To OP: Don't answer this question! It's a trap! ;)

If someone gifts me a copy I'll try it out ;)
Calling it DRM is going a bit far IMO though.

This seems to happen on a few games that I have noticed, I made a post about it myself the other day. Normally I remove the WiFi when not using the internet, however for victor vran and van helsing I forgot and Norton popped up saying the application was making suspicious requests to the network and I blocked it at that point. Would really prefer not to have to sandbox everything just to run newer games, although I don't see it changing.

On the contrary. According to GOGs own definition this is clearly DRM.
From the front page: "DRM-free means no copy protection, on-line checks, or any other annoyances."
Note the "any other annoyances" part.


It can be a bug and it can be DRM at the same time.

Question time: would you class having to use a game-specific updater DRM? I'm referring to Don't Starve, Star Ruler 2, Arcen Games' games...

I'm on the fence with that one.

If it's intentional then it's DRM. If it's a mistake then it's not. We're all humans.

Are you saying you can only update those games using that updater?
In that case I would say it is DRM since they're managing your access to the updates and if their servers go offline, so do those updates.
If the updates are also available via GOG and the updater is just more convenient, I'm OK with that.

Its a difficult one to categorise. Its more of a client software (which I don't agree with). thankfully I have no interest in those games, but I would be very annoyed with that. All other games I have here provide patches via normal browser download without need for internet connection after download, if these games have their own client, then it also comes into the realms of DRM as you can only update with connection to them and their permission, so in effect they are managing tour rights.

Redux? I haven't seen this advertised on GOG, so do we just redownload the game to get this version?

When you open the game on your shelf and click the "MORE" button, you'll find a point called "Serial Key". Click it and you'll get a (broken) link: HTTP://WWW.GOG.COM/REDEEM/12345678 Copy the 8-digit code at the end of the link, go to the redeem page, paste the code and redeem it. You'll now find The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Redux on your game shelf (the original game is still there).

I don't know what your definition for DRM is, apparently any feature that could be considered annoying in some way?

I agree with this test to say whether a digital game has DRM in the practical sense:

If you have the game installer and any official updates on an external hard drive, can you install and play it on your PC which is without an internet connection, without having to use any unofficial cracks or workarounds?

If you can, then it isn't DRM. If you can't, then it is DRM. In the case of Ethan Carter, you can, so no DRM. Also, I have no problem calling those Steam games which can be freely moved to another PC and played there even without Steam installed DRM-free. They also pass that DRM litmus test.

I know different people seem to have different definitions, e.g. if a single-player game even tries to go online for any reason (but doesn't require to go online for using the game), then it is DRM. I disagree with that. Like some others, I've noticed that quite many GOG games actually trigger the Windows firewall to ask whether you allow the game to go online. I have no idea why it does that, but since declining it does not make the game inoperable, I don't consider it as DRM. It doesn't manage at all what I do with the game.

Also, copy protection on physical retail games: is it DRM or not? In a way yes, but that doesn't really matter for GOG games. If you are a console gamer, then it matters to you.

I wonder if the folks over at Steam are pissed that their copies of Tomb Raider have GOG files on them? :D

No, the updates aren't available here. Don't Starve was given GOG updates until its last patch, which requires use of the updater that comes with the game.

Star Ruler 2 was given a GOG patch, and anything further needs the in-game updater.

The Arcen Games were GOG abandoned a long time ago, because he likes to bring out tiny updates for them... convenient for him I guess.

Doesn't GOG offer up-to-date installers for them, or an offline patch? Is the in-game update for single-player too?

While the intention is not necessarily DRM, in a practical sense I consider it as a similar annoyance as DRM, since apparently I can't re-install it on a new PC without an internet connection, fully up to date.

Has GOG said whether they will provide offline updaters for those games, ie. this is merely a case of the offline patch being delayed?

BTW is it the same also on their Steam versions, ie. Steam itself doesn't update them, but they are updated in-game, when you run the game?

EDIT: I see from in the AI War subforum that apparently the game has received new updates almost every week, which kinda makes sense that at least oll of them are not offered as offline installers. Has this slowed down recently, or still new update almost every week?

As suggested in this thread, a cumulative offline patch at some point would be nice. I understood the developer used to even offer such updates on zip files every now and then?

Also, if it is true that the updated game can be freely copied to another PC and play there without an internet connection... then I consider the game DRM-free in a similar sense as the Steam games which can similarly be copied around without the client. Not an optimal solution (a nuisance), but still DRM-free.

I hope GOG will at some point update the installer though, when the updates slow down.