krakataul: I get your analogy, but it's not quite correct because GOG and Steam and Humble and Origin and Epic are selling the same stuff - video games. Some are DRM free, most are not.
Except that GOG has spent the entire 12 years of its existence up to now campaigning against DRM, making a point about how it's unethical, anti-gamer & anti-game-preservation, saying as much in interviews/publicity events, running initiatives such as FCK DRM etc. and making repeated promises that they'd never sell games with it; they've made this their identity, their brand - and now they're effectively throwing that away by deciding to start selling DRM'ed games on behalf of another distributor (one who has been shown to be rather scummy in general and pretty much the polar opposite of what GOG is supposed to have been standing for).
adamhm: The crux of the matter is:
* GOG launched back in 2008 on a platform of treating customers fairly, with a number of "core values", the main one being their opposition to DRM.
* They built up their brand and userbase on these core values.
* Over time these "core values" have been eroded and dropped one by one, leaving just one: DRM-freedom, which they have repeatedly assured us that they would never back down on, stating that they view DRM as an anti-consumer and unethical practice that they would never support. "DRM-free" essentially is/was GOG's identity.
* Meanwhile they've been working on a client, GOG Galaxy, which they insist is entirely optional.
* However they've been working towards making GOG Galaxy the primary focus of GOG to the extent that:
- It's heavily promoted everywhere on the site and many users don't even know that the standalone offline installers are a thing because Galaxy is pushed so hard. For many users there is no distinction; "GOG Galaxy" == "GOG".
- They've used deceptive tactics to try to trick users into installing the Galaxy client (such as a BIG download button for Galaxy + hidden or small links for the game installers, or bundling the Galaxy installer with game installers and installing Galaxy by default, etc.)
- The standalone offline installers are now getting neglected in many cases; missing updates, broken updates not being rolled back, etc.
- Users of the standalone offline installers requesting support are routinely told to use GOG Galaxy as the first suggestion and have to be persistent to get proper support for them.
- Linux versions of many games are not being released here because of the lack of Galaxy support, etc.
* As a result of the above, it's clear that GOG Galaxy isn't as optional as they claim, and that GOG's "traditional" userbase/people who use the standalone installers are now effectively second-class customers. Linux users are pretty much third-class; an afterthought.
* At the same time, GOG's communication with the userbase has mostly stopped. It used to be that staff members would regularly interact with the community & seemed like GOG actually cared about gaming & their customers... now there's mostly silence, except for the occasional "good news" (tm).
* And now GOG plans to drop the last of their "core values" and start selling games with DRM. They'll be promoting and profiting from DRM'ed games, and apparently they think this is ok because it'll only be offered through their client - the same client that they've made the primary focus of their store & direct their customers to as much as possible - and because they'll only be the ones selling the games & won't actually be the ones supplying them.
It's completely hypocritical. Why should anyone trust GOG after this?
