The only real advantage GOG has over Steam is that it's DRM-free, and that's one big advantage. The moment they allow DRM in games sold here, Pandora's Box will be opened and they will lose their only advantage.

At least I imagine it must be really tough to compete with Steam head-on, just going back to myself I would pick Steam over GOG any day of the week if such a thing would happen.

I suggest you read the History of GOG.

But the short summary is ....

The whole reason GOG came into being was because of a belief in DRM-Free games being both desired and workable as a marketing strategy. Many developers felt that way back then, and did not like the Steam or DRM models forced on users.

It was never based on, hey let's create a store to sell games ... and then a hey let's offer DRM-Free because Steam don't and we can't compete with them otherwise.

If that's not enough, then know that many who shop here at GOG would not do so if not DRM-Free and neither would they turn to Steam. I know I wouldn't. In fact I stopped buying games for around 9 years, rather than buy at Steam. It was only GOG that brought me back into buying games again, and I have re-bought most of the games I had on disc.

I also doubt that many of the GOG diehards would be willing to pay the high prices asked for AAA games anyway if here. I know I wouldn't, not in a month of Sundays ... never in fact.

DRM-Free and cheap is the mantra for many of us.

Okay but if GOG allowed DRM would they actually get "big name" games here (and not just as Steam keys)? I'm not saying it's a good idea, I'm asking the likelihood of this happening.

You are barking up the wrong tree.

It is not just about DRM but also deals that would be the governing factor, and it is not just about competing with Steam, as there are also a good number of others, especially the Humble Store.

What in fact would be the point of GOG?

Why would you want AAA games here, if not DRM-Free, why not just buy at Steam or elsewhere?

Okay, but IF GOG allowed DRM, would we likely see an increase in AAA games? Think hypothetically. I'm not asking GOG to do this, I don't think they should do this, I'm asking IF GOG allowed DRM, would they actually get modern games, or would most publishers not bother because of GOG's small userbase compared to Steam? Would Square Enix, Activision, Ubisoft, etc. be willing to release modern games here thanks to DRM or still not bother even with DRM because of GOG's small userbase?

It's possible I can't really get across what I'm trying to ask. This thread is just meant to sort of be a thought experiment.

It feels like one of the big drawbacks for releasing here that's often mentioned is the need to keep/develop 2 different versions as well as the need to have to maintain two different support lines to keep up with them. Even if it's not the DRM that's the issue, if the version here would still need those it would probably still be a huge drawback. One of the benefits devs get from Steam is they can keep one version up-to-date and sell that version on different storefronts by just giving them Steam keys.

In my opinion, and considering what's been happening with the industry lately, it's the 100% DRM-free stance that's "scaring" the AAA publishers. The dirty trick that Bethesda recently tried to push with "Doom 2" is a proof that publishers are really not willing to relax on DRM.

And if GOG decided to enforce some sort of DRM in order to "entice" the publishers it would be GOG's end.
Not only would the store lose some of its old customers (like me) but it would be considered just as a "poor man's steam".

The only way for GOG to suvive is to keep being a solid alternative: better services, better maintenance, a good revision of its "curation" service, etc.

Interesting enough: the more years pass, the less I miss the steam-only games. Maybe it's the fact that I've enough quality games on GOG or the fact that 90% of AAA games nowadays are just overhyped, recycled trash which one seems to have already played 5 or 6 years ago :P

You call it a thought experiment, but I think the logic should make it pretty clear.

Ask yourself three very important questions.

1. What benefit to GOG?
2. What benefit to us the gamer?
3. What benefit to the Developer or Publisher?

And how can we possibly know whether more AAA games would turn up. Like I said, it is not just about DRM, but about making a deal that both GOG and the developer would be happy with. At the moment, because of DRM-Free, there is a customer base here who will only buy that. They are the only benefit to a developer, by extending their customer gamer base, but not if it's not DRM-Free.

I know what you are asking, but it is more thought bubble than thought experiment. :)

And I agree almost totally with what karnak1 wrote.

P.S. I will say though and I am sure many others here will agree - Without GOG, the developer and or publisher will have fewer sales. No doubt they would increase their DRM sales a bit, but not by the number of DRM-Free sales they would have gotten.

Only if they offered something Steam/Epic does not, pretty much it. If they opened the gates to DRM games with no extras, no one would really care much at all to try the storefront out, but the whole ethos of the store would be dead in the eyes of its niche faithful

Leaving aside the implications of abandoning a position they have been preaching for a decade, If GOG added DRM, then someone would have to implement it for each game. You know, like how someone is also implementing achievements, Galaxy multiplayer, leaderboards and other client stuff.

Or they don't, because it's too much of a pain in the ass, or because Steamworks is such an important part of the game, or some other excuse. If the end result is "GOG has DRM, but we still need to create a different build to utilise it", then nothing will have changed, unless the DRM proves to be so potent that it makes Denuvo look benevolent in comparison. But most likely, the publishers would all be like "Meh, GOG still doesn't sell Steam keys. No reason to bother with them."

Witht DRM, GOG would simply collapse because everyone here would stop buying, and everyone not here would simply not bother.

And if the "GOG with DRM" is basically the same as any other store, why would a publisher even bother to sell (and maintain) a separate version of the game.

No, is not ONLY the DRM-free stand that keeps games out of GOG. But is the only thing that they can't get rid of, so even doing everything possible to get more games, would still be in vain. GOG is a niche, wether we like it or not.

OP must be looking for a way to shut down gog :) more likely this. there's nothing to be hyped about considering AAA titles quality and predator practices to extract more money with every new title.

eh maybe. I keep hearing folks tell newbies that DRM-free is the main thing keeping GOG from getting new games; I keep thinking it's the small userbase b/c "nobody" wants to bother releasing here for a few bucks when they can make millions on Steam alone. I guess it is what it is. They do have CyberPunk2077 to fund the next few years of business at least ;)

Could you also say "whether they (GOG employees) like it or not?" or is that unfair? With things like Galaxy 2 are they trying to be more aggressive about grabbing Steam marketshare or just trying to stay relevant as best they can (with Epic Store disrupting things)?

gog must die and we must crie

Isn't being DRM free basically the only original principle that they're sticking to? They've got new games, unfinished games, bad games, games without goodies and various weird pricing schemes.