Gog announced the launch of a private beta feature in the company’s Gog Galaxy software yesterday that integrates third-party store game purchases directly in the client.
Computer users have access to a large number of game stores, some more popular than others. There is not a single store that offers all games available to Windows users (or Mac / Linux), and users need to install different clients to play these games on their devices.
Steam may be the most popular platform, but there are at least a good dozen game stores available that offer unique games to users that are not available on Steam.
The Gog platform was designed differently from the get-go, and when the company launched its Gog Galaxy client, it was clear that the client was different to the majority of other game clients out there.
Apart from being completely optional, it supported interesting features such as rollbacks, digital downloads of handbooks and other items / files, and a completely DRM-free experience.
Gog introduced options to integrate other gaming clients in Gog Galaxy in 2019; users could integrate platforms such as Steam or the Epic Games Store in the Gog Galaxy client to manage games from these stores from within the client. While the integration lacked some features, it did support the launching of games from the Gog client. It is still necessary to have the other clients installed on the system to launch games though, as these programs are required to play games purchased on these stores.
Yesterday, Gog revealed another feature that improves the integration of third-party game stores: the ability to purchase games from integrated stores. Launched as a private beta, the feature is limited to the Epic Games Store and some titles offered on the store currently.
Gog notes that users may buy titles on these store that are exclusive to it, and while the selection of titles appears limited, Gog promises that purchases are covered by the company’s 30-days refund policy and around-the-clock human support.
In the new store, we will be welcoming games from both GOG.COM and beyond – including titles previously exclusive only to other gaming platforms. With the internal beta launching today, invited users will have the option to buy games from a selection of hand-picked Epic Games Store exclusive titles, alongside all GOG.COM games.
It is unclear at this point if Gog plans to integrate other stores in the future, or extend the purchases to more titles or even all titles from particular stores.
Closing Words
Gog revealed that direct purchases on integrated stores were one of the most requested features. While users can already buy these games in the respective stores and have the games integrated with the Gog Galaxy client, direct integration, and especially the 30-day refund policy, may convince some users to use the Gog Galaxy client for these purchases instead.
Gog did not mention if it entered a revenue share agreement with the Epic Store.
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