Vote for GOG to add Linux versions of games they sell

[Zeven]

More awareness, yay. Do vote if you have an account, and if you haven't got one yet, make one! I myself couldn't say no to DRM free gaming with no regional price tags!

[mateo14]

This is list of linux games, that can be published by GOG:

Botanicula
Darwinia
Machinarium: Collector's Edition
Neverwinter Nights: Diamond Edition
Postal: Classic and Uncut
Postal 2 Complete
Trine
Shadowgrounds
Spacechem
Unreal Tournament GOTY
Unreal Tournament 2004

This is list of linux games, that can be published by GOG (unofficial versions):

ARX Fatalis
Descent
Descent 2
Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition
Freespace + Expansion
FreeSpace 2
Heroes of Might and Magic 3: Complete Edition
Jagged Alliance 2
Kingpin: Life of Crime
Rise of the Triad: Dark War
Serious Sam: The First Encounter
Serious Sam: The Second Encounte
Ultima IV
Ultima 7
Unreal Gold

This is list of linux games, that probably can't be published by GOG:

Descent 3 + Expansion (Loki software) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oasEAoPHk7I
Disciples 2 Gold (Linux Game Publishing)
Gorky 17 (Hyperion Entertainment and Linux Game Publishing)
Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood (Runesoft)
Sacred: Gold Edition (Linux Game Publishing)
Shogo Mobile Armor Division (Hyperion Entertainment)
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (Loki software)

[Zeven]

Then you seem to have either misunderstood his point or made a poor choice of words in your comment about it. He was saying that, sure, they could just throw something together haphazardly with little to no testing and absolutely no support then let us deal with the fallout of it on our own, but that's not the way GOG does business (I think it was actually a not-so-subtle stab at the way Steam tends to do things). They believe in respecting the customer and providing a quality product that is actually worth the money spent on it and works exactly as advertised; to knowingly do otherwise would damage their brand. In that respect, it is beneath them, but that is actually a really good thing, especially for Linux gaming. We should expect no less from anyone else thinking about getting into the Linux gaming market. If Linux gaming is to take off as a business, it is going to need professional, polished services to provide those games, instead of the not so professional, "we're making this up as we go along" services that are far too common in Linux.

They are not actually putting any limiters on themselves, they are just being realistic and objective about what's involved in making this happen, unlike most everyone else who has an opinion about what they should and shouldn't be doing. Who said anything about "all or nothing"? If they are going to support Linux, they want to be able to provide at least as good an experience as they already provide with their Windows products. That is a perfectly reasonable goal for any business and they should not be faulted for that, but that goal does not mean they are going to hold back on Linux completely until they can provide that final experience, it just means they are going to need to take their time and do it right (plan, implement, test, bugfix, test, release). However, a lot of things have to happen before we even get to that point and most of them require spending a lot of money and resources that they don't necessarily have right now. On top of that, no one is even sure if this will be worth it to them at all. Are there enough Linux gamers out there to make up the costs involved in investing in the employees, training and hardware for testing, packaging and supporting the games, negotiating the licensing contracts for the games, marketing the games? I don't know, I'm not sure anyone really does know for certain right now. For a small company like GOG, that unknown makes the investment very, very risky.

Does that mean they will never support Linux? Absolutely not. It just means they are not going to jump into this without some serious thinking, planning and testing first. Like I said in that thread on the GOG forums, I wouldn't be surprised if they start making moves towards Linux after someone like Steam takes the plunge. Let the big guys with the deep pockets take all the risk and make all the mistakes, then GOG, having learned from that, can come in and do it a little bit better and maybe a little bit smarter... certainly a little bit classier .

As you wrote quite a lot, I didn't want to leave you in dark. I did read your post and really have nothing else to say. I understand where you're coming from and I understand to some degree where GOG is coming from, but have they even consulted with anyone yet with regard to how much work would actually have to be done to go through with and continue their total quality management approach on Linux?

[Zeven]

Over 4 500 votes now! Great effort! Keep it up you guys.

[Zeven]

Fun and silly fact: Just wanted to say that the request asking for Linux games to be sold on GOG now has more votes than the Steam group asking for a Linux client has members! Keep it up!

[Zeven]

And we have over 5 000 votes! With all the Steam news regarding Linux, I hope this particular request on GOG gets lots of attention too!

[Zeven]

So Project Eternity by Obsidian Entertainment is currently being funded via Kickstarter, and a Linux version will be made once 2.2 million US dollars have been pledged. The current pledge lies at 1.65 million US dollars, and the Mac OS version has been secured. Now take a look at the following, taken from http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...y/posts/311594

DRM Free Option

You asked and we are delivering. In conjunction with GOG, we are going to offer a DRM free version of the game for our Kickstarter Backers. When the campaign ends, you will be able to choose whether you would like a key from GOG or Steam. For our Mac friends, we are still working on a DRM free option, since GOG does not currently support the Mac. Oh, and the great guys at GOG are having a special right now on all of the great Infinity Engine games, so check that out as well.

So this game will definitely support Mac OS, and at the rate that the game is being funded at, will most certainly support Linux as well. The game will also be making its way to GOG because of GOG's policies on DRM. GOG, however, still doesn't support any operating systems outside of Windows, and with more and more games supporting both Mac OS and Linux as well, this is becoming troublesome. The guys at Obsidian Entertainment believe this as well. “For our Mac friends, we are still working on a DRM free option, since GOG does not currently support the Mac.” I do believe GOG needs to seriously consider expanding as several GOGers are now getting their games from sources that support more than just Windows, and this trend is only going to become stronger as multiplatform support increases.

Please, GOG. You've done so much good by choosing to spit in the face of DRM and regional pricing, among other things. Don't wait till it's too late.

[Glencore]

Voted

[jrog]

Added my vote!

[contributor]

Going to vote.