I'm not going to go buy a brand new game on disc format with disc check DRM knowing it won't work unless I go looking for a crack. I consider a copy without DRM that I have backed up to be a far better option.

I accept that you're okay with DRM and not trying to recruit you against it.

Cracks are awsome and used a fair bit of them but is not without some sort of risk.
In many cases cracks can indeed be a solution but not in all cases.

Well, kind of (on ownership of disc-based games can be higher) - for modern games you buy digitally, they often require a service. And it's not like you get patch-files and keep those so you can up-date said game - as likely, that's all handled by a service (like Steam, Origin, UPLAY, etc). At least if you got it on disc - you do have a starting point there for the install. But, the disc could be useless - if patches, disc-check removals, client-app crap removals, and/or other stuff isn't given to the player/users.

A lot of newer & modern single-player games - you still need to connect to servers of the client-app (Steam, Origin, etc); have an account w/ that client-app service for verification purposes; maybe 3rd party server checks/stuff is involved (like say IO's Servers for Hitman games since 2016); maybe stuck w/ a 2nd client-app; and/or other madness.

Back in the day - a lot of these services did NOT exist. Until Steam, a lot of these games ONLY had only the disc-check, at least in their single-player portions. Let's keep that in mind here.

Also, back in the day - multiplayer often used TCP/IP/LAN for their MP; they didn't always use ded-servers and/or central servers.

Of course disc-checks are DRM - but they aren't say as ridiculous as client-app or online DRM; especially for SP-based games. For disc-based games that it's up to dev's to decide to put a CD-check/DVD-check or not for the retail release; and/or release a patch to the public to remove those checks if they had them there originally. A lot of times, hackers and whatnot eventually got around these disc-checks and released their own EXE files (and/or other files) anyways. I've bought games from retail that had no DRM before - such as Prince of Persia (Cel-Shaded Reboot) and Venetica on disc.

It's also up to dev's and pub's to re-release games on GOG or other sites w/out DRM - they should; especially if it's old. And since they like to not patch disc-versions of the game sometimes or not remove DRM from even say Steam-versions - yeah, they're banking on preservations re-buying the game AGAIN. They love re-releasing games on sites like GOG or Steam; re-mastering games (which can sometimes just feel like a paid-patch); and/or stuff like that - so they can make you buy the same thing...well, or close to the same thing - you already paid for all over again.

I hate DRM. But you're likely confusing DRM with Copy-Protection, while similar one phones home and requests access and the other doesn't.

Though often the line is blurred.

In the cases of CD-Cracks, i've never had an issue. I suppose it may not work with online components, but most of the CD-Cracks go for games before the internet was used as much.

So now the question is : What does it mean for GOG ?

These games reaching their expiration date on UBI's servers, do they automatically become more negotiable for GOG ? How much does it increase the chance of seeing them appear here soon ?

If your computer's operating system is Windows 10+, buying a game with disc-based copy protection is going to have the same end result as buying a game with DRM where the validation server is offline. It doesn't matter which phones home and which does not. It doesn't matter which is just software and which is software on a disc. You're not going to be able to play the game "out of the box."

If I buy a game brand new in the next ten minutes, I shouldn't have to go hunting for cracks just to play it. That's what some people don't seem to get.

Then get yourself an XP system and use Alcohol 120%, and have yourself a nice day.

Alcohol 120% now that's a blast from the past

You wish. I personally think its gonna get worse, triple A thinking is pretty much dead. No point to make games like Cyberpunk 2077 when people just get pissed off.

I think pre-orderers should get some extra love.

Since you're obviously against things like GOG, why are you even here?

None of the games that can be purchased here are on a disc.

Hehe, you'd think so. But you're wrong.

A number of DosBox games probably under the hood mount ISO images, i'm sure Albion is one such example.

And i know Dark Reign still has all it's CD-checks and copyprotections in place, sometimes it will complain about you needing to add the disc in when the workarounds don't work when it doesn't mount in time and you just need to run the game again before it works.

No GoG may not sell games on a disc itself, but the underlaying technology is still there. If you're willing to pay them $10 for the workaround to be in place rather than finding it yourself, that's your problem.

As for me being against GoG, what gave you that impression? I have a beef against GoG for how they've treated me, not the site or games I've already purchased; I might have a few games here...

Because you're acting just like the people that tell me that I'm wrong for not purchasing on Steam exclusively.

edit -- just substitute the word Steam with "physical medial disc."

errr... huh? Telling you that you can get a CD crack to play a game without the disc is HARDLY the same as saying to buy from steam exclusively or that you can't play said game on a Win10 machine or the like.

Honestly my last two systems don't even have a disc drive. Oh i have an external burner on hand just in case, but i mount them via tools, preferably imdisk though PowerISO or Alcohol120 may work too; Though I'd prefer to just use a CD crack myself (or install so it doesn't even use a disc). Though other tools and versions of the game(s) have come up that seem to do better than having to use such tools/workarounds.