Why would I ever want that when I can download games just fine through the browser? I don’t like running Steam either despite having a bunch of games in my library (I use shortcuts to launch them directly).
These programs are just bloatware that reduce my battery life.
I think you’re missing the point. I don’t use GOG much at all, primarily because I’m lazy and just want all my games in the same place, but this is still fantastic news! It’s about legitimizing Linux gaming at large. It’s signaling to developers that the market share of users they cut off by explicitly excluding Linux (through kernel anti cheat or however else) is growing, and it’s signaling the public that Linux is a legitimate option. It’s one more nail in the coffin of Windows as the defacto gaming OS.
I’m not too worried about Linux gaming. I think there’s already enough momentum behind it that it’ll keep growing steadily.
Look at the retro gaming hardware scene (handhelds) and it’s dominated by Linux at the low end and Android at the high end. Windows is a non factor.
Sure it’s important to signal Linux‘s viability for new AAA games or whatever, but I think that market mostly doesn’t care what platform they’re on. They just buy whatever hardware is most convenient for them to play GTA 6 or something.
I for one haven’t played a AAA game released in the last decade.
I can’t stand automatic updates. I tolerate them for my operating system (security issues and all that) but for games they often change stuff I don’t want changed. I’d rather read the patch notes and decide if I’m going to apply the update.
Having an official GOG client might also mean that developers producing games on GOG are incentivised to make them work (either natively or with Proton), and we could also get some sort of “works well on Linux” tag on the GOG store (like there is on Steam!)
I don’t have a problem with it as long as it remains optional. So often though it feels like they’re trying to get enough people on the platform and then they can lock ‘em in and start enshittification, knowing they have people hostage to their game libraries.
That seems pretty remote for GOG since they’re all about no DRM, but their website has become more assertive about pushing Galaxy in recent years and that raises my anti- dark pattern hackles.
The wine prefix thing is a legit use. There are other programs that do that for you though. They don’t even require the games to come from any particular source, they’ll work with any games you have (old games on disc, used etc).
Why would I ever want that when I can download games just fine through the browser? I don’t like running Steam either despite having a bunch of games in my library (I use shortcuts to launch them directly).
These programs are just bloatware that reduce my battery life.
I think you’re missing the point. I don’t use GOG much at all, primarily because I’m lazy and just want all my games in the same place, but this is still fantastic news! It’s about legitimizing Linux gaming at large. It’s signaling to developers that the market share of users they cut off by explicitly excluding Linux (through kernel anti cheat or however else) is growing, and it’s signaling the public that Linux is a legitimate option. It’s one more nail in the coffin of Windows as the defacto gaming OS.
I’m not too worried about Linux gaming. I think there’s already enough momentum behind it that it’ll keep growing steadily.
Look at the retro gaming hardware scene (handhelds) and it’s dominated by Linux at the low end and Android at the high end. Windows is a non factor.
Sure it’s important to signal Linux‘s viability for new AAA games or whatever, but I think that market mostly doesn’t care what platform they’re on. They just buy whatever hardware is most convenient for them to play GTA 6 or something.
I for one haven’t played a AAA game released in the last decade.
If you play GOG games that update, I can see a benefit to having a software that automatically manages the updates for your games.
I can’t stand automatic updates. I tolerate them for my operating system (security issues and all that) but for games they often change stuff I don’t want changed. I’d rather read the patch notes and decide if I’m going to apply the update.
Having an official GOG client might also mean that developers producing games on GOG are incentivised to make them work (either natively or with Proton), and we could also get some sort of “works well on Linux” tag on the GOG store (like there is on Steam!)
I’m still salty that I can’t get the Linux version of Baldur’s Gate 3 on GOG because It’S nOt A lInUx VeRsIoN, iT iS a StEaM dEcK vErSiOn.
Because people other than you have other use cases and skill levels and wants and needs…
I don’t have a problem with it as long as it remains optional. So often though it feels like they’re trying to get enough people on the platform and then they can lock ‘em in and start enshittification, knowing they have people hostage to their game libraries.
That seems pretty remote for GOG since they’re all about no DRM, but their website has become more assertive about pushing Galaxy in recent years and that raises my anti- dark pattern hackles.
I use a desktop pc and it is power hungry even at idle so battery life isn’t an issue to me.
I would like to manage my library without needing to fiddle with Wine prefixes (which for most 2000s games I have to) or Lutris.
The wine prefix thing is a legit use. There are other programs that do that for you though. They don’t even require the games to come from any particular source, they’ll work with any games you have (old games on disc, used etc).