GOG.com Supports Windows 8

[Fanghawk]

GOG.com Supports Windows 8

Almost 90% of GOG.com's catalog is compatible with Microsoft's latest operating system.

Windows 8 didn't really get a lot of support from the game developer community prior to launch. The operating system was panned <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118846-Notch-Windows-8-Could-Be-Very-Very-Bad-for-Indies>by everyone from Gabe Newell to Notch, thanks to <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/120526-Serious-Sam-Studio-Exec-Joins-Anti-Windows-8-Chorus>a closed certification system predicted to create significant hurdles for game creators everywhere. Apparently nobody passed this information on to the people behind GOG.com, who immediately started retesting its back catalog as soon as Windows 8 hit the market. The classic gaming service has not only announced that it will officially support Windows 8, but that 431 of its 486 games are already compatible with the new operating system.

According to an announcement posted on GOG.com, the majority of the master builds didn't even require a great deal of tweaking to implement Windows 8 support. "Note that most of these have not had the master builds updated, so you shouldn't need to redownload the installer or anything," the announcement reads. "We'll also be adding more Windows 8 games as time goes by and we've got time to apply some fixes to more of the classic games in the catalog."

Baldur's Gate, Fallout, and even most of the Zork games have made the transition, compared to roughly 70 games currently available on iOS. In fact, GOG.com notes that it would be faster to list the games that don't support Windows 8 than to list compatible titles. Supported GOG.com titles still operate outside of Microsoft's certification process, which means players won't have access to certain Windows features. That said, I expect gamers who upgraded to Windows 8 will just be happy some favorite titles can follow them to the new operating system.

Source: <a href=http://www.gog.com/news/announcement_gogcom_now_supports_windows_8_officially>GOG.com, via <a href=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-26-gog-adds-windows-8-support-90-per-cent-of-titles-compatible>Eurogamer

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[juyunseen]

The important question is, can I play DOOM on Windows 8?

 

[Evil Smurf]

Good on GOG for being brave and supporting a troubled system.

 

[lacktheknack]

HOLY CRAP, THEY HAVE THE ATLANTIS GAMES ON THERE?!

Man, learn something new with every compatibility list.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Of course they do, they're the sensible ones.

Notch is good at complex systems masked by crappy graphics,

Gabe is good at digital downloads and a gaming social network,

Neither of them are good at OS-judging.

 

[Strazdas]

Of course they do, they're the sensible ones.

Notch is good at complex systems masked by crappy graphics,

Gabe is good at digital downloads and a gaming social network,

Neither of them are good at OS-judging.

and yet id rake complex systems over bad OS support any day.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Of course they do, they're the sensible ones.

Notch is good at complex systems masked by crappy graphics,

Gabe is good at digital downloads and a gaming social network,

Neither of them are good at OS-judging.

and yet id rake complex systems over bad OS support any day.

Which games does Windows 8 not support that you're hankering over?

 

[Scars Unseen]

Well naturally they would support Win8. Their whole business model revolves around making old games work on modern PCs. It would be stupid of them to reintroduce the problem that their service solves. This really has nothing to do with the anti-Win8 stance other developers/distributors have taken.

 

[oldtaku]

There's a bit of a disconnect here (and Microsoft is purposely confusing this).

Real 'Windows 8' on x86 CPUs is almost completely Win7 compatible, and almost every single game you can play in Win7 will work in Win8 - including all your Steam games, etc. I am running real Windows 8 (64-bit) on my gaming machine and haven't found one that won't. There's really nothing GoG has to do here except, as you say, retest them and set some of them into XP compat mode like you would under Win7. Any of your existing disks/installers that would work on Win7 can be installed and run normally as well.

The other 'Windows 8' is WinRT - that's 'Windows' on ARM chips, with a lot of functionality missing. It won't run any of your existing apps or games. And it's like iOS - the ONLY way to get software on it for a normal user is through MS's App store, with the same punishing limitations as on XBLA. You can't just download and play some cool indie game - it'll be buried deep in the s#4%swamp like in XBLIG or it won't be there at all. You want to offer some new free content for your game? Nooo, that needs to cost something. And then there is the very strong suspicion that next they'll take this and apply it to desktop Windows.

That is what the devs are complaining about. The WinRT flavor of Windows 8.

