CD Projekt RED's digital distribution platform GOG.com (Good Old Games) has broadened its offerings beyond classic PC titles, and will now sell newer games from indie developers.
Since launching in 2008, GOG.com's catalog of more than 400 games has focused on mostly old titles, released more than a decade ago, without DRM anti-piracy protections -- it's a niche that's worked for the company so far, as consumers have downloaded over 7.5 million games from the service.
GOG.com will now take on rival platforms like Steam that sell new games, though, as it's partnered with a indie developers to release more recent games on its platform. Starting today, Frozenbyte's Trine, Daedalic Entertainment's The Whispered World, and Almost Human's Legend of Grimock are available to purchase on GOG.com
The service has signed more than 20 titles so far, including independently developed games that will release on GOG.com in the near future like Introversion Software's Darwinia, Zachtronics Industries' SpaceChem, and Amanita Design's Machinarium.
GOG.com is taking other steps to update its brand and appear "bigger, fresher, and newer" too, such as revamping its home page, adding built-in search and game library organization options to the My Account page, and updating its optional Downloader app with several new features.
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I know there are many technical issues just as there are legal issues to getting some games, the latter often being a more difficult barrier to overcome. It's nice to see someone simultaneously preserving games, turning a respectable profit, and sharing the good of old with new audiences. The new indie games on there tend to jive with the old-school styling of things like Point and Click Adventure games. Using GOG as a platform for what are now non-mainstream titles is a win for the smaller game companies.
Perhaps a future venture for the company might be discovering how to improve the usability of old games and re-release them. I was just playing Lemmings 3d, a game I hadn't played in a long time. I used to really enjoy it over a decade ago, but the controls make it hard for me to jump back in and play it again. I find this issue with too many good old games.