With the use of Heroic game launcher, I’m wondering if you all preferred to play your GOG version of games over the Steam version. I can go either way but sometimes I pause and think, having two copies of the same game, one on steam and one on GOG, which one would give me a better gaming experience. For example, I may choose the GOG version because I don’t have to deal with pre-shader work being downloaded every so often and support DRM free gaming, owning my games. Take the game files anywhere I go. I can just into my games. Yet, Steam achievements and seeing the game’s metadata is always life: seeing the game info, store page, community stuff about the game, and more all there. So what do you chose? GOG game or the Steam game.
“Having to deal with pre-shader work” that you mentioned is a good thing. Without it, games will stutter more. And you always have the option to skip it or disable it entirely.
But otherwise, it’s a classic delimma:
Yes, a lot of games work fine without precompiled shaders. Others, like Apex Legends or Rocket League, are a complete mess (at least for the first few minutes of gameplay - it used to be much worse but DXVK 2.0 helped a lot with this). You’ve probably just only tried the games that work fine.
Steam personally, I respect GOG offering DRM-free games, but steam does so much good for the Linux community that they’ve earned my loyalty.
Also Steam lets developers offer their games DRM free, most developers just want DRM if it’s an option. Here’s a list of DRM free games on Steam.
Don’t you still need to use the Steam client to install those games? I’ve never seen an option on the website to download the game files directly like GOG does.
Is game on Steam? Steam.
Is game not on Steam? Game does not exist.
Life is easy.
I own most of my games on GOG these days. I still lease my games on Steam on occasion, because I do love the ecosystem and that my spouse can play my games easily.
But now I’m thinking of the end game. One day after Gabe steps away from Valve and appoints his replacement, that replacement will also need to step away. Eventually, Steam will go public, and their vision will change.
For now though I’m not too worried about Steam, but it does make me reconsider where I buy my games from. Ever since Ubisoft had that server shutdown notice a few years ago that would have rendered some of my digital DLC for my physical disc of Splinter Cell Blacklist on Wii U unplayable, I’m now very cautious about ownership of all my media.
Same, I like the guarantee of when I buy something, I own it. Years down the line if something happens to some servers outside of my control, assuming I keep the content on a hard drive somewhere, I’ll still have it.
Gog doesn’t force gog galaxy on games that don’t need it and offers standalone installers.