The next problem is that Microsoft purposely obfuscates the difference between ARM Win8 (WinRT) and x86 Win8 to distract from how much doesn't work under ARM Win8 - because they want to sell Surface tablets. Talk to their salespeople and they won't tell you any of this @#$%, just that WinRT is 'real Windows!' which tells you nothing. MS will glibly refer to both as 'Windows 8' where possible and only specifically refer to WinRT when you press them on it or they need to legally disclaim some limitation.

The good news is that WinRT and WinRT devices seem to be selling poorly. We can only hope that keeps up.

 

[Albino Boo]

There's a bit of a disconnect here (and Microsoft is purposely confusing this).

Windows 8 (normal) on x86 CPUs is almost completely Win7 compatible, and almost every single game you can play in Win7 will work in Win8 - including all your Steam games, etc. I haven't found one that won't. There's really nothing GoG has to do here except, as you say, retest them and set some of them into XP compat mode like you would under Win7. Any of your existing disks/installers that would work on Win7 can be installed and run normally as well.

The other Windows 8 is Windows RT - that's 'Windows' on ARM chips, with a lot of functionality missing. It won't run your existing Windows apps or games. And it will *only* run programs you buy and install through the Windows 8 store. It's like iOS - there is no way to just install your own programs like some neat indie freeware unless you buy it through the store, have a dev setup, or root it (not sure if this has been done yet).

Microsoft purposely obfusticates the difference between ARM Win8 (WinRT) and x86 Win8 to distract from how much doesn't work under ARM Win8. Talk to their salespeople and they won't tell you any of this @#$%. I'm not an MS hater - I'm running Win8 on desktop, and it's great if you just disable Metro! But they are being extremely deceptive here to try to move the cheap Surfaces.

What the devs are complaining about is WinRT - where you *have* to sell your stuff through MS, with the same punishing rules and rates as on XBLA. You can't just download and play some cool indie game - it'll be buried deep in the s#4%swamp like in XBLIG or it won't be there at all. And then there is the very strong suspicion that next they'll take this and apply it to desktop Windows. They always envy Apple and want to be more Apple than Apple.

The good news is that WinRT and WinRT devices seem to be selling poorly. We can only hope that keeps up.

Nocth and Gabe are also deliberately confusing WinRT and Winx86. Notch is quite happy to pay for certification on IOS and android(google play) but not for WinRT, no double standards there then. Could it be that Notch is trying to force Microsoft to wave the fees for the WinRT version of minecraft like they did for XBLA. Gabe doesn't run the biggest gaming download site which also requires certification, are you surprised that he denounces a rival product?

 

[oldtaku]

Nocth and Gabe are also deliberately confusing WinRT and Winx86.

That's MS's doing. They created and encourage the confusion. Windows 8 = Metro App Store. And oh yeah *mumble* you can still use your old stuff on Intel version if you must.

Could it be that Notch is trying to force Microsoft to wave the fees for the WinRT version of minecraft like they did for XBLA. Gabe doesn't run the biggest gaming download site which also requires certification, are you surprised that he denounces a rival product?

There is obviously vested interest there, so yes, that's something to consider. But both Gabe and Notch have been very generous with the community - they can afford to be, of course. But they both genuinely seem to want to do good things for PC gamers and it's silly to paint them as simple rapacious profiteers. They know if they give you stuff for free you'll throw money at them and they do good at the same time. Win win.

The real concern is that this will come back to the desktop PC. In the Win8 Metro world, there is no room at all for all the things you get for free or extremely cheap on Steam, Good Old Games, Amazon Gold Deals, Humble Bundle, someone's website, abandonware sites, or even Minecraft's entire development model.

I don't think anyone at all cares if this stays confined to WinRT devices.

 

[Oskuro]

What is being criticized about Windows 8 is not its current form or capabilities, but that it is a "foot in the door" technique by Microsoft, in an attempt to make PCs into an iOS-like closed market.

This won't happen overnight, but it's clearly the path they are taking, and sites like GOG will suffer greatly once the certification process for the MS Store is no longer optional.


But hey, rather than read the many articles posted on the subject, it's easier to just assume that nay-sayers are just knee-jerking away for profit... Even when this time we have the unprecedented situation of influential independent developers/publishers taking a stand, something rarely (if ever) seen in the latest years of corporate-dominated industry.

 

[ASnogarD]

The biggest concern is that Win8 will introduce users to the idea of a Apple like store in Windows, and the next version will force developers to use the Apple like store to get thier software to Win OS users.
Win8 itself isnt really an issue, its the idea that it gets users used to having a windows 'store' so when the store becomes the only way to bring software to the OS the users are already used to using it, and its only the 'greedy' developers that are arguing about it.

