GOG keeps on saying with some "DRM-free" games that isn't fully DRM-free.
For example the newest Hammerwatch game also needs the GOG Galaxy, when the original hammerwatch is actually drm-free and direct connect feature too. Yeah they write somewhere, in small, down you need Galaxy for multiplayer in the shop page but the GOG Team actually wrote "DRM-FREE MULTIPLAYER" in the headline of this news when it's not. So it's a shady Trick saying DRM-free proudly but hiding the galaxy required for multiplayer somewhere in the page.

I need to confirm the purchase via a potential spyware telemetry software called Galaxy in order to play multiplayer, that's DRM to me. And Galaxy is the reason Why the newest Hammerwatch game on GOG doesn't come with the Linux build cuz Galaxy is not for Linux and never was in development according to a gog employer but gog flagged the linux version as in development.
Maybe, maybe not. you can't on the new hammerwatch game.

I like the idea of GOG Galaxy and I like to use it but when you gog guys keep it on like that, I shall uninstall this.

Let me clarify.

"DRM-free" multiplayer is _possible_. Thing is, you need something _else_ to identify you (the player) in the game, then. Because it's impossible to have multiplayer in NMS without identifying the player: it's needed to properly add your name to your discoveries, it's needed to show your name to other players around, etc.

Next, the game can't allow you to just "pick a name" every time you enter MP: in this case, some players would abuse it, taking different names every time and griefing / trolling other players knowing that nobody will be able to recognise 'em later on. Not good.

So, for issues like this, if gog.com wishes to add DRM-free MP to NMS, they'll have to ask HG to add whole system into NMS: namely, the system which would let the player to choose a name and then permanently keep it.

But then sometimes, good folks need to change their name. That needs to be addressed too.

And then, that player name must be stored somewhere within game's configuration files - yet in some highly protected way, a way which no "trainer" or hack would be able to compromise. Otherwise we'd see trolls / cheaters do the above "change name whenever fancy" again.

So, yes it is possible to have DRM-free MP. And yet, no it ain't an easy thing to do. Yes we can hope HG + gog will manage to make it. No we can't be sure. Yes it's a sad thing we don't have it yet. No it's not something we should blame either HG, gog or both about.

Please, understand that HG is working hard to give us _free_ massive updates, and gog is working hard to get rid of as much DRM as possible from products they offer. Both are noble causes. They do it for us, this is better indication for good will than any words they could possibly say: actions are always better judges of character than words.

Bottom line? I'd say, let's just accept how it is for the time being. I think it's the best thing to do.

It says "DRM-Free".
It's not "DRM-Free".
it's a lie. And a shady business trick. Remove the "DRM-Free" claim on the shop sites when galaxy needed, replace the "DRM FREE" with "Galaxy" in the headline, offer a refund, then I'm fine.

Really? We're going back to this? That old troll debate?

I get there are some people completely against Galaxy for its mere existence, but really, people need to calm down.

Outrage culture is alive and well, it seems.

I have no problem with the fact that this game will likely never have DRM-free multiplayer. I do, however, mind that GOG is promising us something that I very seriously doubt they have any intention of ever delivering. Claiming that it will be possible to access multiplayer without DRM is disingenuous at best, and false advertising at worst. The Galaxy client is DRM, and therefore, if it's required to access multiplayer, the multiplayer is not DRM-free. GOG should not have used the term "DRM-free multiplayer", as they have never even hinted that this game will feature it. I guess they don't consider the Galaxy client to be DRM, even though everyone else does.

I'm not outraged or upset, and I'm not going to stop buying games here. I'm just disappointed that GOG chose to use the term "DRM-free multiplayer" to describe multiplayer that requires DRM.

Highly subjective. There are plenty people, even in this topic there are some, who easily disagree about MP being "whole reason" of NEXT. Myself included.

Next, not all of us are disappointed. I've seen people saying that they are _not_ going MP in NMS, because they prefer it as a single player, now and ever. YMMV! ;)

And about blaming people who diss GOG because of this case, - yep, can't blame them. But not because they are so right, - that, again, is highly subjective; simply because it's silly to blame people for doing what they want, whatever it'd be, in such a case. Heck, it ain't like they are starting World War 3 or somesuch by "jumping GOG ship", right? :D

Wow this a pretty late time to announce one of the most awaited features will not be included and how long will it be delayed ? What about those people who had planed to play it online ? seriously how hard can it be to announce these sort of updates much before so that people can make informed decision rather be thrown under the bus at the last moment ?


Oh that god awful download gog galaxy button at the bottom keeps staring at me at every post.....

How do I update without GOG Galaxy? I don't see a 1.5 update patch.

I'm so angry, I was looking forward to play together with some friends. I don't care about the persistent universe, I just wanted a LAN mode where we can see each other. No need for any DRM there.

How do you know this?

From wikipedia, the definition for DRM: "DRM technologies try to control the use, modification, and distribution of copyrighted works (such as software and multimedia content), as well as systems within devices that enforce these policies".

Now, would you kindly give me any example where Gog Galaxy did anything of the sort? I.e., any case where Gog Galaxy "controlled" usage of any product distributed by GOG?

Note that the term "control" here means that Gog Galaxy would be anyhow limiting your use of the product _artificially_, i.e. only because Gog Galaxy client for any reason blocked or limited your use of the product while there was technical possibility to allow it. Obviously cases like not being able to do multiplayer simply because, say, your internet service provider just crippled or disabled your access to the internet - do not count.

So? Any example of _actual_ DRM from Galaxy, please? I'm eager to learn. Thanks in advance!

I pre-ordered NMS on GOG back in May 2015. The game still doesn't have everything promised for release.
How about giving us the option to activate NMS on Steam?

there you go, this is why you cant play the new hammerwatch game multiplayer without gog galaxy.

Maybe its not official but some developers are known to give steam keys to people requesting with a receipt of the drm free copy of the game bought here , in such sad situations ...... maybe you can contact hello games and see what happens

So GOG didn't know about this until 3-4hrs ago?.. come on. I wish they had have let us know its not coming for MONTHS. Well.. hello steam then.