Defunct GOG.com Promises Statement and Downloads Within Days

[Tom Goldman]

Defunct GOG.com Promises Statement and Downloads Within Days

Anyone that's purchased games from GOG.com will be able to download them again on Thursday, and we may find out what happened to the service even sooner.

When digital distribution website Good Old Games suddenly shut down [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103601-GOG-com-Closes-its-Digital-Doors] this week it was a major shock. Though the reasoning behind the shutdown has been shrouded in secrecy somewhat (with DRM expected to play a part), this may not be the case for much longer.

A recent update on the website's front page [http://www.gog.com/] expresses apologies and says that GOG was shut down due to "business and technical reasons." On a positive note, the update also says that every Good Old Games customer will be able to "download all their games with bonus materials, DRM-free and as many times as they need starting this Thursday."

In addition, an official statement that should hopefully stem confusion about the shutdown is planned to be released on Wednesday. Whether this means that a brand new GOG will be launched on Thursday, or that the site will continue to sleep as it tries to revive itself someday is unknown.

Good Old Games was a great destination to find older titles, from the original Fallout to King's Quest. It just added Triumph Studios' Age of Wonders series to it's ever-growing list of available games, so it didn't seem like GOG was planning to shutdown anytime soon. Hopefully we'll know the deal within a couple of days or so.

Source: GOG.com [http://www.gog.com/]

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[Iron Lightning]

Argh, I hope the website doesn't shut down. I've gotten nearly all my favorite games from that funky website.

 

[Aidinthel]

I really doubt it's actually shutting down. At this point I'm pretty well convinced this is just a (clearly successful) publicity stunt, and an annoying one at that. I want to download Painkiller, dammit.

 

[Tyranicus]

Its a shame really. They dont make games like they used too. But GOG.com gave us the ability to play those great classics at a modest price. I hope they come back in full force and 2x as good.

 

[Cynical skeptic]

...

Oh boy, the ability to buy abandonware isn't going anywhere? Hooray?

Am I missing something here?

 

[alimarin]

...

Oh boy, the ability to buy abandonware isn't going anywhere? Hooray?

Am I missing something here?

You're missing the fact that these are still copyrighted games and still aren't technically abandonware.

 

[Cynical skeptic]

You're missing the fact that these are still copyrighted games and still aren't technically abandonware.

Any individual who gives a shit about the perpetually maintained copyrights of games that are no longer supported by anyone, that are barely (if) compatible with modern operating systems, who's development houses (in many cases) have been completely dissolved, who's proceeds will only go into a publisher's pocket, that are functional only because of the efforts of the people who still give a shit (etc), is a tool. Period.

Of course, while most copyrights are maintained mostly out of purest schoolyard spite ("I'm never going to do anything with this IP ever again, but you can't either! neener-neener!"), I understand when these copyrights lapse, gold like x-com gets turned into generic shooters simply to pull in a small sales bump from brand recognition.

 

[Aidinthel]

barely (if) compatible with modern operating systems

GoG makes sure that all their titles are fully compatible with modern systems. There's also the assurance that you're getting a complete game free from spyware. Plus there's bonus content and an installer for people who aren't technically literate.

I really doubt it's actually shutting down. At this point I'm pretty well convinced this is just a publicity stunt.

It could be for legal reasons. publishers shaking down digital distribution. problem is the publishers are now the bitches of valve.

If the publishers had problems with the distribution model, they wouldn't have allowed their games to be sold at all.

 

[poiuppx]

Any individual who gives a shit about the perpetually maintained copyrights of games that are no longer supported by anyone, that are barely (if) compatible with modern operating systems, who's development houses (in many cases) have been completely dissolved, who's proceeds will only go into a publisher's pocket, that are functional only because of the efforts of the people who still give a shit (etc), is a tool. Period.

Good to see you're open to debate on the matter. Personally speaking, I like the idea of being able to legally support classic games whose original development staff and studios may be long gone being brought into the modern age and made capable of running properly on modern operating systems. I hope GOG comes back, and soon.

...we're totally in agreement on X-Com though. Cynical frakking bastards, turning one of the gaming high points of my youth into... THAT... ugh. If I could somehow anti-preorder a game, it'd be that one.

 

[Jared]

Well, perhaps we will find this was just one big glitch. Hopefully

 

[Cynical skeptic]

GoG makes sure that all their titles are fully compatible with modern systems. There's also the assurance that you're getting a complete game free from spyware. Plus there's bonus content and an installer for people who aren't technically literate.

So... paying for what others had already done simply because they wanted the game to run. Why is everyone so disgustingly willing to pay for what they already had?

Personally speaking, I like the idea of being able to legally support classic games whose original development staff and studios may be long gone being brought into the modern age and made capable of running properly on modern operating systems. I hope GOG comes back, and soon.

I'm... somewhat confused by that. How can you support what isn't there? Any proceeds from games who's development house has dissolved just vanish into the pockets of the copyright holders. The copyright holders generally being the publisher, if they still exist.

 

[incal11]

Good to see you're open to debate on the matter. Personally speaking, I like the idea of being able to legally support classic games whose original development staff and studios may be long gone being brought into the modern age and made capable of running properly on modern operating systems. I hope GOG comes back, and soon.

Here's a problem, you are not "legally supporting" anything. You are supporting a bunch of con-men who do nothing you couldn't do yourself, at least with an emulator like the Dosbox.
Still you may be somewhat justified if like for some reason you can't stomach the old Dos prompts. No, that's not even a good excuse since you can easily automate the emulator so you don't have to type :
c:
cd shock
shock.exe

The truth is that you pay only because it's "legal", when it clearly should not be, you're being a tool. It make me sad that so many share your view.
Personally it'll make my day if gog hit the dust.

