Digital games library and launcher
GOG Galaxy lets you download and organize games directly from the GOG website. GOG Galaxy is also DRM-free and includes gamification and social aspects, such as achievements and a friends list. Keep all your titles in one handy place and regularly updated, for free.
Moving with the times
When GOG started, it specialized in older games (the name stands for Good Old Games). It was possible to find some older titles on abandonware sites, but this wasn’t always a legal option. Everything on GOG was, and is, legal.
However, with the advent of combined storefront/games library/launcher sites such as Steam, EA’s Origin, and the more recent Epic Store, GOG had to compete by offering new titles and its own launcher, Galaxy.
DRM-free
GOG Galaxy is free to download for Windows and Mac. On the surface, it appears to offer much the same features as its rivals, but with one crucial difference. Games bought and downloaded from GOG are DRM (digital rights management) free.
What this means for you as a consumer is that you don’t need an online launcher to run the game once you’ve bought it like you have to do with Steam. However, GOG Galaxy is still worth using because of everything else it offers.
Cross-platform social network
Once downloaded and installed, GOG Galaxy can scan your entire computer for games bought from the site. It can also show information for console titles. For example, if you have an Xbox account with game achievements, Galaxy can show those achievements.
You can also add gaming friends to a list, chat with them, and view their game time and achievements, even if they don’t have Galaxy installed themselves.
A next-level games library
GOG Galaxy is easy to use and, best of all, optional. It’s entirely possible to install and run games without it. However, you’d also have to update titles yourself, plus lose out on achievements and the social aspect. Galaxy is definitely worth using for these features.
