The GOG PC game storefront is officially splitting from its parent company, CD Projekt, after its co-founder, Michal Kicinski, bought the platform for $25.2 million. This move includes the GOG Galaxy online gaming platform, so the company is losing GOG entirely.
This isn’t just a corporate handover. Kicinski is one of the original people who helped launch GOG, then known as Good Old Games, back in 2008. He also co-founded CD Projekt, making this a return to the platform’s roots under highly aligned leadership. The GOG team believes this acquisition is the best way to accelerate what makes the platform unique.
Kicinski created GOG with the idea of bringing back classic games and making sure that once you buy a game, you have genuine control over it. For folks who love GOG, the biggest question is always about the DRM-free promise. I would say this acquisition is fantastic news for that philosophy because the company confirmed that being DRM-free is now “more central to GOG than ever.”
This means your library stays yours to enjoy. You retain the same access and you can keep the offline installers. So you basically keep that crucial sense of ownership. GOG isn’t just focused on selling new games; it specializes in the difficult, often “unglamorous work” of game preservation. This involves making sure that older classics remain alive, even when rights become tangled, compatibility breaks, or the original game builds are lost.
Kicinski’s backing is specifically aimed at growing this unique mission. He wants GOG to preserve classic games and make sure that future games keep the same protection. This includes new games that have a real retro spirit.
If you’re a GOG Patron or you donate to support the Preservation Program, those funds stay in GOG to support this work. The company noted that players who have wanted this have encouraged it.
If you’re currently a GOG customer, you don’t need to worry about any disruptive changes. Your account and library remain exactly as they are. GOG Galaxy remains entirely optional; you are not forced into using a client just to launch your purchases. Also, on the privacy front, GOG confirmed that it remains the sole controller of your data. Nothing changes regarding how your personal information is handled, and that’s a huge positive for consumer protection in the digital space.
What is interesting is that it turns out the sale fits CD Projekt’s long-term strategy. The studio wants to focus its full attention on developing its massive RPG brands, like The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077, and creating other forms of entertainment based on those franchises. This deal lets CD Projekt keep that focus, while GOG stays deadset on its specific preservation values.
It’s important to note that the business relationship isn’t ending. CD Projekt RED games are staying available on GOG, and you can expect future titles from the studio to release on the platform just like they always have. The GOG team noted that the platform is stable and has had a very encouraging year, so the sale isn’t a sign of financial distress.
Source: GOG Blog
