Ask Lemmy

Technically no, it still grants you a license like any other store. In practice it's a bit closer to ownership than what you get with other stores, as GOG does not have the ability to take your games away once you have downloaded them and you can do whatever you want with the files. But you're not legally allowed to sell your copy for example.

What it grants you is the ability to download and install the game as you see fit with no DRM software getting in the way. You don't even have to use their launcher if you don't want.

They allow you to make as many offline backup copies of the games' installers as you want and you don't need to use any of their services after purchase (except downloading from their site), it's as close as it gets to "digital ownership"

It gives you the ability to download an installer you can use as needed. I don't know if that technically counts as ownership but it's better in that sense than say, steam is, which requires you to download/install through their client.

No it doesn't. It's just a digital use license like in any other store. Here's the relevant part from their User agreemet

We give you and other GOG users the personal right (known legally as a 'license') to use GOG services and to download, access and/or stream (depending on the content) and use GOG content

That is legally the same as any other store out there.

So why does GoG make a big fuss about that? Well, it's mostly a PR stunt, but there is some truth to it. Games sold on GoG are, majorly, DRM-free (although not 100% of them, but close to it), this means that you can backup your game installer and install it and play it in the distant future even if GoG is no more. The reason why this is mostly a PR stunt is that you can do the same with most games from other stores as well, except you backup the game folder instead of the installer, because (and this is the part I think people always miss) if a game is on Gog and any other store it's almost assuredly DRM free in ALL stores.

Don't get me wrong, GoG is great and their policy on DRM is something that I think other companies should really imitate. But it's not the be all and end all that some people make it out to be, and to me personally when I have to decide where to invest my money my choices are between a company that has a relatively decent DRM policy but doesn't care for me as a customer, and a company that has literally spent millions making my gaming experience as a Linux user better, it's a no contest. If I was on Windows I might consider buying more stuff from GoG because of their DRM policy, but being able to easily play games on Linux is more important for me than DRM.

It provides identical amounts of ownership to pirating it. Legally it's a license same as Steam.

I have all of mine backed up on a hard drive. They have nothing preventing me from using them on the last working computer at the end of the world

That really depends in what you think 'ownership' is. You can download offline installers and patches. But you can not use the assets of the game to create and sell a new game. You also cannot just create and sell other games heavily based on those games. Or use the music freely in YouTube videos with enabled commercials, and so on.

You don't fully own it.

What people need to get used to, is that you own copies of what you buy. You're not entitled to own the source codes, unless the developer distributes that freely on their own like ID Software did for Doom (technically the Linux version).

So, what GOG is probably saying is, you're entitled to the ownership of the copy by buying the copy. It is not restrained by DRM as it would if a game was on Steam or Epic Library (but there can be workarounds, you look that up yourself). You're allowed to have the copy work offline, download its separate installer to archive for your personal use.

Now, what you aren't allowed still, is to distribute the copy to other people.

Yes. You can download the installers and patches. Put them on a hard-drive, shut down your computer, put the hard drive into another computer and install the game without ever connecting to the internet if you have wine on your system.

It's yours.

I just shared all my GOG games with my family and they could install the games without a hitch. They could import it to Steam and Heroic and play it from there. Can't do that with Steam.

Functionally, yes. Legally, no.

to all the people bitching about steam. this post doesn't even mention steam. this post is about GOG. you're literally in the wrong thread.

also, if you don't like it, pirate it.

thank you for your attention to this manner.

Can you transfer your games legally to another person?

There is your answer.