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GOG Launches Preservation Program for Timeless Classics | Retro Gaming News 24/7 (www.retronews.com)

submitted 12 hours ago by ktec to c/[email protected]

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Overview

GOG, the popular digital distributor of video games on PC, has announced their Preservation Programme, designed to safeguard and modernize over 100 iconic titles. This initiative aligns with GOG’s commitment to preserving gaming history.

Details

Titles Featured: Over 100 classic games including Heroes of Might & Magic III, Diablo + Hellfire, Fallout: New Vegas, and System Shock II will be included in the programme.
Modernization: The preserved titles have undergone updates, optimizations, and technical support to ensure smooth performance on modern systems such as Windows 10 and 11.
Access: Games are accessible DRM-free with additional features like downloadable content, manuals, and ongoing technical support.

Impact

The Preservation Programme is a significant step towards protecting these timeless classics for future generations. It aims to preserve games facing the risks of technological obsolescence while making them more accessible to contemporary gamers.

According to GOG’s managing director Maciej Golębiewski, the foundation of GOG lies in preserving classic games, and this program is an extension of that commitment.

Conclusion

GOG's Preservation Programme represents a vital effort to maintain gaming history by addressing the challenges posed by technological progress.

Do you think this move from GOG will inspire other companies to do more for game preservation?

https://k-tec.uk/

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 11 hours ago (3 children)

Its just a rebrand of what they already did with bringing back old games the publishers didnt support anymore and updating them for current platforms isnt it?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 hours ago

Yeah I'm not sure what they're actually doing here, GOG has always included fixes and patches for the games they distribute.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, I've been confused about this. They are basically branding the games they don't own but are supporting out of pocket, if I understand correctly.

So no, they don't own Resident Evil 1, 2 and 3, but they did the work to make them run on modern PCs, so they are now flagging them as part of their preservation program. I don't think it goes beyond that, but it's useful to have a flag for them, I suppose. It may make it easier to sell the idea to publishers or whatever.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

The GOG library has been building since 2008, when Vista was the current windows version.

Some titles that worked at some point over the last 16 years may have some developed issues on modern hardware, drivers, or operating systems.

This program is at least confirming it works on windows 10/11 and common 2024 hardware

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 hours ago

That's fair, I hadn't considered the scenario of a bunch of old GOG-supported games needing updates.

I mean, in my defense that's because a lot of the older catalogue is just running under DosBox, but there's definitely more finicky stuff in there as well.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 hours ago

From one side, it does seem like they're selling something old as new, but from the other, it seems they're retooling the adaptation process. And as people seem to slowly but surely pressure companies into going back to making quality products, perhaps it's GOG's way of saying they're in this bandwagon of quality shift too.