I am a little concerned as well, at the moment I can fiddle with C++ and SDL and if I want to 'launch' a game I make I can simply offer the download link and players can try my game, no hassle... with a certification system a developer would have to jump through various hoops set up by MS , possibly pay fees or lose IP ownership of software, and then have your application tossed into a system where it gets lost in a heap of other titles immediately unless you pay for some 'placement advantages'.

The real fear is MS wants to kill hardcore PC gaming as its a competitor for its own consoles, turn its PC OS advantages into making the PC a Apple like store system for its PC OS and new tablet so it can gain royalties on each title on the PC/Tablet (including charging for patches).

MS wants to gain Apple like control over the PC, and many see Win8 and its Metro store system as the beginning to reach that goal.

 

[Albino Boo]

Nocth and Gabe are also deliberately confusing WinRT and Winx86.

That's MS's doing. They created and encourage the confusion. Windows 8 = Metro App Store. And oh yeah *mumble* you can still use your old stuff on Intel version if you must.

Could it be that Notch is trying to force Microsoft to wave the fees for the WinRT version of minecraft like they did for XBLA. Gabe doesn't run the biggest gaming download site which also requires certification, are you surprised that he denounces a rival product?

There is obviously vested interest there, so yes, that's something to consider. But both Gabe and Notch have been very generous with the community - they can afford to be, of course. But they both genuinely seem to want to do good things for PC gamers and it's silly to paint them as simple rapacious profiteers. They know if they give you stuff for free you'll throw money at them and they do good at the same time. Win win.

The real concern is that this will come back to the desktop PC. In the Win8 Metro world, there is no room at all for all the things you get for free or extremely cheap on Steam, Good Old Games, Amazon Gold Deals, Humble Bundle, someone's website, abandonware sites, or even Minecraft's entire development model.

I don't think anyone at all cares if this stays confined to WinRT devices.

Steam STILL WORKS and Notchs model STILL WORKS. You said it yourself that all installers work on Winx86, there is no change on the PC platform apart from a new UI and thats it. These guys are shooting their mouths for their advantage and only for their advantage. There is 0 change on the pc platform apart from a new shop that you don't have to use. Gabe isn't a billionaire for no reason. EA and Activision make about 4% gross profit about the same at Valve. Have thought about the free to play model steam are using for TF2, the players pay for the servers and they pay for hats etc. Whereas most free to play games the company pays for the servers. So TF2 has greater profit margin than normal free to play games. Ever heard of wolf in sheeps clothing, look at what they do and not what they say. Go into every walmart you will see plenty of loss leaders and 2 for 1 offers to get people in, sound familiar at all?

 

[hatseflats]

Of course they do, they're the sensible ones.

Notch is good at complex systems masked by crappy graphics,

Gabe is good at digital downloads and a gaming social network,

Neither of them are good at OS-judging.

Gabe worked at Microsoft for 13 years... And he has shown to have a lot more vision than Steve Ballmer.

It's a shame GOG supports Win 8, it's better for everyone involved to ignore that OS.

 

[Megacherv]

There's a bit of a disconnect here (and Microsoft is purposely confusing this).

Real 'Windows 8' on x86 CPUs is almost completely Win7 compatible, and almost every single game you can play in Win7 will work in Win8 - including all your Steam games, etc. I am running real Windows 8 (64-bit) on my gaming machine and haven't found one that won't. There's really nothing GoG has to do here except, as you say, retest them and set some of them into XP compat mode like you would under Win7. Any of your existing disks/installers that would work on Win7 can be installed and run normally as well.

The other 'Windows 8' is WinRT - that's 'Windows' on ARM chips, with a lot of functionality missing. It won't run any of your existing apps or games. And it's like iOS - the ONLY way to get software on it for a normal user is through MS's App store, with the same punishing limitations as on XBLA. You can't just download and play some cool indie game - it'll be buried deep in the s#4%swamp like in XBLIG or it won't be there at all. You want to offer some new free content for your game? Nooo, that needs to cost something. And then there is the very strong suspicion that next they'll take this and apply it to desktop Windows.

That is what the devs are complaining about. The WinRT flavor of Windows 8.

