GOG Preservation Program Nov 13th 2024 Launch: GPP-Stamped Games Maintained by GOG for Compatibility & QoL Improvements

slipkord on 14/11/2024 - 09:27
Last edited 25/11/2024 - 10:39
Welcome to the GOG Preservation Program – Making Games Live Forever!

For the occasion of GOG's 16th anniversary, get ready for one-of-a-kind news: we are proud to announce the launch of GOG Preservation Program, an official stamp on classic games improved by GOG!

So, what’s this all about?

If a game is part of the Preservation Program, it means that we commit our own resources to maintaining its compatibility with modern and future systems. It also means that the GOG version of this game is the best anywhere. For a game to join the GOG Preservation Program, we run it through extensive quality testing and often apply custom improvements to ensure compatibility and quality-of-life improvements.

We are launching the Program with over 100 games. Over the next few months, we will continue to add more!

What can you expect from games in the GOG Preservation Program?

  1. Expect it to work on current and future popular PC configurations,
  2. Be sure that this version is the best and most complete available anywhere, including compatibility, manuals, and other bonus content, but also DLCs and even features that are missing in other editions,
  3. Access GOG's Tech Support if you encounter technical issues with running the game,
  4. As with all titles in our catalog, always keep access to their offline installers, granting you the power to safeguard them how you want.

GOG Preservation Program - Make Games Live Forever

Explore the GOG Label catalog today and join the mission to make games live forever. By buying games from the Program and talking about it to your friends and family, you are preserving these iconic experiences and ensuring that our shared legacy endures.

Together, we can keep these games alive!

If you’re a game developer or publisher and would like your game to join the Program, please reach out either through your assigned business developer or at [email protected].

Related News/Blog Articles:
GOG Forum Discussion thread > pinned post from GOG spokesperson

Hey all! As promised, I'm coming back to you with answers to some of the questions and concerns that many of you here posted. I might be also updating it if more explanation is needed:

Wasn't this pretty much what you were always doing?

While GOG has always been committed to video game preservation, our approach has evolved over the past 16 years. We’ve experimented with different strategies and projects—sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. So while yes, we were always doing it, we also acknowledge that, despite our efforts, we could have done a much better job maintaining the games released on GOG in the past. This is something we’re committed to improving.

Going forward, we plan to demonstrate this commitment through actions, not just words. We’re fully dedicated to making it right.

Our goal is clear: to champion DRM-free gaming as a means of preserving, sharing, and celebrating gaming history. For us, and gamers everywhere, we believe this is the path that truly matters.

But many classic games are still not updated and don't run that well at all?

Yes, and as time goes on, we’ll continue expanding the GOG Preservation Program and change that. Those initial 100 games are just the beginning. Every day, we’re working through our extensive internal list—fixing, improving, and making titles playable once more. More games will be added to the Program over time, and our ultimate hope is that one day, this question will be completely outdated - in opposite to the games in the Program :)

Some games' changelogs aren't necessarily very impressive

Some games required more work than others to be up to our quality standards. In the Program, we also included games that didn't necessarily run badly, but we're still ready to take responsibility for, and that we believe might need maintenance in the near future. A big part of the program is that we are re-checking all those games. And we will do it for all of them periodically moving forward on modern PCs. If we ever find something, we will fix it. It's a huge commitment from us, so we need to make sure that we can take this responsibility. It's not just "launching the game once" - even if the changelogs don't seem impressive, a lot was actually done. And we're proud of our work, but we understand that on the outside it might not seem like enough. Please give us time to convince you otherwise with our actions and not just words. There is more to come, soon.

I'm uncertain about the updates - what about my mods?

One of the first things we check when releasing a new classic game or applying updates is compatibility with the most popular mods. We often work closely with modding communities to make this happen. For example, our versions of Skyrim and Fallout 4 are compatible with the Script Extender from day one.

Also, there’s a rollback feature available in Galaxy, though we don’t maintain rollbacks for offline installers. Technically, though, these are the same builds after installation—the only difference is the installation process. Plus, you can run games installed via Galaxy without needing Galaxy at all.

