GOG launches a game preservation program

It sure is interesting times. However, jaded as I am when it comes to this industry, I can’t help to think this is being made in response to the Steam/DRM/ownership debacle as some kind of business opportunity. Regardless, it’s a good initiative, with their mission consisting of making sure the old classics work forever and ever. To be a little crass, perhaps, but shouldn’t that be a thing already for GOG? Once again, not trying to be negative here, seeing as this is a good thing. Yet, I can’t help myself to ask these questions.

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You will own nothing [DRM Hell]

Thanks to a new California law, as far as I understand, Steam is now required to present the games for sale as a license purchase in California. Instead of having it say, you are buying the game. Now, this is not news to me, considering the games you buy on Steam, and other digital stores are firmly locked to your account. Meaning you have no ownership over the product, with no means to sell it to someone else.

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We are back [DRM HELL]

We are back here once again. This time it involves the game Valfaris on Steam. A game I bought in a Fanatical bundle back in 2022. Today, the developer suddenly decided to revoke my game, essentially removing my game from my digital library on Steam. A product that I paid for.

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Why does this keep happening? [DRM HELL]

In the gaming hellscape of digital ownership, there isn’t a day that goes by without new intrusive anti-consumer practices. This time it’s about the indie store itch.io, and the game Oxenfree. It’s a cute little store for all kinds of indie-games. From the hobo titles made in a dark and dangerous alley, to the shining examples of finest indie-craftsmanship with worthy gameplay of any AAA production. However, it should be noted that itch.io probably didn’t have much of a say in this case. Yet, it sets a bad precedent, as it looks like games can be revoked and removed from your account now. 

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It is happening again [DRM HELL]

Oh boy, here we go again. A now fourteen year old game (Alan Wake) will have an update to remove a song in the game on PC, due to licensing issues. And once again, it proves my point that keeping things digital is an incredible bad idea. If a fourteen old game isn’t safe, then what is? The main problem comes from forced updates, in which thankfully you can go around when it comes to GOG. On Steam however, you are pretty much screwed, as updating your game is forced upon you, if you, in this case, want to play Alan Wake.

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