Posted September 28, 2015
amok: It has always been like this. You are mixing up "ownership" and "access", which are two different concepts. In the old days of "disk-only" you still only licensed the game, you did not own it. In fact, when you bought a game you owned the disk, but licensed the game which was on it. Even back then it was licenses. This can be exemplified with breaking the disk, i.e. loosing access to it. Where you then only renting the game?
The same with gOg - I have some hundreds games here which I have not downloaded. What if gOg deletes my account tomorrow? i.e. I loose access to my games. Does it mean I only rented my games on gOg?
I quite agree with you, "ownership" and "access" are two very different concepts. With Steam you are only able to access your games through a third party client (or via the steam tools which JMich pointed out to me). That is one restriction that GOG doesn't have, it is still optional to use the client. In a large amount of cases, but not exclusively, the games played via Steam use Steam's DRM, or third party DRM (for example Origin). This is also different from GOG who (ideally anyways :o) provide installers without any requirements, either account based, or software/hardware based. The same with gOg - I have some hundreds games here which I have not downloaded. What if gOg deletes my account tomorrow? i.e. I loose access to my games. Does it mean I only rented my games on gOg?
Personally, the second is the biggest thing for me. I wish to be able to have a file, which installs and runs without need for internet, or additional software running, this is the bit that makes GOG shine for me, I download my files and away I go, no further commitment.
The first part, the access, indeed if you do not download and backup your installers offline then indeed from an access point of view there is no difference between the companies. I really cant understand the mentality myself, the reliance on other companies to keep servers running for you, its just bone idle. Get a HDD, they are dirt cheap, download the files via web browser download. Store the files on your new HDD. Jobs a gooden. Unless GOG literally come round to your house and take that HDD it is yours, forever. This is the big benefit of shopping here, your consumer right of ownership.
Me, I download everything immediately, store on local HDD. Then each three month window I copy out to backup HDD's which are stored on and offsite. I keep spreadsheets with all my various systems/consoles, what I own, where brought from etc. Once you put the effort in up front it is simple to keep it going.
The emphasis is simple, if your too lazy to do things yourself, your at the mercy of companies and no DRM free or any other bandwagon is going to protect you from yourself.
TL;DR: Browser download, backup on separate HDD, winner!