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Context:
I having been thinking about buying Cyberpunk 2077 through GOG to support CD Projekt and receive better support in turn, should anything happen.

The Connect and lack of DRM also caught my interest. I don't have any malicious plans, quite simply, the idea of being able to play games without Valve looking over my shoulder the whole time is appealing. I thought I had read that I can effectively gain a game through GOG with full GOG support by transferring the game from Steam to GOG, unless I am mistaken.

Google says, "Simply visit the GOG Connect page and follow the instructions under the “Connect Your Accounts” header. Sign into your GOG account, sign into your Steam account, and use the “Import Games” button to transfer any titles you wish from Steam to GOG."

The Problem:
I'm struggling to figure out how to transfer games to Steam to GOG. I have been able to get Connect to recognize my Steam library, and I do see my Steam games in GOG Galaxy. They are still registered as Steam games, and Steam must be active for me to run the game.
Wherever this supposed header or "Import Games" button is supposed to be at, I cannot find it through either the web browser or GOG Galaxy app client. I had thought GOG Galaxy was supposed to be more user friendly than Steam, but my experience thus far is telling me otherwise, and it is making me question my decision to bother with GOG. But I am here to get help in solving the problem than to just give up on the whole thing.

Is anybody able to walk me through this or show me where I may have made a mistake?
Post edited November 05, 2020 by guiltf33der13
Connect is only active every once in a blue moon. The majority of the time it's shut down.

GOG will advertise on the front page when it's active, and what games are currently eligible for transfer.

I'm sure when Cyberpunk releases, they'll activate it for a while.
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yogsloth: Connect is only active every once in a blue moon. The majority of the time it's shut down.

GOG will advertise on the front page when it's active, and what games are currently eligible for transfer.

I'm sure when Cyberpunk releases, they'll activate it for a while.
Thanks for the quick response and clear explanation. Connect is available only sometimes.
high rated

I'm sure when Cyberpunk releases, they'll activate it for a while.
I really wouldn't count on this if it wasn't explicitly stated anywhere as a promise. The whole Connect thing is quite misleading. It's actually more of a promo that GOG does from time to time, not a consistent feature, and there is no guarantee that you will be able to transfer any given game in your Steam library to GOG. You might get lucky sometimes, but no guarantees, and these promos don't happen that often either. And when they do, they are usually just for a small selection of very specific games.
Post edited November 05, 2020 by Leroux

I'm sure when Cyberpunk releases, they'll activate it for a while.
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Leroux: I really wouldn't count on this if it wasn't explicitly stated anywhere as a promise. The whole Connect thing is quite misleading. It's actually more of a promo that GOG does from time to time, not a consistent feature, and there is no guarantee that you will be able to transfer any given game in your Steam library to GOG. You might get lucky sometimes, but no guarantees, and these promos don't happen that often either. And when they do, they are usually just for a small selection of very specific games.
Good to know.
Connect may be enabled for a week or so, or maybe just a few days, during some (definitely not all) major sales and maybe right after a new publisher joins GOG or there are some major additions to the catalog, like an entire major series. And when it is enabled, that's just for a few games.
So not "sometimes", but very rarely, may even be a year or more without it appearing at all, and again, when it does it'll just be for a few games.
The point of Connect is (or "was"-ish) to help kickstart people's investment in GOG. I think the focus has shifted to Galaxy 2, I assume the main Galaxy 2 page has links pointing to GOG or somehow directs people to use GOG, despite "all my games from all services in one place" and Epic deals on Galaxy now.
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yogsloth: Connect is only active every once in a blue moon. The majority of the time it's shut down.
I've noticed that too. Back when they were really pushing it, every other sale there'd be more games you could get connected and free (so long as you owned it on steam). I was annoyed they didn't make it permenant.
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guiltf33der13: Connect is available only sometimes.
That's phrasing things in a very unrealistic and extremely overly-generous terms versus what the actual reality is.

More accurate to say something like: Connect is almost completely dead, very few games are ever eligible for it, and people who are hoping for the day to come when they will eventually be able to transfer most and/or all of their Steam games to GOG via Connect are deluding themselves with highly delusional wishful thinking that will never become reality at any point in the future.

Also, your OP is incorrect when you assert that you will "receive better support" from GOG in regards to Cyberpunk than you would from Steam. Actually, no you wouldn't.

The only good reason to buy from GOG is for DRM-free games...and that's about it.
Post edited November 06, 2020 by Ancient-Red-Dragon
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Ancient-Red-Dragon: Also, your OP is incorrect when you assert that you will "receive better support" from GOG in regards to Cyberpunk than you would from Steam. Actually, no you wouldn't.
I'd contest that. GOG support used to be stellar (from my own experience) seems to slow nowadays (from the forums) but still solutions oriented. Steam support is mostly absent, or "just refund" which is not helpful if you want to play that game.
And esp. regarding CP2077 I think GOG support will give you a leg and an arm to get it running, while Steam support will have not much motivation to help you.
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guiltf33der13: The Connect and lack of DRM also caught my interest.
Likely CP2077 will be as DRM-free as it can be on Steam too. (Download the game, backup the folder, and it should run without the Steam client.)

Connect is a different beast. It's a marketing instrument for GOG, getting Steam customers over here. Which means, either the devs/pubs are allowing free GOG versions of Steam games, or GOG actually pays for those. Up to now not even Witcher 3 allows "Connecting" (excpept for a limited period, that was plagued with problems).

Nevertheless getting the game here is probably the best option anyways, short of a physical copy with all the goodies. Unless you are a die-hard Steam-fan.
Post edited November 06, 2020 by toxicTom
Cyberpunk 2077 will most certainly not be available on Connect or any such scheme for a long time if ever.
If the price is fair I don't mind buying the game a second time just to have it available DRM Free. Have 1000 games on my steam library, but have completely put it a side in favor of GOG starting last year. I prefer to buy DRM free now and invest in old games that I want to keep a copy of for archive and play whenever I want.

In relation to Gog Connect its not GOG that dictates what games are eligible but the publisher instead. Nowadays it seems a shot in the foot to cut off a possible revenue stream by giving your games away through connect. I would see it working more for CD Project games than anyone else's.

But would like to say that CD Project is all for the consumer and really appreciated. Just hope they keep this model and not fall into the temptation of doing otherwise.

RV
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yogsloth: I'm sure when Cyberpunk releases, they'll activate it for a while.
For Cyberpunk? i don't see any logical reason why they'd do that on release because then they would be pushing people to buy it from Steam instead, on the release date. Maybe years from now when Cyberpunk is already an old game. Maybe.

I don't recall that e.g. The Witcher 3 was on Connect on its release date.

If you meant Connect may be activated for some other older games on CP release sale, that is certainly a possibility.
Post edited November 06, 2020 by timppu
I'm not sure if it is still the case, but certainly with one or more of The Witcher games, if you bought at Steam, you were given a GOG Redeem Code as well. That could well happen with Cyberpunk. It doesn't make much sense in the context of supporting GOG, but there you go.

If Cyberpunk sells for the same price at Steam as it does at GOG, then unless you care to support GOG and CDProjekt (who would get less money from Steam), you would be in front, if they also provide a GOG Redeem code via the Steam purchase. Effectively you would own the game at both places for the same cost, unlike if you bought directly from GOG.
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Timboli: I'm not sure if it is still the case, but certainly with one or more of The Witcher games, if you bought at Steam, you were given a GOG Redeem Code as well.
Seems to still be active, for both Witcher 1 and 2, purchased anywhere.