Why not include a download option to get the original, unmodified files? Some patches delete certain files or break compatibility on older operating systems.

We hear it more and more from you and, frankly, it sounds like a super interesting idea. In all honesty, we haven't thought about this from this perspective. Let us investigate this internally and get back to you.

Why not just include every DOS / ScummVM compatible game in the Program?

Every DOSBox game on GOG comes with a custom configuration designed specifically for that game. In some cases, however, these configurations may need to be updated to ensure optimal performance on current hardware. There are also other potential issues that need addressing, a good example of that can be found in our changelogs for Dungeon Keeper Gold.

What about games in French, German, and other languages?

We’ve added quite a few additional localizations to the games in the Program, and we’ll continue to add more whenever possible. While adding localized versions can require additional licensing agreements with publishers, we’re prepared to tackle these challenges with your support in prioritizing what matters most.

"You can't talk about video game preservation while delisting games"

Games being delisted is beyond our control. However, remember that you always keep access to offline installers, and they can never be taken away from you. This is preservation. You preserve those games, your games and your gaming legacy, and can access them whenever you want and enjoy them in a great state.

Are old games that are not part of the program worse and under the threat of getting outdated and unplayable in due time?

Not really. For a game to qualify for the GOG Preservation Program, our team must run it through many quality tests. If these tests fail, our team updates and improves the game until it matches our quality standards. Only then, we stamp the game with our Preservation Program and grant it Good Old Game status. There is a long backlog of classic games available on GOG that may already qualify for the program, but our team has not been able to confirm that yet. We aim to support as many games as possible, but it's not always entirely up to us.

Will you deliver on the promise of the Program?

We'll do our absolutely best to grow and maintain the Program. We won't fail you.

Also, please remember there is a FAQ section at the bottom here: https://www.gog.com/gog-preservation-program
Some additional answers can be found there.

Besides that, we're super happy to see a lot of you being optimistic about this initiative. And thank you for all the feedback, harsh or not - we gather and analyze it all. We already see some things we can improve that we didn't think about. All thanks to you!

Gaming

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Comments

  • AngusD on 14/11/2024 - 10:23
    +2

    Great initiative. Although I assume it's just limited to PC games? Ie not going back to old systems like C64, Spectrum, ZX80/81, older consoles etc?

    Still, it's a good start. Hopefully with time and resources it can be broadened.

  • freefall101 on 14/11/2024 - 10:25
    +3

    Is this just rebranding what they already do? They're literally Good Old Games, they take old games and make them work.

    Diablo is one of the games in this new "program". They slapped something in the changelog today that they verified it still works, prior to that they hadn't updated it in over 5 years years.

    It might just be a reverification program though. That had over 1400 games in their old good old games list, now it's down to 100. So presumably they had a degradation issue.

    • FezMonkey on 14/11/2024 - 14:33

      It looks like this preservation program means they will continue to keep the stamped games up to date as systems change over time.
      I suppose the rest were one and done, and may end up unplayable again until they're redone.

      • freefall101 on 14/11/2024 - 15:50
        +2

        There's an arstechnica article out about this today, apparently a lot of games are just packaged up with dosbox to emulate them and sold. GOG never got the rights to make changes to the core game itself on those, so those will never get on the list.

        It will be interesting to see how it goes in a few years. Right now their games mostly targeted Windows 10, that they still work on Windows 11 isn't surprising.

        But GOG still uses Dosbox for emulation in a lot of games, which itself is still a 32 bit app (it hasn't been updated since 2019), so Windows runs that in a 64 bit emulated mode. Add to that if you run it on Windows 11 on ARM, you've got another level of emulation going on.

        At the moment that just means it's stupidly inefficient, but new chips are so much faster than 20 years ago it doesn't matter. But if one of those layers breaks at some point, GOG could be doing a lot of dev work just to keep these games running.

  • daydream on 14/11/2024 - 15:29
    +1

    Great to see an organisation take an major interest in preserving them when the publishers often don't care and often lose the assets forever (but are all too quick to penalise others when they do).
    Sad that some of the Silicon Valley rich and famous haven't gotten behind the preservation of older hardware and software too. Paul Allen's Computing Museum was the only one that I can think of and even then his estate closed it down when he passed away.

