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General discussionCan GOG games be shared with others in my household? (10 posts)solved(10 posts)solved
(10 posts)solved
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Posted May 01, 2015
From the downloads and streaming FAQ:

2. Can I re-download my purchased items? Is there a limit to the number of re-downloads?
You can always re-download items bought at GOG.com via the “My account” page. Also, there is no limit to the number of redownloads, but please remember that you're not allowed to share your GOG.com account with other users as only you are entitled to download items from your account.
...
9. Can I enjoy my purchases both on my laptop and desktop computer at home?
Yes. We do not limit the number of installations or reinstallations, as long as you install your purchased games on computers in your household. So yeah, if you've got a render-farm in the basement, you might actually break the world record for the number of legal Witcher installations in one household. However, if you think about installing your game on a friend's machine or sharing it with others then please don't do it, okay?
The same principle applies to movies - you're free to watch them anywhere you want, with anyone you want, as long as you don't share them with people who haven't purchased them.
While it is clear that:
1. only I am entitled to download games from my account
and
2. games may only be installed on computers within my household
..it is unclear who may play my games and on whose computer(s) they may be installed.

What I'm wondering:
1. Is it against the TOS to install games onto a shared family computer, granting access to others besides myself, the purchaser?
2. Is it against the TOS to install games onto a computer used exclusively by another family member living in my household?
Post edited May 01, 2015 by Dragnerok_X
This question / problem has been solved by Phc7006image
Posted May 01, 2015
My 2cents:

I don't think GOG is pinpoint specific so you can use your own judgement/morals.

I suggest thinking of these DRM-free games as CDs with a disk check. In theory only one person can play a game on CD (at any point in time), thus I think it's preferred that only one person be playing a specific purchased copy(at any point in time). Example: you could play, then stop to let your sibling play, and if a friend comes over he could play, etc. If you wanted to play against each other, though, GOG asks that each person legally own their own copy (and has multiplayer keys on certain games to enforce this).

Again, just my 2cents.
Posted May 01, 2015
I'm pretty sure GoG has said at some point you are free to share the game with others in your household... assuming you all live in the same location/house. As for limitations of only one person playing the game at a time is sorta silly to impose.

On the other hand they were iffy about if the computers are at different locations, unless you owned the game (aka it's your computers. Like a laptop you take to work with you vs a home computer everyone else plays on)
Post edited May 01, 2015 by rtcvb32
Posted May 01, 2015
In short, yes, you are.

The answers to your questions are "no" and "no, except of the game specific EULA specifically forbids it, but good luck with enforcing that".

Software licences use to give the right to install a piece of software on one or several computers and to use it in a "normal" way on that/these computers. They usually do not impose restrictions on who has access to this computer, provided it's within the notion of "private use". Meaning there is no issue if you, your sister, your grandma, a friend, a girlfriend plays the game on that computer.

What is not allowed is to use the software to provide a service.I.e. make someone pay to play the game.

There might be cases where the EULA requires a registration of the user and would in theory restrict the right to use the game to this user. As far as I know, there is no such game on GOG. That's more something you'd expect from Rockstar and the like.

So, for the first question, I'd say that you can without doubt install a game on a familly computer and grant access to all users

For the second question, there shouldn't be any issue either. Some games come with a specific EULA that may restrict the number of computers on which install is allowed. EA's EULA states "(the right) is limited to you and your immediately family or members of your household " (thus no problem) , whereas Disney's / Lucasarts restricts it to "personal" (thus in theory, that would restrict the install to your computer and /or a familly computer ). This is anyway theoretical as it would be quite difficult to enforce any control on that
Post edited May 01, 2015 by Phc7006
Posted June 09, 2017
Sure I could copy my friends share but supporting gog is what I'm really doing by buying my own copy.
Posted June 09, 2017
I asked the same question before, and picked up on the exact same details regarding the language of the agreements as the OP.

I had hoped for a blue answer, but I didn't get one and I doubt you'll get one due to them not wanting to back themselves into a legal corner.

Here are the Facts (not FACTS, but Facts)

Legally In both the US and EU the publisher of software can not exert any control regarding ownership and legitimate usage, as defined by existing copyright laws. In short, just like a book or DVD you can lend your Software License to a private individual (friend or family member). See USedsoft vs Oracle.

BUT

In a recent court case VALVe had the case dismissed (not won) in casting doubt over whether games (due to the amount of multimedia assets) are not indeed software, but something different.

So its in limbo, on whether you have the legal right to let our kids play the games you've bought (thanks VALVe you money grabbing gits).
Posted June 09, 2017
Are you afraid someone in your family might betray you and give you away to police? ;)

As long as it stays in your household, I guess it comes to your morals. I like to think that I should somehow be in control of the computers, or at least I am the one installing the game to them (for sisters, brothers, parents, grand-parents, grand-grand-parents...). So I wouldn't give any of the installers themselves to anyone else, even in the same household, instead I'd install the game for them myself.

That way I feel I am not giving too much control to them over something I bought, e.g. that they'd pass the game to all their friends etc. Yeah I know with many games they might still be able to do it by passing the game installation itself, providing it is a fully portable installation, but at least it isn't quite as easy as just passing the installer to someone else.
Posted June 13, 2017
On a related note, I am still holding out hope that someday GOG will implement "family sharing," like other online gaming services. (The ability to link a limited number of accounts so the contents of those individual libraries can be shared between all of them.)

Please feel free to add your vote to the Community Wishlist (search for "family sharing" in the Features section) if you want to see this option on GOG as well.
Post edited June 13, 2017 by zakmckracken
Posted June 13, 2017
avatar
zakmckracken: On a related note, I am still holding out hope that someday GOG will implement "family sharing," like other online gaming services. (The ability to link a limited number of accounts so the contents of those individual libraries can be shared between all of them.)

Please feel free to add your vote to the Community Wishlist (search for "family sharing" in the Features section) if you want to see this option on GOG as well.
You can share even now. You just need to trust them enough with your password :)
Posted June 13, 2017
avatar
blotunga: You can share even now. You just need to trust them enough with your password :)
hahaha... Thanks, blotunga. Very true. :)

In my case, I do trust one other person with my password. Here on GOG, it's more about getting recognition for Galaxy achievements (on games that were bought for me by the other person, so they are of course in the other account, connected to their info) and making it easier to keep track of updates for offline installers.

Edit: We now buy most games using a single account and have since become aware of the gifting option, though there are still so many games in our individual libraries that we cannot afford to repurchase that were intended for one person but remain in the other person's library.
Post edited June 13, 2017 by zakmckracken
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General discussionCan GOG games be shared with others in my household? (10 posts)solved(10 posts)solved
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