According to XDA-Developers, Good Old Games (GOG) is officially splitting from CD Projekt, the Polish game developer that launched it back in 2008. In a recent blog post, the platform announced that its co-founder, Michał Kiciński, has purchased the digital storefront and its companion gaming client, GOG Galaxy. The post emphasizes that nothing notable will change operationally, with a firm commitment to maintaining its DRM-free library and “retro spirit.” GOG will continue to sell CD Projekt’s major titles, including The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077 and their upcoming sequels. The move is framed as a way to “double down” on GOG’s original vision of game ownership and preservation in a market dominated by closed ecosystems and mandatory launchers.
A nice story, but where’s the money?
Look, the sentiment here is fantastic. Who doesn’t love the idea of a store that actually lets you own your games? In an age of revocable licenses and always-online requirements, GOG’s stance is a breath of fresh air. But here’s the thing: this is a business, not a charity. CD Projekt is a publicly traded company, and spinning off GOG isn’t just a feel-good move. It’s a financial decision.
So why now? It’s hard not to be a little skeptical. While the official line is about focusing on core values, you have to wonder if GOG was simply not a significant revenue driver compared to the blockbuster game development side of CD Projekt. Running a storefront that specializes in old, often cheap games and new indie titles is a tough, low-margin business, especially when you’re up against a behemoth like Steam. This spin-off might just be CD Projekt streamlining its operations to focus on what it does best: making massive, expensive RPGs.
The DRM-free double-edged sword
Doubling down on DRM-free is a bold promise, and it’s the heart of GOG’s brand. But it’s also its biggest commercial hurdle. Basically, major publishers hate it. They see DRM as a necessary evil to curb piracy, even though we all know it mostly just inconveniences paying customers. GOG has famously missed out on huge titles because publishers refuse to release them without some form of digital lock.
Can a standalone GOG, now without the deep pockets and industry clout of a major developer like CD Projekt behind it, actually convince more big studios to play ball? I’m not so sure. The blog post talks about “shaping the classics of tomorrow,” but that’s a lot easier said than done when your business model is inherently at odds with the industry’s prevailing paranoia.
What real independence looks like
The real test won’t be in the first year. It’ll be in years three and four. Right now, the relationship is “set to remain the same,” and of course GOG will still sell CD Projekt‘s games. That’s a no-brainer. But what happens when the new ownership needs to make aggressive moves to grow or even just survive?
Does “doubling down” mean higher revenue cuts for developers to compete with the Epic Games Store? Does it mean experimenting with subscription models? Or does it mean leaning even harder into the niche of classic game preservation and emulation, which is a legal minefield? The announcement blog is heavy on philosophy and light on concrete strategy. That’s fine for reassuring existing fans, but it doesn’t answer the hard questions about long-term viability.
And let’s be honest, GOG Galaxy, while a nice client, hasn’t exactly set the world on fire as a Steam competitor. In a market where even Microsoft struggles to get traction with its own store, independence is a rocky road. I want GOG to succeed. The gaming landscape needs it. But this feels less like a triumphant new chapter and more like a risky, necessary experiment. We’ll see if the retro spirit is enough to keep the lights on.
