Not source codes. But while the developer is working on a fix, GOG is also trying to get it working. And usually, they prefer to have it working before releasing it, so if it's a compatibility option that the developer didn't foresee, the customer can (hopefully) play while the developer is fixing it. Think of it as a "Until gamepad support is added to the game, you should be able to use Joy2Key to control it successfully. Here is a profile we succesfully used to play it. Once the developer updates the game, will upload the patch as soon as we can."

Well, if GOG can manage external workarounds on Windows, they can manage it on Linux too. That stuff doesn't really constitute the most annoying reasons for support. Really annoying stuff are bugs which require developers intervention to fix them.

You mean stuff like "DLL X will work on OS version Y, but not on OS version Z"? That is what happened with JA2, and it did take a bit of time sorting that one out. Now imagine that DLLs work for distribution A, but not for distribution B, so a different implementation must be found, and then look for the different versions. Not to mention architectures.

Running really old Linux games on recent Linux can be a pain indeed. But as I said, GOG will be dealing with new Linux titles (or at least that's what I'd start from if I were them). If you expect them to dig up old Linux releases of some games and attempt to adapt them to newer kernels / libraries, than yes, that requires some work. But who said they'll do such a thing to begin with. Most of the requests from Linux users here are about recently released games.

Although I certainly would not mind playing Unreal Tournament 2004 or Heroes of Might and Magic 3 on Linux.

From new releases on GOG, the Expeditions: Conquistador is available for Linux (but not on GOG yet).

ROCCAT now advertise their open source Linux drivers on their website. These guys have been providing Linux support for their hardware with open source drivers since 2008. If any hardware manufacturer deserves support from Linux users, it's them. Here is more information on the subject.

What exactly does this have to do with GOG supporting Linux?

I am just depicting how other organisations are increasing Linux support in the hope of encouraging GOG to do the same.

I bought a lot of good old games on GOG, mainly DOS versions which also run natively on Linux using DOSBox. So for these oldies I don't need Linux support. The Windows versions of older games either run with WINE, with an open sourced engine port or I have them mainly for collection reasons, so I won't play them regularly anyway.

Since Valve moved Steam to Linux, especially indie developers put more effort in porting newer games, which I actually want to play. So while my Steam and Humble Library is filling up with Linux games, I have no reason to go to GOG anymore. I even bought FTL by accident on GOG and had to buy it again on the developers website to get all versions (including a Steam key).

Windows has the status of a "legacy platform" for me and may be gone by 2020.

Currently the Humble Bundle has the best deal for Linux gamers, it's completely DRM-free and pay what you want. With Steam you have DRM'd games with region pricing and with GOG you have to run the stuff on DRM'd operating systems.

Considering most indies released past year or so started development several years ago, I doubt Steam had had major effect on porting games to linux YET or are there many Windows games that have been ported after Steam Linux support? I'd give more credit to humble bundle that has been cross platform from day 1. Other major contributor has been Android and kickstarter phenomenon is also pushing things forward with many games either having linux support from start or as strech goals.

Still, I don't doubt it encourages more linux ports in the future, especially if Steam Box becomes popular after release (It runs linux if I recall correctly). I actually have been wondering for years, close to a decate, why no one has developed a linux distro specifically for gaming.

Microsoft does it's best to marginalise it's own OS considering how shitty Win8 is. They obviously learned nothing from their blunder with Vista. They did not learn that they can't force major unwanted changes to an OS and expect users to just adabt so even today XP is still second most used OS around. MS devs must be braindead considering they try to force tablet OS into keyboard and mouse driven PC.

Those games may have started devlopment years ago(Although I doubt it since it it mostly AAA games that take many years to develop not your average indie game) but that doesn't mean their Linux versions where started many years ago. I can't be doubted though that the Humble Bundles have brought many games to Linux.


Personally I just wish that GOG would announce something on Linux soon. If they have decided(which I sadly suspect) NOT to add Linux support I wish they would TELL us that. Obviously I hope they haven't made that decision but the opposite one, but either way I want to KNOW.

No they said Linux support is something they are looking in to(and they have provided some BS excuses as for why it is not currently here like needing to support the Raspberry Pi!). They way they have worded their responses it seems like a maybe kinda, R&D thing. What they haven't done yet and need to do IMHO is come right out and say it "We will not support Linux". No more of this maybe later thing. Even better of course would be for them to announce Linux support.

Quite many indie games have taken longer to make than AAA titles. Quite many have actually been in development over 5 years, mostly due to devs working on them on their spare time. Kickstarter (and other sort of) funding has helped speed up quite few of late.

See here. Do note that this was posted before GOG started supporting Mac but problems pointed by TeT still stand.
The problem is, even GOG staff can't see the future. Best they can possibly say that they have no plans the for Linux support for time being. That does not mean they won't introduce it in year or two.