A few days ago, at the invitation of the Cultural Section of the Polish Embassy in China, the Polish Innovation Industry Center, and the Polish Independent Games Foundation, we visited Poland as part of a "Game Study Tour." There, we toured the headquarters of GOG (Good Old Games), a digital game distribution platform. It must be said, this is a gaming platform that feels somewhat unfamiliar yet commands deep respect for its distinct personality.
Unfamiliar, because this platform is indeed somewhat "hard to reach" for domestic players. It doesn't have a massive overseas server cluster like Steam, making access and downloads less smooth for Chinese players. Nor does it employ grounded operational tactics like Epic (formerly) did. Consequently, outside the core circle of old-game enthusiasts, few people know about it...
However, when it comes to their core principles, few fail to develop a fondness for them.
The first principle is preserving those classic old games.
True to their original name, Good Old Games, they have long focused on bringing dusty old games back to the modern era—titles that struggle to run on newer versions of Windows—or uncovering hidden gems from history. From ancient Atari games to DOOM, Heroes of Might and Magic III, and Capcom's Resident Evil Zero, they polish and revive the most requested classic games, bringing them back into the spotlight.
Due to their age, the source code for many old games is often lost. Therefore, they have to use proprietary decompilation tools to dismantle the games bit by bit from the ground up. Using the most "laborious" methods, they re-engineer compatibility with new Windows versions, fix legacy bugs, and implement modern control schemes into these aged classics. It really does sound like the work of artifact restorers in a museum.
Their second core principle is the slogan best known among Chinese gamers: F*ck DRM. Yes, they even have a dedicated logo that says exactly that: F*CK DRM.
Since its inception, GOG has scoffed at the various encryption methods flooding the market (such as Denuvo, StarForce, etc.). They believe encrypting games does not protect their commercial value. They argue that encrypted games are often the first to be cracked. The recent leak and cracking of Forza Horizon 6 before its official release is a prime example. While failing to stop piracy, these encryptions hinder players from properly enjoying the games they purchased. Stuttering and frame drops are bad enough, but once disconnected from the internet, your digital game becomes a pile of unusable digital garbage...
But GOG chooses to distribute unencrypted games. Every game sold on GOG must be completely DRM-Free. This allows them to be played instantly without an internet connection. Even if you Ctrl+C the files to another computer, they will run perfectly.
Of course, many major game companies do not appreciate GOG's views and practices. As producers and businessmen, they naturally have countless reasons to refute GOG. But this doesn't stop GOG from distributing games from the players' perspective—and continuing to grow and improve.
Now, taking advantage of this trip to Poland, we had the honor of interviewing Bartosz Kwietniewski, Director of Business Development at GOG. Before the formal interview began, we chatted quite a bit about the gaming industries in Poland and China, discussing topics like the success of Black MYTH - Steam Edition: Wukong and Poland's open attitude and strong support for the gaming sector.
Regarding government support for the gaming industry as a national policy, he expressed relief and agreement as an industry practitioner. He noted that earlier, the Polish government's attitude toward gaming was not as open as it is today. However, in recent years, gaming has become one of Poland's most important cultural industries, with its economic and cultural value growing significantly. The Polish government has accordingly shifted its policies to provide key support to the gaming industry.
Of course, the situation is similar here. Black MYTH - Steam Edition: Wukong is the perfect example.
This gentleman believes that the success of Black MYTH - Steam Edition: Wukong is a significant milestone. Creativity is everywhere, but sometimes we need a way to prove that we can get things done. Black MYTH - Steam Edition: Wukong is the best example of "we can make it happen."
Bartosz Kwietniewski
Alright, enough small talk. Here is the full interview:
Q: For domestic players, GOG is still a relatively unfamiliar distribution platform. Steam has a massive user base and convenient Workshop features; Epic gives away free games; Ubisoft, Rockstar, and Blizzard platforms are tied to their respective developed games. In comparison, what are GOG's main advantages?
A:The answer is simple: our job is to permanently preserve classic video games. We've been doing this since 2018, bringing timeless titles from ten or even twenty years ago—games that are no longer available for purchase—to modern platforms. We collaborate with platforms and organizations worldwide dedicated to video game preservation. We believe video games are a cultural heritage worth protecting, which is why we launched the GOG Preservation Program. You can think of it as providing permanent maintenance and support for these classic old games, ensuring they remain playable five, ten, or more years into the future.
We hope that as long as GOG exists, players will be able to purchase classic games on our platform and enjoy the best possible gaming experience.
Additionally, GOG is best known for its DRM-free policy. There are no copy restrictions—in short, once you purchase a game, you own it permanently. We do not require players to be online to play.
Q: What does DRM-Free mean to you? Many people believe that games purchased on GOG truly belong to them, whereas "purchases" on other platforms are more akin to some form of "access license." Do you agree with this statement?
