Just before 2026 began, CD Projekt, the studio behind The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077, quietly sold GOG, its beloved PC game store, to one of its original founders, Michał Kiciński. The deal, pegged at around 25 million dollars, marks a significant shift for a platform that’s long championed DRM-free games and classic titles, standing apart from the sprawling digital marketplaces we’re more familiar with.
Kiciński, who helped launch GOG back when it was just a passion project, is now steering the ship. In a recent conversation, he made it clear that GOG’s core identity won’t change; the focus on a curated library, zero DRM, and honoring gaming’s legacy will remain intact. But he also acknowledges something many in the industry already know—Steam’s sprawling, sometimes cluttered storefront has set a high bar for ease of use and convenience.
While GOG won’t try to mimic Steam’s overwhelming breadth, Kiciński sees value in learning from its rival’s approach to accessibility and user experience. It’s a delicate balancing act: maintaining GOG’s reputation as a haven for purists and nostalgia while evolving to meet the expectations of modern gamers who demand both simplicity and depth. With this transition, GOG looks poised to refine its identity rather than reinvent it, carving out space as a boutique platform in a landscape dominated by giants.
Source: rockpapershotgun.com
