B1tF1ghter: Yeah I read that before responding. And I understood that as you suggesting they were just waiting for an excuse. Did I interpret your words wrong?

Zrevnur: From my POV your #208 answer doesnt make proper sense (it doesnt relate properly to my post, it looks like a tangential rant) so you may have significantly misinterpreted something.

Zrevnur: There was something about Amazon AWS S3 (web storage hoster kind of, many webpages use some AWS stuff) doing something with some certificates at that date. So if they were planning on quitting anyway this may have been the reason to quit at that date. But I dont even know if they were in some way affected by this certificate thing.

B1tF1ghter: as you suggesting they were just waiting for an excuse

kbnrylaec: An GOG staff claimed that GOG was the only DRM-free digital distributor for PC games.
No, it is not.

Game stores with multiple categories:
Crytivo
- You get an DRM-free copy of the game on the site. (Detail)
- Every purchase gives you "Crytivo Coins" which you can use to lower the price of your next purchase.

DLGamer

Epic Games
- Please append the option -EpicPortal to executables or make shortcuts

FIREFLOWER GAMES
- Exclusively DRM-free, and carries quite a few titles that are not sold at GOG.

Game Jolt

Gamebillet
- You can select and view DRM-free category.

GamersGate
- You can download DRM-free installers with SirPrimalforms' old trick

GOG
- I have over 1000 games here.
- In the past, 99% of my digital downloaded legal games were GOG version.

Humble Bundle
- Some DRM-free games here have more updated version than GOG version.
- That is, some developers love Humble Bundle more.
- (Well, some GOG games have more updated version than Humble Bundle version.)

indiegala
- indiegala freebies are usually DRM-free downloads.

itch.io
- Many games here are time-limit 100% off, you can grab them totally free.

Nutaku
- Click "PC" and then "Paid Games." You'll see dozens of DRM-Free titles.

Steam
- No, I am not joking. Steam do have many DRM-free games.
- Once you downloaded those true DRM-free games, you can backup them as you like, and run the game everywhere without Steam client installed. [1]

WinGameStore

Zoom Platform
- Exclusively DRM-free, and carries quite a few titles that are not sold at GOG.

Game stores focused on visual novels or NSFW games:
- Denpasoft
- DLsite (English)
- DLsite (Japanese)
- FAKKU!
- JAST USA
- MangaGamer

Developers that have their own store AND do sell DRM-free games:
- 3D Realms
- Arcen Games
- Caravel Games
- Cogmind (Grid Sage Games)
- dgray (also sell The Hugo Trilogy and The Nitemare-3D Trilogy)
- Enlight Games
- Knuckle Cracker [2]
- RedCandle (Famous for DETENTION and DEVOTION)
- RimWorld (Ludeon Studios)
- Soldak [2]
- TLK Games
- Winter Wolves

Many developers use Humble Widget on their own site, which will not be listed in this section.

Wait for further confirmation:
- SQUARE ENIX gave an DRM-free Hitman.
- Uplay gave an DRM-free Rainbow Six.

[1] https://www.gog.com/forum/general/steam_games_you_can_play_without_the_steam_client
[2] use one-time key activation (not server based)

B1tF1ghter: Chotto matte...

B1tF1ghter: Based on which I deducted that
B1tF1ghter: and since I thought your intention was clear I didn't say that stright until post 210.
So in my original response 208 I proceeded to debunk that as a valid excuse.
Which is not a rant. If company Z has TEMPORARY issues then quitting entirely until fixed is beyond bizzare, in which case a company with implied non-temporary issues arises (Playism) which if your suggestion would be correct merely needed SOME excuse.
Nontheless THAT (AWS BS) excuse isn't even remotely valid as that in particular CAN be fixed.
Therefore I pointed that out in my original 208 to forfeit validity of your point.
Thank you. And that's all.
(there is still a possibility you will not understand but I think I explained well enough already)

Zrevnur: There was something about Amazon AWS S3 (web storage hoster kind of, many webpages use some AWS stuff) doing something with some certificates at that date. So if they were planning on quitting anyway this may have been the reason to quit at that date. But I dont even know if they were in some way affected by this certificate thing.

Kyousuke.: This would have made sense if they didn't want to be arsed with keeping the drm-free aspect, which to be honest can be a chore if you aren't selling that much just for that aspect.

Still, I can't help but wonder if there wasn't more behind it.

Zrevnur: I have no idea what you are trying to say. And why would they need a 'valid' (or any) "excuse"?
I am not even sure you understand what I was saying - maybe a hypothetical example:
I have 2 cars. One a new one, another an old one which I dont really need but still use sometimes. I am allowed to use that old car for 10 more days and then no more. Unfortunately though a wheel (on the old car) breaks. You think I am going to fix the wheel so that I can drive 10 more days when I dont even need the car anyway?

dudalb: I hate drm, but, let's face reality, most of the major games companies use it and that is not going to change.
You are, of course, free to boycott any games with DRM but that is really going to limit the games you can play.

Sorry, but that is just reality.

dudalb: You are, of course, free to boycott any games with DRM but that is really going to limit the games you'll legally purchase before playing and the income of their publishers.

dudalb: I hate drm, but, let's face reality, most of the major games companies use it and that is not going to change.
You are, of course, free to boycott any games with DRM but that is really going to limit the games you can play.

Sorry, but that is just reality.

B1tF1ghter: Depends what you want to do with that "unneeded" car later.
Dismantle it? Sure, then you can forfeit bothering yourself with fixing it.
Sell it?
You darn know the potential buyer would make a fuss so you just go and fix it.
Ergo you provided wrong example (no offense).

B1tF1ghter: I see you have removed Playism from the list (now that "for now" it's dead).
Perhaps you could add "honorable mentions" section for past (now defunct) stores?

gog_ultima: https://alivesoft.com/

B1tF1ghter: I am not aware of any public record of Playism's assets transfer.
But they definitely did not cease their general existence. I don't know if you read the official message carefully or not:

B1tF1ghter: they will still continue to operate on their over venues (Playism had been doing other things too, such as publishing some indie games on Vita / Switch, etc). Which means for example they are still going to publish new games on Steam (maybe also on GOG).