A:I certainly agree with this statement. This is our biggest difference from other platforms. We do not check copyright licenses when launching a game; you can start playing anytime. Of course, we do check licenses when downloading updates to ensure you actually own the game and to provide you with the latest patches.
This is what sets us apart from other platforms. For example, if you spontaneously decide to go camping in a forest and want to play games there, you can simply launch them without needing an internet connection. So, when communicating with our player community, we use phrases like "Own it forever, buy once, never revoked."
Q: DRM-free is good news for players, but perhaps not so much for publishers, especially major studios. How do you convince developers to release DRM-free games on GOG? Does the absence of major titles unwilling to accept DRM-free policies affect your platform's user base?
A:That's a great question. Everyone knows that not all games are released on GOG. Often, the reason a game isn't listed on GOG is indeed because the publisher requires DRM technology, whether it's Denuvo or platform-specific encryption. Since GOG does not include any DRM technology, these games cannot be released on our platform.
However, a few months after release, when publishers feel DRM is no longer effective or the initial commercial cycle has passed, they lift these restrictions and allow the game to be sold on GOG. This is especially true if they have previously released titles on GOG and found that it brings additional sales without cannibalizing revenue from other platforms. At this point, our relationship evolves into a long-term partnership.
Many publishers are even willing to premiere games on our platform. It's worth emphasizing that CD Projekt Red is one such publisher. All their titles premiere on GOG without any DRM, which is crucial.
I believe we have proven that GOG's DRM-free policy does not pose a risk to publishers; they can still sell millions of copies globally. We believe it is only a matter of time before more games come to GOG, as we are consistently promoting this concept to the gaming community and developers. Each year, it becomes easier to convince publishers to collaborate with us.
Q: GOG previously announced a plan to preserve classic old games. How is this plan progressing now?
A:For us, "classic games" refer to titles that have been on the market for at least 10 years. This program was announced in 2024, at which point we launched 100 games. A year later, that number grew to over 300. Our goal is to add another 100 classic games within the year. Our ambition is to encompass all classic games worldwide. Perhaps in five years, when you log into GOG, you'll find that nearly all classic games have been fully included in the preservation program and are ready to play.
Q: Does getting old games to run on modern PCs present many challenges? What role does GOG play in this process?
A:First, we need to determine if the game can be legally distributed. This involves verifying the identity of the publisher at the time of release and confirming whether that publisher still exists. If not, further steps are required, such as determining what happened to the publisher and who currently holds the rights. Sometimes, source code and file copyrights are owned by different legal entities, while music rights may remain with the composer. You can imagine how comprehensively we investigate all scenarios and contact the relevant parties. Once the copyright holder is confirmed, we reach out to them. If confirmation is delayed, this process can take a very long time.
Sometimes, issues also arise during the game restoration process.
Most of the time, we cannot directly modify the source code. It's understandable that developers from 30 years ago couldn't anticipate their games would need fixing by GOG three decades later. Developers often didn't back up their source code—back then, everyone assumed you'd always buy physical CD copies of games! (At the time of this conversation, PlayStation had not yet announced the discontinuation of physical game discs...)
Therefore, we must gather all available files from the internet and attempt to recompile them into playable versions. However, this is no longer a major difficulty today. Our technical team has developed relevant tools capable of handling any content, as long as we can locate the game files via the internet or physical discs and ensure copyright issues are resolved.
There's another aspect to consider—the entire industry is incredibly busy. Publishers often have a backlog of AAA and AA titles. When we approach them saying, "Hey, let's revive those classic games!", the opportunity cost isn't always worthwhile for them. Sometimes, they need to wait for the right timing to release those classic works.
The good news is that more and more publishers we work with are recognizing the importance of classic games, making this process increasingly easier. However, it often remains a "waiting game"—we must patiently wait for the right moment to release these classic titles.
Q: China has many nostalgic players and games from their childhood memories, such as Anti-Japanese War: Bloody Battle in Shanghai. Are there plans to include some classic Chinese games in this program?
A:Absolutely!
I think this idea is fantastic. I can reveal that we are already researching how to bring Chinese games to GOG and have started communicating with local partners. We hope to bring some good news to the Chinese community soon. We have a feature called Dream List, where players can vote for their favorite games. We are considering adding these classic titles cherished by Chinese players to that list!
By the way... what kind of game is Anti-Japanese War: Bloody Battle in Shanghai? Are there any screenshots or descriptions we could refer to?
In the following period, I introduced Bartosz to the classic Anti-Japanese War: Bloody Battle in Shanghai, as well as several other classic Chinese single-player titles like Richman and The Legend of Sword and Fairy. Barring any unexpected issues, we should soon be able to play classic Chinese games on the GOG platform.
By the way, their staff also informed us that they are actively working to resolve network access issues for Chinese players visiting GOG. In recent months, they have doubled download speeds in the Chinese region. Although the road ahead is long and much work needs to be done step by step, this young platform is clearly improving steadily.
Finally, hats off to these Polish folks who restore artifacts while telling DRM to F*ck off. F*ck DRM!