That’s just wrong. They just sell you a license and provide a DRM free game. You are not supposed to continue playing the game if the publisher terminates your license. They just give you the ability to do it, but it has no legal value
They’re like the only store that actually sells you the game and not a revokable license to a game
Mubelotix@jlai.lu 3 days ago
muix@lemmy.sdf.org 3 days ago
I thought itch did that too
skulblaka@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
They do
Kichae@lemmy.ca 3 days ago
You really need to look at what you’re buying. Whether it’s a download, a DVD, or damn floppy disk, you’re still just buying a license. A very revokable license. If it’s online, the publisher can cut you off.
bamboo@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 days ago
GOG installer is offline:
gamesradar.com/…/valve-reminds-steam-users-they-d… x.com/GOGcom/status/1844752098145038435
A purchase of a digital product on GOG grants you its Offline Installers, which cannot be taken away from you.
Kichae@lemmy.ca 2 days ago
GoG isn’t the publisher. Y’all don’t read the shit you agree to, and know fuck all about media distribution. You’ve never owned a video game, a movie, or even a book that isn’t in the public domain. You’ve only ever owned licenses for personal use, and those licenses have always been provisional and revokable. Always. Your ignorance is not change that.
bamboo@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 days ago
Enhance your calm. I was merely pointing out that the game installers are offline for GOG, meaning there’s not a physical mechanism to cut you off. As you mentioned, if it’s online, then they can cut you off, which is true for Steam but not GOG.
SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 3 days ago
And how does that work when they close down and servers close down? Wheter you have a revolve license or not, you still won’t ever be able to access the game…,
Tarquinn2049@lemmy.world 3 days ago
When you buy a game on a CD or Cartidge, it’s up to you to make sure you continue to own it from then on. That is the same model as GoGs digital downloads. You own it, you make sure you still have it on hand for as long as you want to still have it on hand for.
wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 3 days ago
GOG installer is offline
You download it immediately after purchase, and should archive it somewhere,same as everything else you purchase digitally
how does that work
…
scops@reddthat.com 3 days ago
When I buy a game from GOG, it comes with the presumption that I will download the installer in a timely manner and store a copy on my local storage device. Assuming I have good backup practices, that’s really the end of the story. I can build a 100 new computers and install the game I bought on each one. GOG went bankrupt ten years ago? That’s a shame, but my installer works just as well as when they were kicking.
When I “buy a game” on Steam, I technically get an installer, but Steam isn’t going to help me keep it. Those 100 new computers are going to download that installer a 100 times. And if the 51st install comes around and Steam isn’t around anymore? Or Steam decides not enough people play this game anymore and it no longer makes financial sense to host the installer? Well, at that point I guess I’ll just regret not buying the game on GOG.
brrt@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
how do people need this explained to them?
How do you need a simple concept like a backup explained to you? All while being smug…
stardust@lemmy.ca 3 days ago
Those are terminologies corporations care about. But, for real life use there is a difference between a product that can be remotely taken away and products that can’t. Otherwise could be argued there is no difference between a pirated copy of Red Dead Redemption 2 and a legit one, which there is once you try to play offline.
Darorad@lemmy.world 2 days ago
GOG Seels DRM free games that you can download the installers and all necessary files. No matter what they do, once you’ve downloaded it, they can’t stop you from playing it.
SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 3 days ago
That’s only if you download the game and store it in a way that won’t degrade, when their servers are offline, you can’t download it anymore…,
Undearius@lemmy.ca 3 days ago
That’s true for pretty much every product you buy.
The difference is that Ikea isn’t going to take your shelf when they feel like it or if they run out of money. Neither is GOG. That’s why it matters.
SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I didn’t know IKEA made video games?
And why does that matter? When they go out of business you can’t download even if you do or don’t have a license.
That’s why it matters.
Because you now have a game that you don’t need a license that you still won’t be able to access or play? So how does that make a single fucking difference lmfao.
wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 3 days ago
It’s like you’ve never heard of archival or how to keep data safe, protected, or backed up.
Also intentionally missing the valid point when compared to physical items just shoots yourself in the foot for any further arguments.
Undearius@lemmy.ca 2 days ago
I didn’t know IKEA made video games?
They don’t, they make furniture. You clearly don’t understand metaphors.
When they go out of business you can’t download even if you do or don’t have a license.
If Ikea goes out of business, you can’t buy their products anymore and the ones you do have you have to protect and make sure they don’t degrade.
The games from GOG don’t have any DRM so you can very easily make copies of the game and safely store them elsewhere, even on new computers.
Games that do have DRM lock you down to verify that you’re allowed to play their game, which severely limits how you can use your own product. If that game publisher or developer goes out if business than you can’t play the game that you already have, even if it’s kept “pristine”.