The next problem is that Microsoft purposely obfuscates the difference between ARM Win8 (WinRT) and x86 Win8 to distract from how much doesn't work under ARM Win8 - because they want to sell Surface tablets. Talk to their salespeople and they won't tell you any of this @#$%, just that WinRT is 'real Windows!' which tells you nothing. MS will glibly refer to both as 'Windows 8' where possible and only specifically refer to WinRT when you press them on it or they need to legally disclaim some limitation.

The good news is that WinRT and WinRT devices seem to be selling poorly. We can only hope that keeps up.

Thanks for this, saves me writing a poem again (which I did and am totally proud of)

 

[EternalFacepalm]

Steam STILL WORKS and Notchs model STILL WORKS. You said it yourself that all installers work on Winx86, there is no change on the PC platform apart from a new UI and thats it. These guys are shooting their mouths for their advantage and only for their advantage. There is 0 change on the pc platform apart from a new shop that you don't have to use. Gabe isn't a billionaire for no reason. EA and Activision make about 4% gross profit about the same at Valve. Have thought about the free to play model steam are using for TF2, the players pay for the servers and they pay for hats etc. Whereas most free to play games the company pays for the servers. So TF2 has greater profit margin than normal free to play games. Ever heard of wolf in sheeps clothing, look at what they do and not what they say. Go into every walmart you will see plenty of loss leaders and 2 for 1 offers to get people in, sound familiar at all?

And you're STILL NOT listening to what he's actually saying. Yes, he did say it himself; all installers work! But it's obvious that the path they're taking is the problem: even if the shop is optional, people will be growing accustomed to it. When they do, Microsoft can easily close the system down bit by bit. This is a bad thing.

 

[rodneyy]

What is being criticized about Windows 8 is not its current form or capabilities, but that it is a "foot in the door" technique by Microsoft, in an attempt to make PCs into an iOS-like closed market.

The biggest concern is that Win8 will introduce users to the idea of a Apple like store in Windows, and the next version will force developers to use the Apple like store to get thier software to Win OS users.
Win8 itself isnt really an issue, its the idea that it gets users used to having a windows 'store' so when the store becomes the only way to bring software to the OS the users are already used to using it, and its only the 'greedy' developers that are arguing about it.

this is the objection that most people have, its the first step on a path, once you are walking it the next step and the one after that become easier and easier untill you have sleptwalked into something you hate.

what i wonder is would a totally closed system like people fear be legal in an anti monopoly sence?
i think it was here i was reading an article saying that microsoft were being fined by the EU over not implementing an option to have a selection of web browsers installed with new systems. letting you choose one from a list. lets face it having to go throught IE to download firefox or chrome seems small compared to having to get everything through a single shop yet it was still thought important enough to set up and act when it was not carried out.

 

[Griffolion]

Gotta love all the FUD surrounding Windows 8. The certification was only if you wanted your product to be in the Microsoft Store. If you don't, then that's fine. The simple fact is that Steam, Origin, whatever else runs just as fine on 8 than it ever has on 7, Vista, or whatever.

Sure Microsoft's system is closing down the platform a little bit, but you can't blame them for wanting to provide the "average" consumer with a centralised place where they can get software from. If the "foot in the door" technique turns out to be true and 9 then forces the hand of every developer onto the Store, then I'll get up in arms. But, unlike many people on the internet about this, I'm not picking up my pitch fork until it's actually happened.

It's a shame GOG supports Win 8, it's better for everyone involved to ignore that OS.

Erm, no, it really isn't better. Because what about all the consumers that will be purchasing new laptops or machines with Windows 8 pre-loaded. They don't know how to revert back, and thus are "stuck" with 8. What if they have a small Steam library of a few titles they like to break out now and again, what if they have a few titles off GOG that they play for a bit of nostalgia?

Your statement would exclude those users purely off an OS they got with their machine, something their lack of expertise makes them have to stick with. Sure, they could get a professional, or someone in their family that knows a little more than they do to revert to 7. But how many people actually want the hassle of that, they just want it to work.

So, in actuality, the fact that GOG supports Windows 8 is the opposite of a shame, it's the most inclusive move GOG could have done with Windows 8 and it's inevitable new users. You may not like what MS has done with Windows 8 and have your own vendetta against it (though the vast majority of sensible people I have spoken to about it that have actually tried it for more than 5 minutes have had almost all reservations put to rest about it), but please don't let your "ignoring the OS" be taken out on the user who just wants stuff to work on their new OS.