GOG.com
Encyclopedia
Good Old Games is a computer game
sale and distribution service owned by Polish
company CD Projekt
.
The service sells older PC games. In order to ensure compatibility with newer versions of Microsoft Windows
, some games are pre-patched or bundled with Open Source emulation and compatibility software, such as ScummVM
and DOSBox
. Unlike some other services, the games do not use digital rights management
and the user does not have to install special client software to download or run the games, although an optional download manager
is available.
Along with purchasing the games, customers are also able to download numerous extra material relating to the game they purchased. Often these extras include the game's soundtrack
, wallpapers
, avatars
, and manuals. GOG also offers full customer support for all purchases.
Promotions are organized almost every week — usually at weekends. The style of these promotions varies from a discount for products that are bought in bundles, to thematic competitions like riddles, “guess a game from a picture” contests or “best time on a specific level”. Also GOG gives away promotion codes for a game with review contests.
During a period of days from September 19 to 22, 2010, the GOG website was disabled leaving behind messages on the web site and their Twitter accounts that the site had been closed. A spokesperson for Good Old Games reiterated that the site is not being shut down, and confirmed news would be forthcoming about changes to the service. A clarification posted on the site on September 20, 2010, said they had to shut down the site temporarily "due to business and technical reasons", with industry journalists believing the shutdown may be related to the nature of DRM
-free strategy, based on Twitter messages from the company. However, on September 22, 2010, GOG revealed that this shutdown was a marketing hoax as part of the site coming out of beta. The site's management, aware of the reactions to the fake closure, stated: "First of all we’d like to apologize to everyone who felt deceived or harmed in any way by the closedown of GOG.com. As a small company we don’t have a huge marketing budget and this is why we could not miss a chance to generate some buzz around an event as big as launching a brand new version of our website and even more important, bringing back Baldur’s Gate to life!" The site returned on September 23, 2010, with an improved storefront and additional benefits, as outlined during a webcast presentation. During the presentation, GOG's co-founder Marcin Iwinski and managing director Guillaume Rambourg had dressed as monk
s to atone for their sins. The relaunch of the site was considered by Rambourg to have been successful, having brought new customers that were previously unaware of GOG.
As promised after its relaunch, GOG was able to offer several Black Isle Studios
games such as Baldur's Gate
, Planescape: Torment
and Icewind Dale
which have previously been unreleased through any download service due to legal issues between the ownership of Dungeons & Dragons
-related games between Atari
, Hasbro
, and other companies.
On March 26, 2009, GOG announced it had signed a deal with Ubisoft
to publish games from their back catalogue; this was the first deal with a major publisher to offer DRM free downloads. The deal to publish through GOG also included games that were not available through any other online distribution channel.
On July 29, 2009, Colin McRae Rally 2005 was removed from the catalogue, following Operation Flashpoint and TOCA Race Driver 3
which were also removed.
On January 28, 2010, GOG announced it had signed a deal with Activision
to publish games from their back catalog bringing back Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
and Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
for the first time in online distribution.
In late March, CD Projekt announced at its annual conference that Atari
games were to be published on GOG throughout April.
On April 20, 2010, GOG published first Atari
titles - Master of Orion
, Master of Orion 2 and Outcast. Soon following were Blood and Blood II: The Chosen
.
As of April 14, 2011, GOG released Alone in the Dark
series from Atari.
As of June 02, 2011, GOG publish first Electronic Arts
titles - Wing Commander: Privateer
, Dungeon Keeper
and Ultima Underworld.
Personal computer game
A PC game, also known as a computer game, is a video game played on a personal computer, rather than on a video game console or arcade machine...
sale and distribution service owned by Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
company CD Projekt
CD Projekt
CD Projekt is a Polish video game publisher. The company was founded in May 1994 by Marcin Iwiński and Michał Kiciński. From the beginning their goal was to publish software in the Polish market on compact discs...
.
History
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, some games are pre-patched or bundled with Open Source emulation and compatibility software, such as ScummVM
ScummVM
ScummVM is a collection of game engine recreations. Originally designed to play LucasArts adventure games that use the SCUMM system , it now also supports a variety of non-SCUMM games by companies like Revolution Software and Adventure Soft. It was originally written by Ludvig Strigeus...
and DOSBox
DOSBox
DOSBox is emulator software that emulates an IBM PC compatible computer running MS-DOS. It is intended especially for use with old PC games. DOSBox is free software....
. Unlike some other services, the games do not use digital rights management
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
and the user does not have to install special client software to download or run the games, although an optional download manager
Download manager
A download manager is a computer program dedicated to the task of downloading possibly unrelated stand-alone files from the Internet for storage...
is available.
Along with purchasing the games, customers are also able to download numerous extra material relating to the game they purchased. Often these extras include the game's soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
, wallpapers
Computer wallpaper
Wallpaper is an image used as a background of a graphical user interface on a computer screen or mobile communications device. On a computer it is usually for the desktop, while for a mobile phone it is usually the background for the 'home' or 'idle' screen...
