The best classic games are here: https://bit.ly/ENGOGCOMHope you're ready for some technical talk, as our Technical Producer Adim will walk you through the w...
They’ve done it forever, it’s been part of their initial concept for ages. Lots of the actual old games on there (as the name Good Old Games is derived from) are pre-patched to work on modern machines without setup, often also including community patches if there are any.
If you’re interested in a specific example, here’s an interview with their technical producer on how they updated and rereleased Alpha Protocol in 2024.
Before they even start on any technical work, the GOG legal team contacts the owners of the game they want to sell (e.g. SEGA, in the case of Alpha Protocol) and they negotiate a deal to update and distribute the game.
Things get complicated when a game has joint owners, or when it’s not clear who owns a game, but otherwise it’s as simple as that.
gog has a bunch of tweaks for the stuff they host. I’m guessing it’s either a clause in the contract for their storefront, or this is a volunteer for the game preservation program.
Do you say the same for Epic Games Store exclusives?
The game was delisted from Steam right before GOG dropped this. I am not giving Ubisoft more money for Cold Fear. Since nobody can buy it on Steam anymore, there is no pro-consumer reason that the GOG fixes could not have been given to everyone that already owned the game on Steam as a free update.
Ubisoft wants me to buy the game I already own again. I am not doing that. I don’t care if 2% or whatever goes to GOG for their fixes. I know that more than 50% is going to Ubisoft.
Do you say the same for Epic Games Store exclusives?
Yes, actually. If they funded a game, like with Alan Wake 2, then whether or not they make it an EGS exclusive is their prerogative.
there is no pro-consumer reason that the GOG fixes could not have been given to everyone that already owned the game on Steam as a free update
I disagree. GOG invested time and resources into patching the game. Tacking the word ‘pro-consumer’ in there means nothing. They’re a business. They shouldn’t be expected to give away their work for free to customers of a competing platform.
I don’t care if 2% or whatever goes to GOG for their fixes
That much is clear. You seem to want something for nothing. Pirate the GOG version if you’re so desperate to play without paying for the work that went into fixing it, but don’t frame it as some kind of pro-consumer protest.
Praying that one day GOG can strike a deal with console owners to bring old abandoned game to PC. I know decompiles exist but you basically need to pirate the games to play them which is very inaccessible.
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Someone explain how gog is able to patch software that they don’t own?
They actually do quite a bit of legwork to track down current/original rights owners. In some instances they are even able to acquire original source.
They’ve done it forever, it’s been part of their initial concept for ages. Lots of the actual old games on there (as the name Good Old Games is derived from) are pre-patched to work on modern machines without setup, often also including community patches if there are any.
Yeah but how? Haha
If you’re interested in a specific example, here’s an interview with their technical producer on how they updated and rereleased Alpha Protocol in 2024.
Lots of insights!
Not technologically, legally.
Oh, well that’s the easier part to understand.
Before they even start on any technical work, the GOG legal team contacts the owners of the game they want to sell (e.g. SEGA, in the case of Alpha Protocol) and they negotiate a deal to update and distribute the game.
Things get complicated when a game has joint owners, or when it’s not clear who owns a game, but otherwise it’s as simple as that.
Is this something that you know, or just a best guess?
It’s as much as anyone outside of GOG can know, based on interviews like this one.
The exact contents of the deals is not public information and no doubt differs for each game, but the overall process has been reported on.
gog has a bunch of tweaks for the stuff they host. I’m guessing it’s either a clause in the contract for their storefront, or this is a volunteer for the game preservation program.
I know they do but always wondered how but that’s a good guess!
Wish us Steam owners could get the updates. Game.was delisted from Steam for this.
Why would GOG give the work they did to a competing storefront?
If you value the work, support the people who did it.
I think they meant that they wish Valve would also do this.
Do you say the same for Epic Games Store exclusives?
The game was delisted from Steam right before GOG dropped this. I am not giving Ubisoft more money for Cold Fear. Since nobody can buy it on Steam anymore, there is no pro-consumer reason that the GOG fixes could not have been given to everyone that already owned the game on Steam as a free update.
Ubisoft wants me to buy the game I already own again. I am not doing that. I don’t care if 2% or whatever goes to GOG for their fixes. I know that more than 50% is going to Ubisoft.
Yes, actually. If they funded a game, like with Alan Wake 2, then whether or not they make it an EGS exclusive is their prerogative.
I disagree. GOG invested time and resources into patching the game. Tacking the word ‘pro-consumer’ in there means nothing. They’re a business. They shouldn’t be expected to give away their work for free to customers of a competing platform.
That much is clear. You seem to want something for nothing. Pirate the GOG version if you’re so desperate to play without paying for the work that went into fixing it, but don’t frame it as some kind of pro-consumer protest.
Praying that one day GOG can strike a deal with console owners to bring old abandoned game to PC. I know decompiles exist but you basically need to pirate the games to play them which is very inaccessible.