When most PC gamers think about buying a game digitally, they go straight to Steam. It's the default. But there's a better option if you care about actually owning what you buy — and it's called GOG.

What's the difference?

Steam and GOG both sell PC games at similar prices. The difference is what you get when you hand over your money.

Steam sells you a license. You're paying for access — access that Steam controls. If Steam shuts down, if a publisher pulls their titles, or if your account gets banned, your library is at risk. Most Steam games also require the Steam launcher to run.

GOG sells you a file. A standalone installer that runs on your computer without any launcher, any account verification, or any server connection. Once it's downloaded, it's yours. Permanently.

The launcher problem

Here's something Steam players rarely think about: every time you launch a Steam game, you're depending on Valve's infrastructure. Steam needs to be installed, running, and connected (even in offline mode, Steam has to have been online recently).

GOG games don't have this requirement. Double-click the installer, install the game, double-click the executable. Done. No launcher update. No login screen. No "checking online..."

What happens when a store shuts down?

This isn't hypothetical. Digital storefronts have shut down before. When they do, DRM-locked games die with them.

GOG has a written commitment to DRM-free distribution. Even if GOG disappeared tomorrow, every game you've downloaded would continue running from your hard drive, indefinitely.

Are GOG games more expensive?

No. The pricing is identical for most titles. GOG also runs frequent sales and has an extensive catalog of classic PC games — many available for free.

Should you switch to GOG?

If you want to actually own your games — yes. Especially for:

  • Single-player games you want to play for years
  • Classic games from the 90s and 2000s
  • Any game you care about preserving

For multiplayer-heavy games that require online infrastructure anyway, Steam's ecosystem (friends, voice chat, matchmaking) has practical advantages. But for everything else? DRM-free on GOG is the better choice.

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Browse the full GOG catalog — 6,000+ games, all verified DRM-free. Buy once, own forever.