Actually it's mostly, but not exclusively, DRM-free. In the sense that they offer Steam keys for some games.
So... you're saying you've kept the eye patch and the wooden leg? Maybe a Jolly Roger? :P
I've already paid my Galaxy subscription for this month... wait... what year is this again?

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PART 5/?
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Wrong.
This (assuming the used wording is correct) will be "Uplay direct" kind of situation.
First of all I have checked the updated TOS and PP and it doesn't entirely say that THIS method would apply to proxy purchases (the wording is pretty clear it's somethig else that I am about to describe).

This will make it so that you (from now on) will likely not get a key (when purchasing from 3rd party OFFICIAL partners) just a "direct redeem". That would actually allow GOG to start using key activation (well LICENSE, but commonly reffered to as "key activation") region restrictions as well as MUCH stricter control of GOG gift licenses distribution.
And if this thing turns out to be true it will be a disaster (no more cheap GOG keys, no more "infinite storage for birthdays and such", higher control of regional prices by publishers, walling in Japan distribution more easily, etc).

What? Are you like 5? (this isn't meant to offend you, but that thought process of yours contains high concentration of naivety)
By your definition basically EGS freebies should only reach those who already had EGS account due to playing Fortnite.

Also by your definition EGS would gain no new consumers from this deal.
Which, honestly, is laughable premise for anybody with even intermediate knowledge about software digital distribution.

You know what? :P You just gave me idea :P
(well, this deal is tragic so at least I'm trying to crack jokes to not get completely depressed by this BS [and fact that as of right now I cannot possibly backup all my GOG files FAST])

GOG loyal consumers: We want game X DRM-Free on GOG
GOG: We already have game X on GOG
Game X on GOG: *buy game X through our proxy glorified iframe TODAY*

(in case somebody turns this into actual picture, it would be nice to credit me for once :P)

In before GOG turns their focus into being digital distribution marketing company /s

Also, I would like to hear what would ACTUALLY happen when they MAYBE someday do this "unified experience" while any currently existing game may be available on SEVERAL distribution platforms ( there are plenty of examples, here are some https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Tom_Clancy%27s_Rainbow_Six_Siege#Availability https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Metro_Exodus#Availability https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Dishonored_2#Availability https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Mirror%27s_Edge#Availability https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Metro_2033_Redux#Availability ).
What EXACTLY is going to happen then?
Will the GOG app allow ACTUAL free choice?
Or will it be "the spot goes to the highest bidder" scenario?

But you know... You cannot see shit if it already covers your eyes...
I think they are deep enough in their ignorance to be grown immune to community's begging them to stop.

itch.io.
indiegala (to some small degree they still do afaik)
humblebundle (but I would advise to stay away from them considering what BS they are pulling now)
You can also get them directly from publishers or developers sometimes.
Plus there are some over less notable places.

I have most of my games on Steam.
What I have on GOG is:
-some duplicates bought solely for DRM-free (if I would have known GOG will eventually turn into shit I would not have bothered)
-some amount of games I don't have elsewhere (bought here *of all places* SOLELY FOR DRM-free)
-demos
-some games from giveaways (good BECAUSE DRM-free)

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PART 6/?
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Speak for yourself.

I don't have EGS account and I never will. I am clever enough to not sell my data for some free shit.
And even if it would be truly free I don't just get WHATEVER is in plain sight.
I always consider all points before getting something, even if it is "free".
I don't have Rockstar account either and it doesn't seem like I will since I don't care about their products except for RDR2 which can be obtained outside of Rockstar.
I don't have Bethesda account and don't plan to ever have one.
I only have Steam (majority of my games), Origin (Crysis, Battlefield), Uplay (some games) and GOG(made SOLELY because they sell DRM-free here [FOR NOW]).
I am not the kind to get lured in by free shit or empty promises.
I have VERY tactical approach to my life.
I would easily go as far as obtaining game on Steam, backuping files and using my legal copy with a crack (or special Steam tricks, including dev commands that are not supposed to be ever used by general userbase) to not rely on Steam (or my exceptionally shitty internet, that's why I absolutely HATE that for example Hitman 2016 is essentially singleplayer always-online. I love that game universe and love IOI for it. But I HATE IOI for the BS DRM).

After seeing this thread I have essentially frozen all my future GOG purchase plans indefinitely (at least until I get solid backup of all CURRENT files from GOG, which honestly, will take LONG since my internet is ancient and I would have to outsource batch of HQ archival-grade optical storage [hard drives are a burden in long term]).

Care to elaborate how you do that (forum link maybe?)? Especially the first part?

In before somebody decides to put actual GOG Galaxy proxy store commercials in-game. Maybe even game interface to buy things directly from within the game.
This idea isn't neccessarily out of reach considering how much BS the industry has done in last few years.

Again, speak for yourself. I am personally planning importing sweets from another country because after eating domestic market ones for more than 20 years I cannot stand this sugary shit anymore.
I would rather not have it at all rather than eat it at this point.
But I do want some so I would rather pay more and just import something that is to my liking than just "give up and buy domestic market trash".
I am an embodiment of going against trends and for taking hard routes.
If life is winding road I am going to make it a drifting contest. /s

Ohayo (<<<< crappy implementation of romaji) Marko. It's been a while.
Yes, it's like "hit and run" for GOG. I mean. Seriously.
Cannot they be bothered to participate, heck, EVEN JUST MODERATE, their OWN threads?

