This is exactly why I think GOG needs to focus their bizdev efforts on modern indies.

"itch.io with online features" is a decent niche they could carve out for themselves.

This is the thing that causes me some confusion... CDPR seems to want to keep GOG around but at the same time it feels like they just don't care about investing in it anymore, as if they just gave up on being a credible alternative to more restrictive storefronts. Are they going to sell it? Are they hoping things just die out more so they can somehow scale back to a more barebones service without as much fallout? Who's to say... they certainly aren't clear about any of it.

Personally, I wouldn't even be bothered by GOG being sold - I don't put CDPR on a pedestal - so long as any prospective buyer is willing to keep the DRM-Free philosophy and do what CDPR doesn't seem to be willing to.

While DRM Free games remain here with things in the current state, which is still a positive, the whole picture just doesn't really inspire much buyer confidence... and that can be the difference between buying more expensive games here, on a regular or semi-regular basis, vs buying only the occasional 5€ title.

This for me. GOG Galaxy can crash and burn for all I care.

Either way (whether you agree with its philosophy or not), the undertaking feels too ambitious for an operation of GOG's size. It will sink them I think. I believe it already has to an extent. My guess is that it might be maintainable if they made all of this work offline too, added offline support in their client bindings and open-sourced some of the work (with offline support generating enough goodwill for the community to get involved), but I believe they won't do that even though I think it is their only move with Galaxy at this point (short of a massive influx of capital).

I want a better offline experience. Period. It is what a sizeable chunk of this community wants and when it comes down to it, it is their main differentiator from bigger better funded operations like Steam or Epic.

But by all means, let GOG keep capitalizing on their weaknesses and not their strengths. Keep charging at that bear-sized bull head on. The outcome will surely be excellent.

We interact w/ GOG strictly via Galaxy, and we adore it, almost as much as PM Justin Castro adores himself and pater Fidel.((;--))

Exactly.

If I wanted a launcher, auto-updater, and occasional DRM then I would buy all my games at Steam because the launcher is going to be better there and the updates are going to be faster and the catalog and prices will be better as there is no DRM-free premium (and if we can't trust that the vast majority of GOG games are DRM-free then why are we paying a price/time premium?)

This thread has at least given me some sympathy for GOG staff as it seems they see some of the same problems we do but aren't given enough time/resources to fix the basic problems.

I agree with all that is said by OP and I would add GOG's difficulty in retaining successful indie studios, that I had mentioned in a thread a short time ago.

At some point it's really sad to see the accumulation of all these bugs and lack of direction at the top.
GOG wake up. These are genuine criticisms that need to be addressed as soon as possible.

I prefer DRM-free games and GOG is at the forefront, but unfortunately you are absolutely right. The GOG management has not recognized the core problems or is not willing / able to fix them. This becomes a problem in the long run.

It doesn't help to preach, you would listen to the community if it's obviously not the case.

Sorry dude, but while I agree with the essence of the many issues you raise, I cannot help but chuckle when you and others seek to advise GOG, like they have no clue what they are doing, despite how long they have lasted selling DRM-Free games, while you folk are just some kind of couch expert.

GOG are very flawed, how could they not be, selling what they are. In fact, what they have achieved is remarkable, and back when they started, almost no-one thought they would succeed or for very long.

Most of GOG's failings are the price of surviving I reckon, and I certainly doubt that sales are impacted all that much, and I say that as someone who dislikes Galaxy and other bloat in the store, and the many many issues that irk me. None of those issues have stopped me from continually buying games though.

For me it is mostly about good games, DRM-Free at a good price, all else is secondary.

In reality GOG have become a monster, and things that need doing needed doing years ago, and have become quite impossible to do now no doubt, certainly for the most part ... impossible due to size, time and cost.

I personally don't think GOG can do anymore than they are doing to attract more customers. Not unless they come up with something magical ... something that can compete with where things are heading in the gaming industry.

In 10 years time, it is very likely that the number of folk who care enough about DRM-Free will have dwindled significantly, probably enough to ruin GOG's chances of continuing to survive selling DRM-Free only. Alas, a sad but likely true fact.

The saddest truth of all