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Comment on Steam's new disclaimer reminds everyone that you don't actually own your games, GOG moves in for the killshot: Its offline installers 'cannot be taken away from you'

Vespair@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

I like GOG, but this is just weasel-words to take advantage of the ignorance of the public. Whether you receive the installs directly or not, you still don’t own your games, you are just licensing them, same as Steam.

This doesn’t tip the scales into the “this is wrong” territory for me, but I do think this kind of word manipulation exploiting an unknowledgeable public is a little bit slimy.

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UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
I just like calling it “the kill shot”, as though GOG is about to take all of Steam’s market share some time next week.

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- disdain@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  please let this be true it would be really funny
  
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ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
I think it is fair. When you buy games through GOG, you get the offline installer. Nobody can take that away from you.

When you buy games through Steam, you can only install them via the Steam client. If the Steam servers are offline, you cannot install your games. In theory, some games are without any DRM, and you can just zip them up, but even then that doesn’t always work, and you shouldn’t have to.

Providing an offline installer that works no matter what is as good as “owning” the game IMO, even if “technically” you are just purchasing a license to use the game.

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- Vespair@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  I think it is more than just technically, personally. A thing I own is a thing I can pass down to my children, a thing I can break apart and rebuild, a thing I can modify without needing permission. I’m not denying that GOG offers a great asset that frees you from a corporate leash; that is awesome. But that’s not the same thing as owning, and presenting it as if it is is disingenuous. You are still licensing, not owning.
  
  Again, I’m not saying this is egregious enough to be wrong, but I don’t like when any company uses manipulative language when speaking to me, even if I appreciate their intent. I just think it’s slimy.
  
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  - Ganbat@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    
    The headline is slimy
    
    Are you referring to the use of the word “killshot”? Otherwise, the headline says exactly the same thing.
    
    Its offline installers ‘cannot be taken away from you’
    
    No implication of outright ownership, just that they can’t take away the offline installers. I mean, I guess it doesn’t outright say “that you’ve already downloaded,” but given the length, I’d say that’s a passable omission.
    
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    Vespair@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    Don’t be disingenuous. It’s the juxtaposition of GOG’s claim paired being intentionally paired with the steam disclaimer so as to present it as if an alternative.
    
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Vintor@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
I don’t think “weasel words” is the right term here.

You own the GOG games like you own a book you bought, and like you don’t own a DRM-crippled book, even though you might be entitled to read it under certain circumstances. The difference between downloading an installer and downloading a game on Steam is, the installer will continue to work even if GOG folds or decides they don’t like you anymore. But if Steam blocks your account, all the games you bought are gone, and Steam is fully in the right to do so since you don’t own their games.

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- cadekat@pawb.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  That’s not true. You still only receive a license to play the game, you do not own it. Directly from GOG’s website:
  
  We give you and other GOG users the personal right (known legally as a ‘license’) to use GOG services and to download, access and/or stream (depending on the content) and use GOG content. This license is for your personal use. We can stop or suspend this license in some situations, which are explained later on.
  
  Practically this means you cannot resell your GOG installer in the way you could resell a physical book.
  
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  - Gestrid@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    I think OP is saying that, while you can buy a book to read it, you do not own the copyright to that book. They’re saying it’s basically the same idea with GOG.
    
    The illustration does break down, but I think their point still stands.
    
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    Imhotep@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    You can resell, trade, give, lend a book you bought. You’re just not allowed to do the same with any copies you’ve made. At least where I live
    
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  - Rolive@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    That’s fair I guess. But you can keep a backup of your GoG games in case the server goes down. With Steam that isn’t possible.
    
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    cadekat@pawb.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    Absolutely. GOG has a much better license and distribution model, but it’s still a license.
    
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- Vespair@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  
  I don’t think “weasel words” is the right term here.
  
  I agree with you. GOG’s wording is fine, I was hasty in my reaction.
  
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