What's the difference? In practical terms, what does this mean for me as the consumer? We don't own the intellectual property, but may use the software as-is? From a practical, consumer standpoint that feels the same as the days of owning your software on a disc, unable to be taken as long as you have physical control over the device. I'm fine with calling this "owning" personally.

I'm absolutely willing to be wrong on this. I'm by no means an expert. Please, if I have missed something, let me know.

[–] Imhotep@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

Can you sell them? or trade, give, even lend them? My guess is you can't. And when I was a kid I did all those things.

It's not anedoctal IMO, but a change in paradigm. I'm not saying it's all bad. I buy games on GOG. But I don't own them really

A 2015 study in France showed 54% where more willing to buy a game when they knew they could sell them when done

[–] histic@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

There is no drm so zip the installer and everything to your friend and call it a day

[–] Imhotep@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

We were talking about legal offers. Are you legally the owner of your game.

Of course you can share, reproduce, pirate ... but that's not the point here.

[–] Ookami38@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

I can see the functional difference there, with regards to sell/trade/loan. You could of course emulate the functionality, or rely on the honor system for abandon ware stuff, but that's clunky, inefficient, not worth the energy.

I hadn't considered the second hand aspect. Even as a kid, I was always more a "build a library" kind of person versus a "cycle my catalog" kind of person. I was considering things from an availability to play the game perspective alone. Thanks for the different perspective!

[–] pancakes@sh.itjust.works 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I don't want to advocate for shoveling money into any company, but if you could sell your steam games it would screw over indie devs in a big way. Many games made by small studies or one person don't have as much content as AAA studies and would be far more prone to a small handful of copies being distributed back and forth on the used market instead of each being a sale that goes to the developer.

Some devs would see a drop in sales as much as 90% and I just don't think it's worth it to shoot the gaming industry in the foot like that.

[–] Imhotep@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Just to be clear: my main point was that you don't own any more the game bought on GOG than on Steam.

And there are definitely upsides to this type of market.
Although nowadays I wouldn't buy a just released triple A 70€ game knowing I can't sell or give it (not that I play those much anymore). The games I actually want to keep a few and far between.
I buy second hand Switch games for my nephews. It's cheap, I'm actually giving them something, and they can trade them with their friends or sell them to buy fortnite skins the little shits

Again, not hating on GOG, I've been a customer for a long time. Mainly because I don't want any kind of launcher. I play 99% solo games, don't need no updates or multiple clicks to launch a game.

[–] Ookami38@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I would ABSOLUTELY argue that you more own a game purchased on gog, with an offline installer, than one purchased on steam. I now see the functional difference between owning a drm-free installer vs owning a physical game, but there's also a gulf of difference between steam and gog

Just to be entirely fair. The rest of what you said is absolutely spot on.

[–] Imhotep@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

I agree, you are "more owner" with a GOG game.

[–] HKayn@dormi.zone 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

There really is no difference. For almost all intents and purposes, GOG's offline installers can be treated the same way as physical CDs of way back then, with one of the only exceptions being that you cannot resell them.

[–] Ookami38@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 month ago

Depending on your perspective, the sell/trade/loan aspect of physical can be a huge deal. I outlined in another comment, selling/trading games was never my thing, but it was my cousins. From my perspective, there's marginal difference, but there IS a difference.