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GOG have gone on the offensive with their new 'FCK DRM' initiative

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In a move that's both hilarious and also quite important, GOG have launched a new website named 'FCK DRM' to help people understand what DRM is and how it can be harmful.

I'm sure most of you know by know how much of a nuisance DRM can be, it's in games, movies and more and the purpose is supposed to be to deter piracy. However, a fair amount of the time it does end up hurting people purchasing games from legitimate sources.

DRM-free approach in games has been at the heart of GOG.COM from day one. We strongly believe that if you buy a game, it should be yours, and you can play it the way it’s convenient for you, and not how others want you to use it.

The landscape has changed since 2008, and today many people don’t realize what DRM even means. And still the DRM issue in games remains – you’re never sure when and why you can be blocked from accessing them. And it’s not only games that are affected, but your favourite books, music, movies and apps as well.

To use the perfect example: When EA released SimCity in 2013, even for the single-player part of the game you were forced to be online. I remember the outrage, why did people have to sit in a queue to play a game they've paid for in single-player or even offline? It's completely idiotic and so I do applaud any decent effort to ensure people know about DRM and why it can be a real crappy thing.

It's an important issue, you don't want to suddenly lose access to games you've paid for before servers go offline or the developer decides to vanish. There's so many examples of why sticking DRM into games is a bad thing, it also never really stops piracy as people always end up finding away around it.

Visit the FCKDRM site for more.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: DRM, DRM-Free, GOG
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Comandante Ñoñardo Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: Doc AngeloHm. Not that they're wrong, but this has a strong touch of self-promotion. The "list" of options is a bit sparse, and it doesn't look like they have actually looked into finding more options before launching this page. For example, you can buy DRM free ebooks with ease. At least in Germany, the big online stores do have books without DRM.

I don't mind that they omitted Steam from the list, because you can't see which game doesn't have DRM on Steam in the store page. But that they didn't include Humble Bundle really makes it look like they want to act as if they are the only ones selling DRM free games online.

Everybody knows about Humble Bundle. Don't act like you didn't know, GOG.

Or does that mean that only shops are accepted that are 100% DRM free? If that is true, I demand a shop where you can't buy Windows games.

Only 100% DRMFREE download stores are valid for to be listed on FCKDRM... Humble Bundle is just an Steam key reseller with some DRMFREE games.
Doc Angelo Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoOnly 100% DRMFREE download stores are valid for to be listed on FCKDRM... Humble Bundle is just an Steam key reseller with some DRMFREE games.

Just a tiny correction: You can download all DRM-free games via the Humble Bundle web page. You get an additional Steam key, but you don't need to use it. Of course, that doesn't mean that every single game on HumbleBundle is DRM free.
Doc Angelo Aug 22, 2018
Question: Are there games on GOG with a multiplayer component that either relies on a third party account or a proprietary master server? If not, that would be really cool and in line with the aspect of "digital preservation".
orochi_kyo Aug 22, 2018
I remember pretty well when I was without internet for 15 days and then, I was able to play many games of my Steam library by just telling Steam to go in offline mode.
This is just going to the other extreme(the hate towards developers right to protect their stuff with a minimal DRM) and I don't see what is the problem on DRM as there's an option to play offline.
Despite Denuvo being too harmful that didn't stop Monster Hunter World, to sell 300k copies in two days on Steam and I cant see how attacking every DRM system out there even those who aren't that bad are going to help the cause.
This only suits to Steam haters while makes no harm to Denuvo.
Another reason for me to stay away from GOG, this hipster hate is just annoying.
qptain Nemo Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: Doc AngeloQuestion: Are there games on GOG with a multiplayer component that either relies on a third party account or a proprietary master server? If not, that would be really cool and in line with the aspect of "digital preservation".
There is this list. I don't know how accurate it is. https://www.gog.com/mix/games_with_multiplayer_drm
Doc Angelo Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: qptain NemoThere is this list. I don't know how accurate it is. https://www.gog.com/mix/games_with_multiplayer_drm

Thanks for that. I just took a quick look, and at least BATTLETECH is missing from that list. It would be interesting to know what their stance on MP-DRM is.
no_information_here Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: istispAlso, DRM-freedom generally aligns with the free open source ideals of Linux, so people who care enough about freedom to use Linux will tend to care enough about DRMs to not want them on their games.
Exactly.

It is easy to forget that GOG is a much smaller company than Valve. Would I like them to do more Linux work? Absolutely, Yes. However, I understand that they have to do it right. Getting all complainy-pants about Galaxy is a waste of time and irrelevant to this discussion.

The Witcher 3 still stings, though. CDPR may own GOG, but I don't think GOG can push that hard on CDPR to do ports.
einherjar Aug 22, 2018
I don`t trust them.
I AFAIK the witcher 2 and 3 where Denuvo tempered.

Cyberpunk will surely not be DRM free in the first weeks.

I can`t remember that CDPR does something for Linux since the one port of Witcher 2.

So no Bucks from me. (Except old games for less then 5€ to try them on wine - maybe there is no need for this anymore because of Proton)
Pikolo Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: einherjarI don`t trust them.
I AFAIK the witcher 2 and 3 where Denuvo tempered.

Cyberpunk will surely not be DRM free in the first weeks.

I can`t remember that CDPR does something for Linux since the one port of Witcher 2.

So no Bucks from me. (Except old games for less then 5€ to try them on wine - maybe there is no need for this anymore because of Proton)

The official version is that the Witcher 3 CD release had DRM which got cracked while the online(aka. through GOG) release didn't. And I think both happened simultaneously
Smoke39 Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: GuestBtw quote from fckdrm.com

QuoteSupport digital preservation

By choosing the right sources, you know that the content you bought will remain with you – no matter when it was created or for what hardware.

Can someone can tell me why then GOG is on list?

As hard as i loking at my Neverwinter Night Diamond they still only have Win download, after linux version
got out some time age for silly excuse its still dont back
The point is that you can still play your local copy (as well as copy it to new devices) even if the game goes "out of print" or is otherwise no longer supported.
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