Barefoot_Monkey: What happened two months ago?

Pheace: I think you're vastly overstating how 'outside of the box' thinking this move appears to be.

Publishers already do this every single time you see a DRM-Free version sold with a Steam key, which is pretty much everywhere *except* GOG. For publishers it's incredibly normal to allow you a second version of your game in a different place than you bought it. Except here, because GOG does not want to sell Steam keys (or Uplay, Origin etc).

There are lots of games on GOG that are sold with both a DRM-Free version *and* a Steam key elsewhere. Which to be honest makes the whole "You own the games, so why buy them more than once?" slogan of GOG connect a little ironic. It's not the publishers blocking the activation of games on another service there, it's GOG.

So no, I don't consider this to be something that 'speaks volumes' when it comes to publishers attitude. Imo they're just allowing GOG to do something that's pretty common in the industry, and probably wouldn't have been needed if GOG been more pro active about allowing publishers to hand out GOG keys as their 'DRM-Free' version, which would've been ideal imo.

But then from what I've read it seems GOG does not want to give publishers GOG keys to sell if they're going to combine them with Steam keys. Though I believe when that was mentioned it was for a kickstarter or Humble? Don't remember.

I do agree it was a smart move of GOG to take that step off the publishers hands by creating a system that verifies ownership for them with the Steam API and thus making it easy to also hand out a GOG version that way. Up till now you pretty much had to email developers and hope they handled the ticket and bothered to send you a GOG key (which some do).

The only disappointing thing is the 5 day limit, which, if anything about this 'speaks volumes', this would be it. That apparently publishers are not ready to make this step permanently but are only willing to do it for a limited timeframe only. Making it more of a limited giveaway than a permanent step towards allowing people copies on multiple platforms no matter where it is bought.

Imo, that's the smartest step made here. Making it convenient for the publishers. That's what Steamworks does for publishers, and where the publishers are, consumers will follow.

Pheace: PS: I have to say, from the perspective of a mainly Steam user, I have to admit GOG connect actually makes me more comfortable buying Steam games, with the prospect of my GOG library filling itself up over time thanks to this anyway. (if, hopefully the publishers keep adding to this program)

mkess: Great news!

I waited a long time for something like this..

It's the ideal moment to do such a thing, because I think some users, like myself, are unhappy about the things Valve is doing right now. ... or did in the past with the try to sell use 3rd party DLC aka. "paid mods".

With this "trick" you are able to break the hold of Vakve has on the game market and the gamers in the long run. I am looking forward to pull more games to your , and in that matter to our side, because your game licenses belong to us, nobody can take them away, or alter and delete the content, without our permission.

Socratatus: Agreed. I`m slightly surprised Steam even allow this I doubt it`ll last for long.

Also GOG still needs permission from the Dev houses and some are very tight with their `precious` ie Creative Assembly and will likely never allow them to be released Steam-free.

Socratatus: That is simply not true. I`ve been hamstrung to Steam for most of the games I really want for the longest time and only GOG has now given us to actually own the game we paid for.

Socratatus: Yes, it`s called freedom to actually own your own games.

Unusual feeling isn`t it? Once upon a time this was the norm.

Pheace: Thanks, I'm almost 40, I'm well aware what used to be 'the norm', like selling the game you 'own' if you were done with it for instance, good luck with that. I have my own stance on this and for me that means I don't value the futureproofing of DRM-Free as highly as others do.