A few hours ago I received an email from Good Old Games about a change in its terms of service. Digging a little deeper, I found that the change is tied to a new platform service called GOG Connect. What does it do? Simply put, it lets Steam users receive copies of their games without DRM. For now, 23 titles are available, and more will be added as additional agreements with developers are reached.
Every gamer knows how absolutely horrendous DRM can be. The rationale of manufacturers-developers-publishers is always the same, but the problem isn't in defending their intellectual property—it's that they do it wrong. In the end, DRM only manages to penalize the legitimate user, and that general dislike gave rise to portals like Good Old Games, which prove, one sale at a time, that it's possible to get DRM-free games at reasonable prices. Of course, the number one 'alternative' is Steam. Valve's service certainly works as DRM, though the big difference is that it stays out of the way, doesn't cause performance losses, and doesn't impose any ridiculous limits (number of installs, ugh). We have no doubt in saying that Steam and GOG are competitors in a demanding market, but that doesn't change the fact that they can work together and create something interesting.
How GOG Connect Works
That 'something' is GOG Connect. The idea is that through Steam's API, GOG users can link their accounts and get DRM-free copies of those games they already bought on Valve's service. For example: suppose you bought FTL: Advanced Edition on Steam months ago, maybe taking advantage of a deal or promotion. Now, say you want to install a copy of FTL on your laptop to take it everywhere, but wireless internet access is poor or nonexistent. GOG Connect offers the shortcut of associating both profiles and downloading FTL via GOG as if you had bought it there.
I cited FTL for two reasons: First, it's an addictive and relentless game that will make you celebrate your few victories like World Cup trophies, and second, it's one of the 23 games that can be downloaded with GOG Connect right now. Now the fine print: once a GOG profile is linked to a Steam account, the link is permanent. No multiple accounts with multiple profiles, because that would make it too easy to "exploit" the system. And the presence of the games qualifies as "limited-time offers"—that is, besides getting titles, GOG Connect can also lose them if an agreement ends or falls through. No need to rush, but I think it's worth thinking about...
