GOG.com
GOG.com (formerly Good Old Games ) is an English-language sales platform for computer games on the Internet, so follows the distribution model of the electronic software distribution. GOG.com has started CD project in 2008 by the Polish company and is managed by the Cypriot subsidiary GOG Limited.
Concept
GOG.com offers mainly better-known, older PC games, which is usually no longer can buy retail and can thus be considered as a part of the phenomenon of retro gaming. All games will be available exclusively as a download, patched up to date and for the platforms Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and adapted for MacOS (since 18 October 2012). For the February 2011 newly recruited games compatibility is guaranteed to Windows 7, in games previously available, this is only partially given. Since the release of Windows 8, the most games recently admitted also be adapted for this Windows iteration. Business idea behind GOG.com is that with the possibility of low-cost distribution and delivery of entertainment software on the Digital Distribution also the commercial distribution of " exotic " software, such as computer games which have become abandonware, again is economically sensible.
Unlike other online selling platforms - such as Steam - to GOG.com has prescribed the philosophy that all games offered DRM - free offer to offer customers maximum freedom in the use of the purchased product. Customers should not be patronized by Internet compulsion or the need for special download managers or clients. Since GOG.com relies on standard browser technology and no specific client requires, are also hidden impairments of consumer and data protection by spying and sharing information - such as possible with other providers - are excluded.
To Play additional bonus material such as soundtracks, manuals in PDF format, desktop backgrounds and development interviews is generally offered. A user support is part of the overall package it. However, the offer is limited mostly to the English, and only in some cases international multilingual distributed version of games, specifically localized versions are not offered.
To obtain a game is a free registration necessary, is also valid for the internet forum. All purchased games available to the customer at any time available as a download, even if the games are withdrawn from sale. The right of return or resale possibilities ( such as at Green Man Gaming ) does not exist. Meanwhile GOG.com offers games as a ( non-personalized ) license key ( Redeem Code ) to which can be distributed freely (eg as a gift ) and later a GOG.com account are permanently assigned. Payment can be made by VISA, MasterCard, Paysafecard or PayPal.
Technology
In order to bring games that have been developed for decades-old hardware and software platforms on modern PC systems to run, GOG.com is pursuing several approaches. Where available and possible, be carried out in the source code or in the installation scripts compatibility adjustments, such as in Divine Divinity. Where not available or too costly, emulators like the MS- DOS emulator DOSBox or the SCUMM emulator ScummVM be used. Due to the side effect of the application virtualization in a game emulators also use other operating systems (eg Linux) possible, since emulators are often platform-independent. Partial come play necessary patches and from the gaming community itself, so-called fan or community patches, so are games like Planescape Torment or Arcanum: Of steam engines lifted and magic only through this technically a playable level.
History
2008 GOG.com was first introduced under the name Good Old Games, and began in a beta phase to offer games that were published mainly between 1995 and 2000, ie at the end of the DOS and early Windows era. It was introduced in a simple pricing scheme, with three standard price ranges: In addition to the six free games available were offered for either $ 5.99 or $ 9.99 for downloads, with older title of a series of games were bundled in one download package in rare cases. Exceptions pricing promotions were - on the website promos called - where a discount is applied to games on a certain topic or a specific publisher for a limited time. These promotions will find almost every week and are usually held over the weekend.
Controversial Promotion 2010
At the end of the beta phase in September 2010, the site was closed and placed an ambiguous message on the page, after which the offer " in its current form " could no longer continue. This turned out to be first through the side messages Managers and later also by the continued operation of the page as a Web, controversial, marketing action.
Relaunch after Beta
On 23 September 2010, the site was launched with a new design and completed the beta phase. During the introductory presentation, the co- founder of Gog and director Guillaume Rambourg Marcin Iwinski disguised as monks in order to atone for their sins in the controversial advertising campaign in 2010.
Since 2008, over 5.8 million games have been downloaded already, with new downloads were not counted. More than 50 % of sales were generated by customers from the United States. In 2011 there were over 300 games in the range, on 17 January 2013, the 500th game was included in the catalog. The offer is usually on Tuesdays, Thursdays and sometimes in addition to extended one to two titles.
Full-price games
2011 was an attempt at concept expansion the game The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings at full price - offer - but also without DRM. This game was developed by our own development department CD Projekt Red. The experiment was successful, on the one hand 40,000 units were sold until March, on the other hand, the proportion of DRM-free GOG version of the created pirated the game was only slight. Therefore the end of 2011 it was announced that in the future increasingly newer games (early Windows era ) as well as games in the first marketing (like The Witcher 2 ) will be offered.
SOPA boycott
In January 2012, the politically neutral lasting GOG spoke otherwise claims to be against the controversial bills SOPA and PIPA in the United States and urged readers to appeal to politicians because they were ineffective against copyright violations and would restrict the freedom of the Internet, which GOG.com also could be affected. SOPA is similar to digital rights management. Walkthroughs and Let's Plays would be made illegal and only honest customers restricted while pirates de facto could continue to go through peer-to -peer networks, and One -Click-Hoster illegally on protected material.
Expansion of the business segment in 2012
After the announcement, wanting to expand the range of Good Old Games in the future to current products, took place on 27 March 2012, the changeover. With Trine, The Whispered World and Legend of Grimrock the first recent games other companies were included in the range. Since the original designation of the portal ( Good Old Games ) has been superseded by the expansion of the business segment, the company operates since then under the specific name of the website URL as GOG.com. With the sale of 17,000 units Legend of Grimrock within one month, the model of the paragraph was classed well as new game titles from third parties as successful and announced the launch of another title of independent development studios.
Support for MacOS
As of October 18, 2012 GOG.com MacOS began to support a second platform, starting with a selection of 50 titles, which will be gradually expanded.
System Shock 2
On February 13, 2013 it was announced that it was GOG.com succeeded after years of research, a particularly complicated by license conditions never again believed publishable title System Shock 2 to get from the state abandonware. System Shock 2 was available in an edited version on gog.com in the German and English version on 14 February 2013.
Return Policy
On December 9, 2013 gog.com led a return policy with refund the purchase price in case of technical problems within 30 days or if a purchased game has not yet been downloaded.
Support for Linux
On March 18, 2014 gog.com announced they will support in future Linux as a platform. It was announced in the beginning to use Ubuntu and Mint. For targeted launch in autumn 2014, at least 100 titles for the platform are available and run natively there. Below are intended to fall both current games that are already on sale on gog.com and official Linux support includes the manufacturer, as well as new titles for the first time appear on gog.com.
Reception and market share
In an article dated 11 November 2011, the PC Gamer magazine published statistics from the digital sales of The Witcher 2 via various distribution channels, including gog.com. According to PC Gamer, the game of the providers Direct2Drive, Impulse and GamersGate was deposed together 10,000 times ( 4%), sold 40,000 copies GOG (16 %), while Steam 200,000 copies ( 80%) of sales over the same period.
In February 2013, the Defenders Quest developer gave the proceeds known after three months sales and distribution across multiple digital distribution solutions and direct sales. According to the published figures gog.com was the second most important digital distributor for rival Steam.