  • slipkord on 16/01/2025 - 16:04

    GOG Video Game Preservation Recap 2024

    2024 was a milestone for Video Game Preservation.

    With a plethora of amazing projects accomplished by us and our outstanding partners, we continue the fight to ensure your gaming legacy is safeguarded and will live forever.

    Why? Because video games made us who we are today. They shaped our personal lives and had a lasting impact on the world we live in. Preserving them and their stories is of the utmost importance.

    Please enjoy the recap of all the efforts made in 2024, created in collaboration with our partners—and, of course, with your support.

    It features presentations by Jason Scott of the Internet Archive, Stop Killing Games, The Strong National Museum of Play, Mike Arkin from Argonaut Games, Nightdive Studios, and more!

    Video Game Preservation Recap | 2024

    Every effort counts, and we know that together, this is just the beginning!

    Thank you for being a part of this journey.

    GOG Joins European Federation of Game Archives, Museums and Preservation Projects (EFGAMP), Expanding its Game Preservation Efforts

    January 14, 2025 — GOG, a leading European platform for digital game distribution, joins the European Federation of Game Archives, Museums, and Preservation Projects (EFGAMP), the largest organization in Europe dedicated to preserving video games as cultural heritage.

    Founded in 2012, EFGAMP represents more than 20 heritage institutions and other organizations, ranging from grassroots initiatives to national libraries, that collect and preserve digital games. Its members include renowned members such as VIGAMUS — The Video Game Museum in Rome, MO5.COM in France, Computerspielemuseum in Berlin, The Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision, and Embracer Games Archive. GOG is the first Polish institution to join, marking a significant step in bridging the private sector with cultural organizations across Europe.

    “GOG was created with video game preservation in mind”, said Maciej Gołębiewski, Managing Director at GOG. “Classic games and the mission to safeguard them for future generations have always been at the core of our work. Over the past decade, we’ve honed our expertise in this area. The GOG Preservation Program, which ensures compatibility for over 100 games and delivers hundreds of enhancements, is just one example of this commitment. We were thrilled to see the Program warmly received not only by our players but also by our partners and the gaming industry as a whole”.

    The GOG Preservation Program launched in 2024 to ensure that over 100 classic titles remain accessible and playable. Games included in the Program have received 566 enhancements so far and earned an average user rating of 4.2/5. These efforts allow players to rediscover iconic games while ensuring their compatibility with modern systems. The program’s launch received overwhelmingly positive feedback from players, partners, and media, further validating GOG’s mission.

    Video game preservation is a pressing topic not only in the video game industry but also in mainstream culture as concerns about the disappearance of digital media grow. PC Gamer’s Rich Stanton noted, "2024 was the year gamers really started pushing back on the erosion of game ownership". Similarly, Game Developer highlighted video game preservation as a key trend in its article, "2024 Wrap-Up: The Top Trends That Defined 2024".

    Gołębiewski further explained that GOG’s role in preservation extends beyond its platform. He highlighted, “As a European company, we feel a responsibility to lead in preserving gaming heritage. Joining EFGAMP reinforces this commitment. Our next step is to expand institutional collaboration with museums and governmental and non-governmental organizations worldwide. We hope our experience will contribute meaningfully to their efforts. We are also discussing exciting new game preservation projects, which we look forward to sharing soon”.

    “GOG brings a unique perspective to EFGAMP as a European leader in digital game distribution”, said Andreas Lange, COO of EFGAMP. “Their experience in making classic games accessible to modern audiences complements the work of our existing members by bringing further digital expertise to our collective efforts. As GOG distributes classic games worldwide, GOG is a fantastic addition to EFGAMP, whose members are primarily rooted in the cultural heritage sector”.

    By joining EFGAMP, GOG reinforces its position as one of the global champions in game preservation and a passionate advocate for this critical cause. It remains dedicated to protecting gaming’s cultural legacy and ensuring players worldwide can continue enjoying the titles that shaped the medium.

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