After watching the many threads of /v/ about the release(for the lulz), one common argument spoofs up everytime to justify pirating the GoG version:
The money doesn't go to the original developers, Irrational Games, but to EA.

I thought IG had the rights back? Can someone explain who really gets the royalities now?

GOG gets a cut for sure, and that's good enough for me.

I believe star insurance company will get a slice, EA get a slice, and GOG get a slice.

Idk if the original developers get anything from it, but GOG deserves some credit for finally bringing this game up and out there again, more than enough reason to pay for it, IMO.

Same here.

Half the games on GOG don't see the original developers get a single cent for sales. This isn't anything new. Sucks, but that's how the business works.

Of course that, by now, they don't go to devs. No real surprise there.

The money goes like this -> GOG->Night Dive -> Star insurance. EA see's jack squat as they own no part of System Shock 2 anymore since they let their rights to the Trademark and copyright expire about a year or two ago and Star jumped on it registered it under their name.

Even if that wasn't the case and LGS was still kicking they wouldn't probably see shit from the sales anyway the publisher EA would of since they owned the Trademark and copyright not LGS and even if LGS did I doubt the people who actually made the game would see a cent anyway since more then likely would not be still working there after what 13 years?.

Honestly 9 times out of 10 the people who claim that people should pirate a old game because the people who made it see shit are just looking for any reason to justify them pirating the game.

This. Also a bit surprised to see more users from Serbia. :)

Yeah, I don't post here, but I have 138 GoG games, GoG is a godsent - all the classic stuff at one easy to access place, DRM free, ready to play anywhere. For me this is "games as service" done right.

The important element is that this game sells, even if the money is not going to the devs anymore. It shows there is an interest in such games despite the publishers "dismissing that claim" long ago.