2.1 We give you and other GOG users the personal right (known legally as a 'license') to use GOG services and to download, access and/or stream (depending on the content) and use GOG content. This license is for your personal use. We can stop or suspend this license in some situations, which are explained later on.

https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/212632089-GOG-User-Agreement?product=gog

You do not own games purchased on GOG. Same as Steam, EGS, Ubisoft Connect... GOG shills like to spread the lie that you own GOG games, thus justifying the use of their garbage platform, but when asked to explain how, they just say you can download the EXE so it's functionally the same as owning (omitting, of course, that you can run most Steam or EGS games without having their respective clients installed, as that would go against their narrative).

[–] slampisko 17 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Okay, I see your point, but I'd still say it's a better license than Steam's/Epic's, because the games are DRM free (unless they've changed that and I'm not aware of it) and so once I've downloaded them, I can then play them whether or not GOG still exists or my "license to use GOG services" was revoked.

you can run most Steam or EGS games without having their respective clients installed

This is not consistent with my personal experience (though admittedly it's been a while since I've tried -- maybe a lot of games on Steam are now DRM free).

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago (2 children)

EGS doesn't require the client, you can simply run the EXE.

Steam games most commonly use Steamworks DRM, which is so easy to bypass it might as well not exist.

That's beside the point, however. GOG doesn't sell you games, but licenses. Playing the game after your license has been revoked is copyright infringement, and no different than using a cracked version. DRM is another topic entirely.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

What matters is I can put that exe on a harddrive/usb stick, plug it into any PC, and play it. Does that work with epic and steam? If I copy the game folder onto a usb stick and buy a new pc, can I plug it in and play it without ever installing the launchers? Or having to do some other workaround like download software I don't know if I can trust that I wouldn't have to do with GOG?

I don't care about whether it's technically illegal or not, I only care about how easily I can play the game using nothing but the game, exactly like a cartridge.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

No offense but license infringement is such a weak argument because there isn't anything to really enforce these licenses. They aren't watching us in our homes, they can't forcefully remove it from our computers. It is gatekeeping that people choose to feed into. They talk big and act small, you're not supposed to play the game if your account is deleted or the service closes, but there isn't anything stopping you from doing it, they're just trying to gatekeep you. No real point in listening to them.