of new additions has gone up considerably. It is as you say, there's only a finite number of publishers willing to negotiate with GOG.com. With Interplay, Atari, Ubisoft, Activision and EA on board, the number of "willing but unsigned" publishers with large back catalogues has gone down considerably. I don't think they could've kept up the +/- 2 releases per week schedule for much longer anyway. Lowering the minimum age of games is probably just what it takes to keep pumping out enough of them to keep us customers busy.

Not knowing the details about how GOG's profit margins for newer games will compare to the older ones, I'm not jumping to any conclusions. I'd like to think that they will continue to sign any game that they feel has its place here, and they can get their hands on, old or newish.

I don't care if you have new games released here just no DRM and I am very happy camper.

Death to DRM! Death to Steam!

Look, just give me System Shock 1 & 2 and those old Dynamix adventure games (Heart of China, Rise of the Dragon) and you can sell whatever you want, GOG! I'll buy them just to show you my gratitude.

In some aspects, I agree wholeheartedly. I haven't exactly given up on modern games yet... (although MW3 is starting to push me. I haven't got the game, don't worry!) but I like the old stuff. HoMM, Arena, Ultima etc are some of the big games that I can recall being some of the most talked about games around that people have said are really good. Now, we have the opportunity to experience Gaming History: games that we can no longer get or can play on PC anymore due to changes in either hardware or software. As an example, I was so sad when I could not play Alpha Centauri on my Laptop, running Windows 7. Now, I'm happy that GOG gave me this great opportunity.

In the other aspect, GOG IS, after all, a business, so I can see where they are coming from. The Witcher 2 is the most recent example that I can think of where the guys from GOG decided to chuck it on the website. By the looks of it, it must have done really well for GOG to decide that they really want to proceed with newer games. I suppose as long as the game is not like a MW3 or BF3 (not saying that those are bad games, mind you...) where the game os overhyped... Then they should be considered. Games that actually put the fun back into games would be a wonderful asset to GOG.

The old games (well... not necessarily all of them) gave us 2 things: Nostalgia and a sense of Fun. Nostalgia is something that Modern Games can never give us. I can remember when I first played/saw HoMMII, and that absolutely blew me away! Even now, when I play HoMMII, I still get that sense of nostalgia. I can remember where I was when I first played that game.

The sense of fun that we developed from the game is also something that modern games are inferior to. Modern games are now much of a muchness... where they all pretty much do the same, repetitive thing over and over... Run, shoot someone, run, shoot more people, run... I think you get my drift... After a while, this becomes stale, as all you do is run to dodge, and shoot to avoid being shot at. There is not much fun after about 10 minutes into the game. Fun will be different to everyone, no doubt, but I think that the people who are here want a different fun... like a connoisseur's type of fun more than anything. I don't find it fun to be constantly killed every second turn, but I find it fun to try and outwit my opponent every turn, even if my opponent is a computer.

Overall, I have a cautious optimism towards GOG's future plan. As long as they keep releasing the old games as opposed to jumping straight into the new stuff while ignoring the old, I will be happy... because there are still some old games tat I would like that GOG are yet to release :P

DRM and compatibility are more closely linked that you may believe, since the DRM code tends to involve either OS-specific drivers (media checks like Starforce or Safedisc) or checks with servers that may not be available a month from now, let alone a year.

While that does mean a good few "compatibility" issues can be solved with an unofficial crack, having an "official" one would be better (even if it is some scummy IP-thief of a publisher copying the release of a cracker group - at least they then have to assume liability for it).