GOG's system is set up to deny purchase of soundtracks unless the game is also purchased. Why? And not just music, sometimes the accompanying artwork is interesting but cannot be bought without also buying the game.

There have been games that I liked the music on the youtube previews and wanted it. When I tried to select and purchase only the soundtrack, that wasn't allowed. It was "all or nothing", so GOG gets nothing.

I am not nor will I ever buy the games in question, so GOG is never going to get that money. And by forcibly bundling game purchases with sountracks, they're not getting that money, either.

Sell the music (or art) separately, and I'd be willing to pay for it.

I searched already before posting ("buy soundtrack", "soundtrack" "sale soundtrack", "purchase soundtrack", etc.) and no results came up. If there were a previous topic/thread about this, I couldn't find it.

Because they're extras and thus are considered additional content to the base game.
It's the same on the other digital distribution platforms.

I understand your point of view, but an original soundtrack is still game-related, therefore I think it is a fair system. I mean at least you get the soundtracks for the game you paid for.

Imagine paying for a game and not be able to get its soundtracks... Oh wait.

Yes, it happens a bit too often here :-(

Not true. Plenty of OSTs can be bought (or even available freely) via the likes of Steam without the need to own the game itself.

OP is correct.


Edit: in answer to the OP - contracts.

I would love a section on GOG just for soundtracks.

Case in point, "Blue Wednesday". The game is poorly rated, but the parts of the soundtrack I've heard on youtube make the music worth buying.

https://www.gog.com/en/game/blue_wednesday

I suggest searching for the composer / band / act and seeing if available on bandcamp (especially if bandcamp friday is around the corner).
Contracts often cover a Steam release, but not GOG.

Edit: seems the publisher might actually be a software company using games as an advertising thing for their art software.
No clear site other than a sales one and one thats some weeb entrenched social media thing.

Did find this though. Hope it helps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRBtqtX6VdE

Try Bandcamp instead, if you want soundtracks only. I've seen they are often available there as well.

There is one exception! I do not know why...
https://www.gog.com/en/game/owlboy_soundtrack

There’re other examples (e.g. My Friend Pedro, Obduction).

I can imagine that the deal signed with publishers could have something to do with it.
I.e., the soundtrack is present for sale because through a contract between GOG and the copyright holder. That second entity may be the publisher for the game or have been contacted through the publisher.

Option #2 has to do with licensing. The licence to play/own the music of the games is attached to the game itself (if you have the game you already have the music in some form). The soundtrack is just a second format, for convenience.

Or maybe I am just writing nonsense. Still, I have wondered about that myself.

On some occasions you can buy a game soundtrack without having to own or buy the game itself, such as Lost Ember's soundtrack.
The soundtrack even gets its own slot in the library, like a separate item, not as an extra download in game's folder.

Three things.

(1) Whether a soundtrack is available as a separate purchase, is probably not down to GOG.

(2) There are or have been some soundtracks available at GOG to purchase separately.

(3) Most soundtracks can be purchased elsewhere - SoundCloud, Bandcamp, etc.

Soundtracks at GOG (and probably Steam etc), are often cheaper than buying from the likes of Bandcamp etc, which is likely due to the fact that in most cases you must buy or own the base game at GOG.

So I guess it is likely a marketing thing, where the game provider tries to maximize their profit and or reduce their costs.

Yes, I find this annoying also.

I wanted to get the Slay the Spire soundtrack but I don't want to buy the game as I already own it on the Switch and Mobile. I see you can buy it off Steam but having never bought a soundtrack on steam I don't know how freely I can play it, whether it has to be through the client or if I can just run MP3s out of the folder.

Maybe this is something the publisher requested but, either way- it costs GOG a sale in my case.