GOG, aka “Good Old Games,” has officially changed up ownership after 17 years, with Michał Kiciński taking full control of the service from CD Projekt Red. Kiciński is one of the initial co-founders of CDPR and a co-founder of GOG, the alternative gaming storefront that offers players true “DRM-free” ownership of their games.
While GOG has made it clear that their mission remains unchanged despite the change in ownership, players will likely have questions about the future of the storefront, what the new ownership means for their games, and if it will have any impact on what games will be available down the road.
What’s Going On With GOG?
Up until today, CD Projekt Red had a partial share of the alternative gaming storefront GOG, but GOG has been bought out entirely by its co-founder, Michał Kiciński (per GOG.com). According to GOG, the move is about “doubling down on that vision … of [bringing] classic games back to players, and [making] sure that once you buy a game, it truly belongs to you, forever.”
For CD Projekt Red, the move is meant to allow the studio to “focus its full attention on creating top-quality RPGs and providing our fans with other forms of entertainment based on our brands,” while simultaneously allowing GOG to grow on its own without dividing attention among its owners.
Michał Kiciński’s ownership of GOG will supposedly “accelerate what is unique” about the service (i.e. DRM-free games and preserving classics), and will allow the company to “keep long-term backing that is aligned with our values.” GOG also insists that the move is unrelated to financial hardship, stating that the company “has had a really encouraging year.”
What It Means For You And Your Games
According to GOG, not much will be changing when it comes to your actual experience using GOG.com or accessing your content through the platform. They state in no uncertain terms that “your library stays yours to enjoy … even if a game gets delisted” with all the “same access, same offline installers, same sense of ownership.” Further, players can rest assured that their “data stays with GOG, and GOG GALAXY remains optional.”
Further, CD Projekt Red games both past and future will be listed on the service, including the upcoming launch of the highly anticipated The Witcher 4, as well as the expected Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, etc.
While there don’t seem to be any immediate changes happening with the GOG platform itself, the acquisition could have implications for future projects, but likely in a positive way. GOG anticipates the new leadership will enable the company to “undertake even more ambitious rescue missions in 2026 and 2027,” and “[help] indie developers reach the world.”
For the time being, your GOG library and games seem to be safe from any major changes, and their DRM-free philosophy remains at the core of the company’s mission. However, it’s possible that changes can occur later down the road under new ownership, though currently it’s hard to say exactly what shape they may take.
- Date Founded
-
February 1, 2002
- CEO
-
Adam Kiciński
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
