GOG.com to Offer Newer Games Beginning in 2012

It used to be that there were only a few digital game stores to choose from, but today, that’s obviously not the case. In fact, there are so many of these services out there today, that it’s difficult for any one of them to separate themselves from the rest. Of them all, though, GOG.com has done a great job at distancing itself as much as possible by doing two things: offering classic games, and offering them in a DRM-free way.

While the company remains committed to its DRM-free rule, offering only classic games is something that’s soon to change. In a news release issued today, the company talked about its plans across 2012 and 2013, which primarily involve introducing newer games to the GOG store – “new” not necessarily being brand-new, but rather one less than three-years-old.

This is a rather bold plan by the company, as it has essentially established itself over the past few years as being the go-to place for classic games. While that’s not set to change, it’s going to be interesting to see if the company’s large fanbase will mold to its new plans as well as it hopes. GOG always felt like a sanctuary for old games, but if the site becomes littered with newer ones, it might feel little different than Steam.

Of course, the DRM-free feature of each game cannot be ignored, and the fact that GOG will inevitably be offering many games also available on other services in a DRM-free format will still set itself apart from the rest. There’s just no comparison to having a game locked into a game client and having one that’s simply an installer. If Steam or a similar service goes down, you’re without your games. On the other hand, GOG could cease to exist tomorrow, but if you have your installers, you’re safe.

With this move, “Good Old Games” is going to become an inappropriate name, so it will be interesting to see if the company will change it or simply stick to “GOG” and remove all traces of its origin on its site. Either way, while changes like these will change the initial focus of GOG, I’ll still remain a fan. If the games are priced-right and have no DRM… it’s hard to go wrong.