2 ms·

I suspect that if the only thing hurting them is not supporting ~1% of the desktop market, then that must mean they're actually not hurting at all. What with t

I suspect that if the only thing hurting them is not supporting ~1% of the desktop market, then that must mean they're actually not hurting at all. What with their revenue being 2nd only to Steam - who is way more focused on higher-ticket AAA titles than old games at a discount - I suppose that's fair. They really aren't hurting very much.

shmerl 13y ago
First of all 1% number is pretty useless even though it's tossed around alot. Global web counters are pointless not only for measuring OS adoption on the desktop (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_adoption#Measuring_desktop_adoption https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_adoption#Measuring_deskt...), they are even less relevant for estimating potential GOG users (who are gamers). If you check out Humble Bundle sales numbers (http://cheesetalks.twolofbees.com/humble/ http://cheesetalks.twolofbees.com/humble/), that's not 1% at all - it's close to 6-12%. GOG probably can collect statistics of their own site visitors who use Linux - that would be most relevant for them, but I don't have those numbers. And even then, since they have no native Linux games yet, those numbers would give then only the lowest potential margin. Not supporting Linux hurts them because of their use base. Those who don't accept any DRM go to GOG first, since they are strictly DRM free. And many of those are Linux users. GOG aren't focused on old games specifically anymore (even though they keep working on digging up more of them). They are focused on Good DRM free games, be it AAA, indie or what not. The problem is that most big budget games are funded by legacy backward thinking publishers who are afflicted with DRM sickness. That's why Steam has way more of such games. But crowdfunding and independent studios are really growing lately, and more and more big budget DRM free games emerge.

shmerl 13y ago

First of all 1% number is pretty useless even though it's tossed around alot. Global web counters are pointless not only for measuring OS adoption on the desktop (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_adoption#Measuring_desktop_adoption https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_adoption#Measuring_deskt...), they are even less relevant for estimating potential GOG users (who are gamers). If you check out Humble Bundle sales numbers (http://cheesetalks.twolofbees.com/humble/ http://cheesetalks.twolofbees.com/humble/), that's not 1% at all - it's close to 6-12%. GOG probably can collect statistics of their own site visitors who use Linux - that would be most relevant for them, but I don't have those numbers. And even then, since they have no native Linux games yet, those numbers would give then only the lowest potential margin. Not supporting Linux hurts them because of their use base. Those who don't accept any DRM go to GOG first, since they are strictly DRM free. And many of those are Linux users. GOG aren't focused on old games specifically anymore (even though they keep working on digging up more of them). They are focused on Good DRM free games, be it AAA, indie or what not. The problem is that most big budget games are funded by legacy backward thinking publishers who are afflicted with DRM sickness. That's why Steam has way more of such games. But crowdfunding and independent studios are really growing lately, and more and more big budget DRM free games emerge.