Pong, anyone?

Since there is always a debate about old / new game releases I thought it would be interesting to see what the currently available games data would reveal. The data is skewed somewhat since some GOG releases consist two or more games but only one release date on the game card. I don't have access to the actual release dates on GOG (without a time consuming search for the release posts). Gathering info from the game cards I came up with the following:
- GOG offers 226 games from nineteen release years over a twenty year period.
- Just over ninety percent of the games offered are from 1994 to 2005.
- Nearly Fifty-two percent are games from 2000 to 2005.
- Nearly thirty-nine percent are from 1994 to 1999.
- Less than five percent are releases before 1994.
- Less than five percent are releases after 2005.
With the release of 11 games prior to 1994 and 10 games after 2005, it seems that there is room for more older and newer game releases . . . =)

deBUNKED
Unless people are expecting pre-IBM pc games I don't see what more GOG could do, really. Apart from the RTS Week of Shitness, they've been pretty consistent with their releases.

I agree, I really believe that GOG is working hard to get every release possible. It seems likely that the newer games will be much easier to gain distribution rights for. The older the games the more difficult and time consuming it will be to acquire the distribution rights. I still want every release they can get regardless of release date . . .=)

Bravo.
I would venture to guess that the early 90s to early 2000s is the period that most of us are the most enthusiastic about seeing on GOG, so it looks to me like the catalogue is pretty well on target so far.
I think those compilations typically list the date of the latest release - so, if anything, the data is probably skewed towards the more recent dates.
Frankly I don't see what there is to complain about. It's true that GOG is at its best when it's delivering games that are hard to find, hard to get working, or that have never had a digital release, but if you ask me, games are at their best when they're released on GOG.

There is also the fact that newer games will bring in a lot more people. Expanding their target audience will hopefully help GOG expand too. Which should translate into an easier job of tracking down classics and getting them working properly on modern systems.

Apologies, I guess i've been playing a certain MMO too much lately. I guess i'm suffering from a bad case of man PMS. Cheers!

None needed, i didn't feel in any way offended. I guess i didn't get that part the correct way, stupidity is bliss.;)
Male PMS from MMOs? Just another reason for me not to play MMOs. ;P

Nice list. Some errors and omissions I noticed; that is a 20 year period and KQ4 was published in 1988 (making it a 21 year period, actually.) But still very revealing. Thanks.

I imagine most of the truly archaic games (mid 80's to mid 90's) are probably just floating around in the nether and are the IP of holding companies who are oblivious to their fates. I mean what are we realistically talking about here? The AGI versions of Sierra classics? Earlier Gold Box titles?
They'd either have to change their price points or bundle stuff because there's pretty much zero chance I'd pay $6 for Pool of Radiance (Commodore/PC one).

Thanks, you are correct, it is a twenty year period, twenty-one if you us KQ4's original release date. (I used the KQ's 4+5+6 game card release date of 1992). I was indicating the number of separate release years, per the game cards, rather than the time period . . . fixed.
I also agree that compiling individual release dates for the multi-game packages would make the info more accurate. I used the game card release dates as the simplest way to gather some info, Maybe if I have more time . . . =)

I belong to the "old games only" faction.
Just want to say it.
Peace, Bruno
ps: and... ok, "faction" it's not a very good term.

I love the old games too, as much as anyone . . . but . . . I cannot subscribe to the idea that a release date after [insert year here] makes a game undesirable. With 227 games released over a 20 year period I believe there are games that meet the requirements of every "faction".
I have no objection if you chose to purchase only the older games from the GOG catalog. Where I disagree is when a "faction" promotes limiting the catalog selection for others in the community based on their personal preferences. I believe the we should be offered as many games as possible allowing the individuals to decide what they purchase. I am more "old" game than new but . . . I see the addition of newer games as a positive . . . =)