Good Old Games was set up in June 2008 by the same clever Polish guys from CD-Project that turned their localization company into a major distributor and a successful developer and publisher of the well received The Witcher RPG.
As the name suggests, GOG focuses on the stars of the past with such gaming treasures as Fallout 2, MDK, Myst or Operation Flashpoint. The games are patched up to be compatible with the latest Windows versions.
Besides bargain prices you often get additional content. And it all comes with none of the hassles of Digital Rights Managements.
Background Info
Since the release of the seventh generation gaming consoles, videogames have reached new heights and capabilities. However, many gamers still feel a love for the titles that enjoyed success in former generations but now seem to be lost forever. The Polish owned software company, CD Projekt, sought to fill in this void by releasing the “Good Old Games” digital distribution system in 2008 to allow customers to download games that have long since left the store shelves.The Good Old Games system gives players the option to buy online and then decide if they want to download a client or just download the title directly to the computer without one. Games are typically priced much lower than the current titles on the modern consoles, and older games that would typically be incompatible with the newer operating systems have been updated with patches to prevent any problems. The site also contains a blog section, allowing gamers to review and discuss the various titles offered on the site. The site also provides many add-ons to the available titles.To purchase a digital download from Good Old Games, you must first have an account, which can be created by clicking the appropriate link in the top right of the homepage. Various titles are listed as thumbnails on the homepage, and a search function can be found at the top right of the page in order to find a specific title. After clicking the thumbnail for a title, a product description page appears, featuring the cover art, screenshots, user reviews, a brief description, and the link to purchase the digital download. Despite receiving positive reception from gamers, Good Old Games has had its share of issues. Many users report constant instability within the servers, pausing downloads and interrupting their use of the site. Also, the system does not contain any DRM technologies. While most gamers are actually happy to find this out, many developers feel a sense of insecurity, discouraging them from using the service and limiting the available choices.