 

[poiuppx]

Personally speaking, I like the idea of being able to legally support classic games whose original development staff and studios may be long gone being brought into the modern age and made capable of running properly on modern operating systems. I hope GOG comes back, and soon.

I'm... somewhat confused by that. How can you support what isn't there? Any proceeds from games who's development house has dissolved just vanish into the pockets of the copyright holders. The copyright holders generally being the publisher, if they still exist.

You misunderstand. I support the games. I support them being made commercially available through a system that insures that the games are fully accessable and supported in modern times by a dedicated staff with skin in the game, so to speak, rather than by no-name third parties who could just as easily be either true dedicated fans or jackasses who decided to slip a little something extra into the game. And for that extra level of support and security, I don't mind the idea of paying for the work and peace of mind. The distinct lack of DRM, which any modern rerelease with equivalent support by the nebulous forces who own most of the copyrights to older libraries would include, makes it additionally appealing to me. It may rub you the wrong way, and you may look at it as a waste of money since it doesn't go to the original developers, but I view it more as supporting a secure modern medium for these games to receive an audience and support they otherwise probably couldn't get.

Here's a problem, you are not "legally supporting" anything. You are supporting a bunch of con-men who do nothing you couldn't do yourself, at least with an emulator like the Dosbox.
Still you may be somewhat justified if like for some reason you can't stomach the old Dos prompts. No, that's not even a good excuse since you can easily automate the emulator so you don't have to type :
c:
cd shock
shock.exe

The truth is that you pay only because it's "legal" when it clearly should not be, you're being a tool. It make me sad that so many share your view.
Personally it'll make my day if gog hit the dust.

Con-men? That's a fairly hefty line to swing around. To my understanding, they provide cheap access to secure copies of older titles, designed to be fully compatable with modern systems, without DRM and with support if anything goes sour. That's not a con, it's a business model. Or did you have some personal experience that says otherwise?

 

[incal11]

Con-men? That's a fairly hefty line to swing around. To my understanding, they provide cheap access to secure copies of older titles, designed to be fully compatable with modern systems, without DRM and with support if anything goes sour. That's not a con, it's a business model. Or did you have some personal experience that says otherwise?

Yes my experience is different.
I've run many copies of abandonware "securely", overall without much difficulty, and for free (most of which I had paid copy of when I was younger anyway). I have already explained why paying for something made "fully compatible" is utterly stupid when you have well working and easy to use emulators on hand, for free too.
So, yes, they are con-men.

In all fairness though, paying for the service is more or less justified for games that are a bit less retro, like thief. It's a real pain to get it working on modern systems and the Virtual machines are a bit harder to use and run than the Dosbox.

If you're just paying for your own peace of mind, that's ridiculous, and you deserve to get ripped off.
You think paying will help in making the games accessible to more people ?
Sadly that's not true. most younger and casual gamers will never be interested in older games, and I'm willing to bet the rare few who will be interested will have the brains to run the free copies on the free emulators.
To give old games support ?
Ridiculous, whoever you're throwing you're money at does not give a shit, plus there are sites like these:
http://vogons.zetafleet.com/viewforum.php?f=33&sid=c1a70c3fad5cde865d02dbc4674b9b31
Because they have no DRM ?
Most had no DRM in the first place, believe it or not.

 

[Aidinthel]

GoG makes sure that all their titles are fully compatible with modern systems. There's also the assurance that you're getting a complete game free from spyware. Plus there's bonus content and an installer for people who aren't technically literate.

So... paying for what others had already done simply because they wanted the game to run. Why is everyone so disgustingly willing to pay for what they already had?

Er...you make it sound like wanting the game to run is a bad thing. And you're completely ignoring the possibility that some people may not trust random internet dwellers to supply a reliable, complete product that won't flood a system with viruses. To me you sound like a guy arguing against marriage because you can always pick up strangers in bars.

 

[ethaninja]

Man I'm going to miss this site =( Good think I'll be able to download my games still. I bought like, over $100 worth of games from then

 

[incal11]

Er...you make it sound like wanting the game to run is a bad thing. And you're completely ignoring the possibility that some people may not trust random internet dwellers to supply a reliable, complete product that won't flood a system with viruses. To me you sound like a guy arguing against marriage because you can always pick up strangers in bars.

There are plenty of retro gaming site you can trust not to flood you with viruses, like abandonia...

 

[poiuppx]

Er...you make it sound like wanting the game to run is a bad thing. And you're completely ignoring the possibility that some people may not trust random internet dwellers to supply a reliable, complete product that won't flood a system with viruses. To me you sound like a guy arguing against marriage because you can always pick up strangers in bars.

There are plenty of retro gaming site you can trust not to flood you with viruses, like abandonia...

Ahh. Now I get where you're coming from in your above dialogues with me. I'm also a fan of the aformentioned, but given their focus and the surrounding legal issues, many games simply fall through the cracks. Not old enough for Dosbox but not new enough to be played without considerable patching and work-arounds, not supported in any substantial manner modernly by most copyright holders but not legally abandoned, etc, etc. That, to me, is where a site like GOG steps in, bridging the gap between the old and the new.

Though, to be fair, I again say I feel more at ease when a site has skin in the game; when there is a significant financial investment and expected revenue stream, you tend to end up with better security for the site and the games, and better support. Not to ding Abandonia, I've never had a problem there. But I trust the rest of those sites about as far as I can throw them. Hell, I even barely trust Abandonia, and that's just because I've visited there so frequently without issue. There in lies part of the issue. You can claim only a fool pays for peace of mind or ease of use, but by that logic no one should invest in a security system or ever buy instant noodles. The world's not that black and white, and especially for folks who have been burned before, are a few bucks here and there really so dire and disgusting a cost in exchange for security and support?