DRM-free Steam alternative GOG is no longer owned by CD Projekt – NotebookCheck.net News
CD Projekt launched GOG as an alternative to Steam back in 2008, and focuses on selling DRM-free games and advocating for game preservation so that titles can still be played in the future. Following an acquisition, the online store no longer belongs to the publisher of The Witcher 3.
Hannes Brecher (translated by Enrico Frahn), Published 🇩🇪
Michał Kiciński, co-founder and major shareholder of the Polish publisher CD Projekt, has acquired all shares of GOG.com. As a result, the publisher is no longer owned by CD Projekt. In a press release, the online game store emphasizes that GOG.com will continue to operate independently and remain faithful to its DRM-free philosophy.
The cooperation between GOG and CD Projekt will continue, so games like The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077 can still be purchased on GOG without DRM protection. Since GOG remains in the hands of the original founder, nothing is expected to change for gamers as a result of this acquisition. Due to its independence from CD Projekt, GOG might become a more attractive platform for game developers, as they don’t have to be afraid of being disadvantaged compared to games from CD Projekt Red.
MichaÅ‚ KiciÅ„ski is paying 90.7 million Polish Zloty for this acquisition, which translates to approximately $25.25 million. In 2024, GOG generated approximately $55.46 million in revenue, with a profit of just $316,240. This puts GOG’s revenue at less than 0.5% compared to the revenue that the PC gaming market leader Steam was able to generate in the same year. This significant difference is caused by the fact that many current games are not available on GOG, since many publishers do not want to release titles without DRM in order to combat piracy as much as possible.
Related Articles
Editor of the original article: Hannes Brecher – Senior Tech Writer – 19533 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2018
Since 2009 I have written for different publications with a focus on consumer electronics. I joined the Notebookcheck news team in 2018 and have combined my many years of experience with laptops and smartphones with my lifelong passion for technology to create informative content for our readers about new developments in this sphere. In addition, my design background as an art director at an ad agency has allowed me to have deeper insights into the peculiarities of this industry.
Translator: Enrico Frahn – Managing Editor Accessory Reviews, Tech Writer – 5989 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2021
My fascination for technology goes back a long way to the Pentium II era. Modding, overclocking and treasuring computer hardware has since become an integral part of my life. As a student, I further developed a keen interest in mobile technologies that can make the stressful college life so much easier. After I fell in love with the creation of digital content while working in a marketing position, I now scour the web to bring you the most exciting topics in the world of tech. Outside the office, I’m particularly passionate about motorsports and mountain biking.
Hannes Brecher, 2025-12-29 (Update: 2025-12-29)