, avatars
Avatar (computing)
In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities. It can also refer to a text...
, and manuals. GOG also offers full customer support for all purchases.
Promotions are organized almost every week — usually at weekends. The style of these promotions varies from a discount for products that are bought in bundles, to thematic competitions like riddles, “guess a game from a picture” contests or “best time on a specific level”. Also GOG gives away promotion codes for a game with review contests.
During a period of days from September 19 to 22, 2010, the GOG website was disabled leaving behind messages on the web site and their Twitter accounts that the site had been closed. A spokesperson for Good Old Games reiterated that the site is not being shut down, and confirmed news would be forthcoming about changes to the service. A clarification posted on the site on September 20, 2010, said they had to shut down the site temporarily "due to business and technical reasons", with industry journalists believing the shutdown may be related to the nature of DRM
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
-free strategy, based on Twitter messages from the company. However, on September 22, 2010, GOG revealed that this shutdown was a marketing hoax as part of the site coming out of beta. The site's management, aware of the reactions to the fake closure, stated: "First of all we’d like to apologize to everyone who felt deceived or harmed in any way by the closedown of GOG.com. As a small company we don’t have a huge marketing budget and this is why we could not miss a chance to generate some buzz around an event as big as launching a brand new version of our website and even more important, bringing back Baldur’s Gate to life!" The site returned on September 23, 2010, with an improved storefront and additional benefits, as outlined during a webcast presentation. During the presentation, GOG's co-founder Marcin Iwinski and managing director Guillaume Rambourg had dressed as monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s to atone for their sins. The relaunch of the site was considered by Rambourg to have been successful, having brought new customers that were previously unaware of GOG.
As promised after its relaunch, GOG was able to offer several Black Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios was a division of the computer and video game developer and publisher Interplay Entertainment. Black Isle Studios was a division that developed computer role-playing games, and also published several games from other developers. It was based in Orange County, California, USA. The...
games such as Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released in 1998 by Interplay Entertainment. The game takes place in the Forgotten Realms, a high fantasy campaign setting, using modified Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition rules...
, Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and released on December 12, 1999 by Interplay Entertainment. It takes place in Planescape, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy campaign setting...
and Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment. Released on June 30, 2000, it takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition...
which have previously been unreleased through any download service due to legal issues between the ownership of Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
-related games between Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
, Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
, and other companies.
Available games
, there are 325 games are available on GOG. More games are made available on the service regularly. GOG.com has signed deals with a number of publishers, including:On March 26, 2009, GOG announced it had signed a deal with Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
to publish games from their back catalogue; this was the first deal with a major publisher to offer DRM free downloads. The deal to publish through GOG also included games that were not available through any other online distribution channel.
On July 29, 2009, Colin McRae Rally 2005 was removed from the catalogue, following Operation Flashpoint and TOCA Race Driver 3
TOCA Race Driver 3
TOCA Race Driver 3 is the third title of TOCA racing video game series, developed and published by Codemasters. TOCA Race Driver 3 was released in Europe and North America on February 24, 2006...
which were also removed.
On January 28, 2010, GOG announced it had signed a deal with Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
to publish games from their back catalog bringing back Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is a single player / multi-player computer role-playing game developed by Troika Games and published by Sierra Entertainment. It was released in North America and Europe in August 2001 for Microsoft Windows...
and Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line, Inc....
for the first time in online distribution.
In late March, CD Projekt announced at its annual conference that Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
games were to be published on GOG throughout April.
On April 20, 2010, GOG published first Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
titles - Master of Orion
Master of Orion
Master of Orion is a turn-based, 4X science fiction computer strategy game released in 1993 by MicroProse on the MS-DOS and Mac OS operating systems. The purpose of the game is to lead one of ten races to dominate the galaxy through a combination of diplomacy and conquest while developing...
, Master of Orion 2 and Outcast. Soon following were Blood and Blood II: The Chosen
Blood II: The Chosen
Blood II: The Chosen is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Monolith Productions and distributed by GT Interactive, which was later purchased by Infogrames. Released on October 31, 1998, it featured Monolith's new fully 3D engine Lithtech, which was previously used in Shogo: Mobile...
.
As of April 14, 2011, GOG released Alone in the Dark
Alone in the Dark
Alone in the Dark is the title of several works of fiction:*Alone in the Dark, a series of video games*Alone in the Dark , a 1992 video game and the first in the series...
series from Atari.
As of June 02, 2011, GOG publish first Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
titles - Wing Commander: Privateer
Wing Commander: Privateer
Wing Commander: Privateer is an adventure space flight simulation computer game released by Origin Systems in 1993. Privateer and its storyline is part of the Wing Commander series...
, Dungeon Keeper
Dungeon Keeper
Dungeon Keeper is a strategy video game released developed by Bullfrog Productions under Peter Molyneux and released by Electronic Arts in July 1997 for the PC in which the player attempts to build and manage a dungeon or lair while protecting it from 'hero' characters intent on stealing the...
and Ultima Underworld.