GOG’s New Owner on Challenging Steam and Ending DRM
▼ Summary
– GOG, the DRM-free game store, was sold by CD Projekt RED to its co-founder Michał Kiciński, who left the company over a decade ago.
– The sale was driven by strategic differences, as GOG’s smaller scale and lower profitability made it a lower priority within the larger, highly profitable CD Projekt group.
– Kiciński purchased GOG due to its growth potential, emotional attachment, and a desire to keep it as an independent Polish company, avoiding absorption by a large corporation.
– GOG’s strategy is to compete by focusing on its unique strengths: DRM-free games, curation, preservation, and supporting indie and classic titles, rather than directly challenging Steam’s AAA dominance.
– The new ownership aims for GOG to grow into a healthy, profitable company and is considering future expansion into game development or remastering old IPs, similar to Nightdive Studios.
The recent acquisition of GOG by its original co-founder marks a pivotal new chapter for the pioneering DRM-free platform. Michał Kiciński’s purchase from CD Projekt RED signals a strategic shift towards independence, allowing GOG to fully embrace its unique identity and growth potential outside the shadow of a AAA gaming giant. This move underscores a commitment to the platform’s core mission of game preservation and consumer-friendly practices, setting the stage for a focused challenge in a market dominated by a single major competitor.
CD Projekt initiated the sale, a decision described by GOG’s managing director, Maciej Gołębiewski, as a natural outcome of diverging corporate strategies. While GOG’s financial performance has historically been modest compared to the blockbuster profits of CD Projekt’s development arm, Kiciński believes the sale was driven more by strategic focus than by weak numbers. He suggests that within a larger group, resources naturally flow toward the segments generating the biggest margins, making it difficult for a smaller, philosophically distinct entity like GOG to thrive. Now, unshackled, the platform can solely prioritize its own success.
For Kiciński, the decision to buy was both emotional and strategic. As a founder, he retains a strong attachment and saw significant untapped potential. He views the market not as locked down by Steam’s overwhelming share, but as an opportunity; a dominant player can be difficult for them to defend. He was also driven by a desire to prevent GOG from being absorbed and dismantled by a larger corporation through industry consolidation, a trend he views negatively. Additionally, he emphasizes the value of GOG remaining a Polish and European company, supporting the vibrant local development scene.
The path to competing involves strengthening GOG’s existing virtues rather than mimicking others. The platform’s commitment to being DRM-free remains an unshakable core value, seen as both an ethical stance and a pragmatic choice that ensures customers truly own their games. Kiciński is critical of trends that treat games like rentals and recalls firsthand experience with publisher backlash when CD Projekt removed DRM from The Witcher 2. While this philosophy has cost GOG some publishing deals, it has also attracted developers and partners who share its vision.
Operationally, the focus will be on improving content, infrastructure, and software ease-of-use without sacrificing identity. GOG positions itself not in a head-on battle with “Goliath,” but as a superior service within its niche of classics and modern classics. Its curated approach and flexible, case-by-case revenue splits with developers allow for special promotional treatment that can help titles stand out. While AAA hits are not the goal, new independent games and CD Projekt’s own catalog, secured for at least six years as part of the sale, will remain important.
Financially, the goal is to build a healthy, growing company. Kiciński used personal funds for the acquisition, so GOG is not burdened by debt, allowing a focus on quality service as the pathway to profitability. Future directions may include deeper forays into game preservation and remastering, potentially following the model of studios like Nightdive. While concrete plans are still being formed, the leadership sees a natural alignment in leveraging local Polish talent to move closer to the creative process, possibly by acquiring and revitalizing old IPs. This ambitious vision would be pursued step by step, solidifying GOG’s unique space in the gaming ecosystem.
(Source: Games Industry)
