GOG is independent again, and its new owner isn’t short on opinions. Michał Kiciński, one of the original founders of both CD Projekt and Good Old Games, has been talking about what comes next after buying GOG back from CD Projekt RED — and he’s very clear about what he does and doesn’t want the platform to be.
First, the basics aren’t changing. GOG is still all-in on DRM-free games.
As Kiciński puts it, DRM mostly just makes life harder for people who actually pay for games:
“We see DRM as something which can make the life of a legal customer more difficult. So there is no reason to keep it alive.”
That’s been GOG’s identity from the start, and it’s not going anywhere.
Taking on Steam, GOG-style
Steam dominates PC gaming, and Kiciński doesn’t deny that. But he also doesn’t see it as an excuse to give up.
He argues that having one giant player in the market actually makes it easier to offer something different — especially if you don’t try to copy them.
“Somebody might say that having a competitor like Steam with 80% of the market share is a huge obstacle, but to me it’s the opposite… it should be easier to take the market from them.”
That doesn’t mean GOG is about to flood the store with hundreds of new releases every day.
“We don’t release hundreds of games daily, 95% of which are really not super high quality.”
Instead, the plan is to stay more selective and more curated — which is what a lot of people already like about GOG.
That said, he admits GOG can learn a thing or two from Steam when it comes to usability.
“Steam is winning with its ease of use. In that regard, I think much can be done in GOG without losing its core values and the way it operates in general.”
So expect polish and improvements, but not a total personality transplant.
More than just a shop?
The really interesting bit is what GOG might become in the long run. Kiciński has talked about the idea of going beyond being “just” a store — possibly getting more directly involved in restoring and preserving classic games, in a way similar to what Nightdive has done.
He says that direction “feels very natural,” but also stresses that nothing like that would happen overnight.
For now, the message is pretty simple:
- GOG stays DRM-free
- GOG stays independent
- GOG wants to be better, not bigger
In a PC market that often feels like it’s run by one shop and a thousand algorithms, that’s not a bad position to take.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