People who bought The Sims 4 couldn’t play their offline game because the DRM stopped them, meanwhile people didn’t buy the game were free to play it when they wanted. The legitimate buyers of the game were punished simply because of DRM.
ogmios@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
when their servers are offline, you can’t download it anymore…
I have no idea what else you would be expecting?
SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 3 days ago
That’s my point… it literally doesn’t matter that they can revoke you license or not, when the servers are down, you’re fucked regardless.
Alk@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
But you don’t need to download it again. Keep good backup practices and it’s eternal. If you lose it, that’s the same as losing a physical object you bought at a store. Or if you don’t maintain your backup like you would clean and maintain a physical object you bought, it’s your fault you lose it. I can buy a game from GOG right now and keep it and use it until the day I die, then my grandchildren can use it after that.
ogmios@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
You obviously don’t even know how it works.
when the servers are down, you’re fucked regardless.
As long as you keep the files you don’t have to access their servers to play it again. That’s exactly the same as even physical media. It’s not like a company will send you a new DVD for free if you throw out the one you bought.
stardust@lemmy.ca 3 days ago
Ummm… That’s the case for disc games too of only being able to retain possession once it’s shipped to you and you properly store it. Or any tangible good for that matter. I don’t what point you are trying to make.
SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 3 days ago
That’s literally the point, it’s a useless argument since it doesn’t fucking matter lmfao.
stardust@lemmy.ca 3 days ago
That GOG downloaded installers can’t be forcibly deactivated or taken away? Your phrasing is confusing so I don’t think people are able to tell whether you think GOG installers are a good or bad thing, or acting like it is useless and provides no further benefit than DRM alternatives.
ObsidianNebula@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
I’ve read through your various comments, and I’m not sure you see the difference here.
With other platforms such as Steam, you download the Steam program that acts as a single installer for every game on the platform. You have to be logged into a valid Steam account to download a game from their single installer. If you use a new computer, you have to log into Steam and download from Steam. On GoG, you download an installer per game. Those installers can be transferred to any device and download the games even if the computer has never logged into GoG or even connected to the internet. You can store all the installers on an external drive, which you can’t do for Steam.
If Steam eventually dies or your account is banned, you can never install those games again. If GoG eventually dies or your account is banned, you are correct that you can’t download new installers, but you can use any installer you have already downloaded.
If Steam dies or your account is banned, the game you already have downloaded may not even work anymore due to DRM (this is on a game-by-game basis). If GoG dies or your account is banned, your games are guaranteed to still run since they are not dependant on GoG DRM (with a small list of exceptions people aren’t happy about).
You may not care about any of this, but there’s a decent chunk of people who want to keep their games regardless of anything the purchasing company does.
SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 3 days ago
I hope you’re paid well to spread this easily disproven lie.
support.gog.com/…/212632089-GOG-User-Agreement?pr…
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.
WalnutLum@lemmy.ml 3 days ago
This is just the license do download the game, not to install it.
Once you’ve downloaded the software they can’t revoke it anymore.
SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 3 days ago
Yes they can. They cannot stop you from installing the game, but once they revoke your license, it would be piracy.
GOG shills always twist reality to try to make it conform to the “you own you games” lie, but the truth is GOG is no different than Steam.
Azzu@lemm.ee 3 days ago
How do you use a Steam game after its license was revoked?
WalnutLum@lemmy.ml 3 days ago
They can’t, actually, because they don’t hold the rights to that content, only to GOG and the installer. Once it’s installed their distribution and license rights end.
If the game you install has its own license from the rights holder that gets revoked then you’ll be in breach of that license, if anything.
Azzu@lemm.ee 3 days ago
How do you disprove that this “GOG content” are offline installer files that, as long as you keep them backed up, work indefinitely even if GOG revokes your license to download them again?
SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 3 days ago
I don’t. However, using those files after GOG revokes your license would be piracy.
pupbiru@aussie.zone 3 days ago
the reality of the situation is that these 2 things look exactly the same in 99% of circumstance and 100% of circumstances that consumers actually care about
Auli@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
You never have bought a game even when buying it on physical media. You always purchase a license to the game.
Alk@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
Yeah I was aware of that. I don’t know if that constitutes the last hope for all gaming, but it’s definitely a positive.
ampersandrew@lemmy.world 3 days ago
No, but saving the industry is their “hook”, if not explicitly stated as such. I know that every game I buy from them will be impossible to take away from me if I backed up the installers first.
MinFapper@startrek.website 3 days ago
I don’t know if that’s true anymore. There are games on there that require login into PSN after installing.
ampersandrew@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Are you sure? I haven’t played any of Sony’s games on GOG. From reviews, it looks like Horizon still sends telemetry if you’re connected to the internet, but I don’t believe it’s gotten the remaster update that mandates PSN. I could be out of the loop though. I do know that GOG caught flak for allowing Hitman 2016 on the store, which is technically playable from start to finish without an internet connection, but the connection to their server gates all sorts of extras, so the customers rebelled and got it removed.