itch.io is not actually a DRM free store, they are DRM agnostic, i.e. they allow the developers to do as they want. itch.io is a pltform that was created for developers foremost, then for the customers. most indies on itch.io is DRM free, gratned, becuase DRM schemes costs money. but there are also games on itch.io that have DRM.

True, forgot that.
Still ... for indies I go ot a indie platform (like itch or gamejolt), where I don't have to worry, if the game requires a launcher or not. Some itch game might have some drm, but that is clearly advertised on the webpage and it does not involve a launcher. On Steam it's a lottery.

Yes, these lists are not 100 % accurate, that's true. But they give a good impression.

Also, that's the sad thing. If a game is not on that list, you have to "hope" that it comes DRM free.
And I'm done hoping for that.

If I buy something on Steam because I can't find it anywhere else, then I am very well aware that the game is most likely DRM protected.

I know there are other online stores with DRM-free games, but not all of them provide an easy-to-download offline installer as well. I know Humble Bundle does, but keeping track of updated versions is hell. I don't know about itch.io and others, but with GOG, especially with the various third-party downloaders (like lgogdownloader), which are only possible due to GOG's open account API, keeping the offline installers current is actually easy.

I used to play some Mac games on my 2011 Mac mini over Steam, Civilization IV (or III) was one of them. I did't have the time then to backup everything and now it is impossible to get this once supported game on that specific Mac, since the Mac world has long moved on and the Steam client has as well. My old Mac is now unsupported, getting the game for it (although it was once supported) is now impossible -- at least for me and within a reasonable amount of effort and time. On the other hand, I still have some old GOG offline installers for older versions, so with GOG this wouldn't have been that much of a problem. And before you even begin: Yes, I know, Steam has a backup function as well. Yes, I get it, it is my own fault.

Where are those alternatives? I haven't been able to find any other way to get the Epic giveaway games other than the Epic Launcher.
Even the ones that are supposed to be DRM free and can later be launched without the launcher such as Fallout 3. They have to be launched with the launcher the first time.

What are free video games? I never claim any of them when they are offered for free here on gog.com.

Same here, I usually own them already :D

Well, you can try it one day, just for the experience alone if nothing else...here.
Alternatively stay strong and resist!

No thanks. I prefer to purchase my video games.

The only thing I never want sold in video games, especially on gog.com are microtransactions and thousands of dollars (USD) worth of DLC's, like how Train Simulator on Steam has something like $3,000 dollars (USD) worth of DLC's being sold for it.

Oh and mods, mods need to remain 100% free forever.

Heroic Games Launcher
Lutris
Legendary (command line)
Rare (graphical frontend for Legendary)

These are the ones that come to mind now, there are probably more out there.
If I'm not mistaken all of them are multiplatform but Lutris, which is only for Linux.

Programs like these usually ask you for your username/password and that's all it takes, then you can list your games, you can select which one to install and, if it is actually DRM-free, you can just run it.
I've tried a few and have had no problems, but it's possible that there are intermediate levels between having no DRM at all and being full of it, maybe for specific titles you need to tinker a bit and do things like the one you mention for Fallout 3.

Alright dude, I'm not forcing you or anything here. You can usually buy them after the giveaway ends, if you want to support the dev/pub with a purchase. Usually I have majority of the games given away on gog already on steam or even here, but sometimes a really good title appears that I'm interested in... e.g. Ghost of a tale that was given away early this sale is a great indie title I always wanted to get from early development, but never gotten around to get it.

Agreed on community mods staying free and freemium games with microtransactions or even subscriptions staying the heck out of here. Not a fan of either.

Train sim i know, but i don't really follow the development. I can speak about flight simulators in general which sometimes have a "free" base install on steam, but has a rather basic functionality itself - mostly it servers as a platform. You buy modules for a specific plane (in the form of dlc on steam), that acts then as a standalone simulator for said airplane pretty much. So if you check the total price for something like DCS world on steam, it goes to a couple of thousands when not on sale. But each dlc is its own thing pretty much, if you want to dig down into a single airplane and its systems. It's not "pay to win" or something like that in freemium games. A good portion of the content is made by 3rd party developers, as paid modules (very few are free). So maybe train sim is similar? Base game as a platform and the rest of content made over the years, where you buy only what you are interested in, or possibly made by 3rd party devs you want to support? I know that MSFS does it similar way too, so yeah...maybe it is similar there too.

"Free" was redefined before the internet was a domestic concern. It is a word to be used in context; free in the context of a digital games store means "that which you do not directly pay the store money to obtain". Just as sending away a card in the mail to receive a paint sample was also deemed "free".

To believe free is free in all aspects of the transaction is rather ignorant.

Oh this thread is complaining about Epic's giveaways? I assumed it was about GOG automatically subscribing you to emails when you claimed a giveaway (which imo is a fair trade-off since it's easy to unsubscribe; I know some won't feel the same way and that's fine but I don't want to argue over it).

"free" means there is no transaction. But, thanks for the insult. In the spirit of returning what is given, you are presenting a very convincing impression of the classic pompous, pretentious internet expert.

I'm sorry I don't do impressions. My training is in psychiatry.