How about destroying the entire industry from the inside? (I could easily write a wall of text as to how)
Also, it's not just claims, it has been proven.
And big data consequences are of practically infinite number and severity.
Data is worth MUCH MUCH more than EGS looses (potentially) from giving things away for "free".

Hope you are right but I personally don't see this in such bright colors. I think you underestimate humanity's urge to go into profit over quality (so consequently longetivity).

If I ever choose to get my game projects out of "project freeze" and release them I will be sure to give the biggest troll middle finger to the likes of EGS I could possibly think of :D

Yeah, no joke, they ACTUALLY SUCCEEDED at making bigger monopoly than Steam ever was.
It's amusing how people fall for that "EGS is free market / broader choice" shit.

(edit: fixed some spelling)

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/news_gog_galaxy_to_start_selling_epic_games/post660

AFAIK, none of these places sells only DRM-free games, which is what potato asked.

I think we're just looking at slightly different time frames. Things will get worse before they get better. Vendor lock-in will be pushed aggressively, quality of service will deteriorate... just look at it now.

Isn't the ship comparable to dlc? Not familiar with the game so not sure.

Right. You will have to excuxe my slight slip up as I feel highly fatigued at the moment.
But still, itch.io. is generally primarily DRM-free oriented no?

I was expecting you to say that.
Yes, you didn't say either PER SE.
I included you in the quote as a honorable mention ;) So you can actully read what I had to say on the matter, because you know, my "moderate amounts of text" could get burried within this rapidly expanding thread.

But I specificly said "thinks / HOPES".
Aren't you hoping that this deal is "just" some marketing BS?

Any singleplayer additional content distributed on entirely DRM-free focused platform should also be distributed DRM-free. There is no dodging that.

We do still need to go through a bit of doom and gloom before we get to see those bright colors... ;-)

I appreciate that profit drives corporates, but they also pretend they don't need to have a conscience since they can hide behind being a collective. "It wasn't me, it was a board decision!"

Hey!!!! Maybe us gamers need to unionize!

There's also Playism.

The trouble with all of these platforms is that they all kinda suck.

Itch is a very dev-friendly platform from what I hear, but they're mainly a dumping ground for crappy indie games whose devs were unwilling to spend those 100 bucks or whatever it costs to release on Steam these days. Occasionally they get decent stuff that isn't even on gog (Goose Simulator or Detective Dee come to mind).

Zoom Platform has a worse selection of good old games from yesteryesteryear than gog had when they opened shop over a decade ago. They also have a communication problem. While gog doesn't communicate much at all these days, Zoom had moments where it would have been best for them to keep their mouths shut. I remember them being so outrageously rude to Twitter users who asked them simple questions about some dispute they had with gog that I went "Chances are these guys are in the right, but after this I wouldn't dream of giving them money!"

Fireflower... blegh. I guess if you're really desparate to play indie point&clicks from over half a decade ago.

I had an absolutely pleasant experience regarding support on Playism and would love to recommend them. That being said, their main problem is again a very small catalogue, which is unlikely to grow much, I don't think there have been many releases in recent months, if not years. (edit: Case in point: Their #6 most recent release is fucking Night in the Woods...)

No other DRM-free shop has even come close to the variety of stuff that gog offers (let alone offering stuff from big studios). I very much doubt any other shop would be capable of picking up the torch (nor would they want to) if gog fails.

Me too! But i think it's very difficult to achieve. I may think I'm posting here anonymously, but it's very likey GOG already knows my real profile. And if they do.... would they kindly keep that information private ;-)

Not really. It's like hoping today that The Netherlands wins the 1974 FIFA World Cup.

They most likely do. All it takes is one slip-up.
Like using the wrong browser (Which would be most of them), or no privacy addons (even if you are using a better browser).
If you pay with something directly connected to your bank. Or even indirectly through third-parties.
You have static IP and/or don't use a VPN.
Then there's the browser fingerprint, the hijacks and trojans..using a similar name on another place where you have revealed details or slipped up.
Or use an un-secure email or given your private details there.
Plus lots more.

Seeing it from that angle makes one thing very clear. Everyone is profiting from this deal except the customer. In fact GOG is cannibalizing it's own business, because less people will demand DRM free versions. They will just buy it on Epic through Galaxy.

This is how I see it. It still seems like a bad business deal for GOG even if there is no money to be made from DRM-free games. Let's assume for sake of argument that DRM-free users are an insignificant portion of GOG's business. Then that means that GOG's DRM-free offerings are exactly the same as Epic's DRM'd offerings in the eyes of the masses, right? In that case:

- How is GOG helping their own long-term business interests by replacing a portion of their direct-release opportunities with commission-based sales from Epic while at the same time personally covering the bill for Epic's tech support, return policy, and Galaxy integration development?

- More broadly, why is it a good move for any company to risk shrinking their own direct-sales market while spending their own money to grow another company's direct-sales market?

- What long-term benefits does GOG retain if Epic eventually decides to "cut out the middleman" and terminate their agreement with GOG thus shrinking GOG's new "library" of GOG + Epic releases?

I personally cannot come up with any sensible answers to these questions. To me it seems like this is a bad deal all around for GOG even if all of their games were DRM'd.