According to my profile I joined 827 days ago, so that must've been not too long after they launched the site, right? Anyway, I don't remember exactly, but I probably found the site through GameBanshee or a similar CRPG fan-site, and remember thinking it sounded like an awesome concept at the time.

I registered because I figured it had a lot of potential and they might at some point release the Infinity Engine titles, which are among my all-time favorite games, as well as others that I'd be interested in. When the site re-launched last year and they announced the deal with Atari, I became more active and started expanding my games collection. I love the site -- it's one of those situations where, if someone told me "you're gonna be stranded on a deserted island and you're allowed to take one website!" this would be it ;)

Ars technica wrote a bunch of articles singing the praises of this new DD service in beta that was focussing on DRM-free classic pc games. I found the idea very appealing but thought they were doomed from the start as I couldn't imagine there being more than a few thousand people being willing to purchase old computer games. Furthermore, GOG's initial catalog looked like an act of desperation on Interplay's part and it seemed very unlikely they would sign on any more big publishers.

Was it 6 months later they got Ubisoft? That really strengthened my confidence in the service and I signed up during the next weekend promotion.

I fell for the shutting down prank hard. XD

I came for Postal 2 Complete. Giggety!

Duke Nukem Manhattan Project, then Postal 2, Then it was on... from there i found more and more to love.. until the 2 greatest games ever released came... Aquanox 1 and 2... there are so many good games... Alien Shooter 1,2 and shadowgrounds are my next big ones im getting!

came for mob rule but got side tracked by other classic games here...

Think i remember seeing something in either pc zone (sad to see that mag go) or retro gamer about a new online distributor on old games and when i looked at the link supplied i almost couldnt stop jumping up for joy when i sam the names Fallout, Freespace and Giants.

Saw it announced on the original Witcher forums. Came here and registered. 940 days ago today.

I came 471 days ago according to my account and the original appeal was the concept for the site as a whole. I'm a huge "classic gaming" player and really wanted to show support for this concept. If I had to pick a game it was definately Duke Nukem 3D. This was the game of my highschool career. I still remember the day my friend and I went to the local computer store (when computer stores were still locally owned) and picked up our copies on release day. With the exception of Chrono Trigger, those are the only two "release day" games I'd ever bought during my poor highschool life. (I've since bought more than I care to count.. or budget properly for).

The first moment the atomic logo appears on the Duke Nukem load up is a thing of beauty.

I'm here for nostalga, but I still find these games consuming at least 40-50% of my game playing time. I travel alot and bring a netbook, these games are perfect for a small, crappy low-fi computer and they keep my lonely nights in hotels ... less lonely.

A couple of articles at the Escapist. It wasn't until they came out of closed beta that I bothered joining up. Then I didn't buy anything for quite a while. My GOG collection is steadily growing now though.

Qbix I think, due to being involved with dosbox. I remember it coming up in a thread before.

A post from Bluesnews a few months before they went beta on 10JUL2008 originally informed me of GOG - followed closely ever since.

I think like many, lead from a wikipedia article on an old(er) game that listed GOG as a digital distributor. In my case I think it was either reading up on Betrayal at Krondor (with that heartbreaking orchestral score from the CD version) or the Castles I/II series by Quicksilver Software, both games I played as a kid and fondly remember. Both ended up being my first purchases on this site.

Soon to follow was Arcanum, already cheap but during a promo could be had for a song. A fine investment despite owning a disc copy. Then Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader, a forgotten Black Isle gem when Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series got the lion's share of attention. And the rest is history. I'm actually probably more picky than most, and only buy games that I have a strong attachment to or curiosity about, so boast only 15 on my "bookcase." However GOG always gets my money first, if they stock it, over all other vendors, brick-and-mortar, online, and otherwise.

I don't post much in the forums, but the community is closest to my gaming sensibilities (1992--2005 as the best years in gaming, IMO, as far as quality tight-knit studios and landmark releases), and it's a strong one, especially overcoming even the reservations of some posters here from buying from a "dodgy" looking digital distribution site...still in beta, at that. I used to post at a long-defunct Black Isle Studios forum back when the studio was still a liquid asset, and the www.ttlg.com forums (dedicated to Through the Looking Glass games, Thief/System Shock primary), and Apolyton, which has its fanbase around Firaxis and the Civilization series, though for me I mostly posted in the SMAC area.

Here you can find people who were into and have played all those games, and more, so it a way it's a "greatest hits" forum without needing to invest in several cliquish communities out there in games that you loved but your interest has waned a bit, if for no other reason the passage of time.

Yeah, we're close to the earliest possible signup, but I know I'm a few days late. I think Ralackk's probably right in Qbix being the earliest non-staff member.

1NSANE - because I never had so much fun with a computer game - capture the flag with trucks is the blast!