this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2026
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Linux Gaming
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It's against their interest to offer this as they have everything to gain by making you install their proprietary application and capturing you inside their ecosystem where they don't have to compete fairly. Would Steam be in the position it's in if you didn't have to install it to download your games?
Honestly yes it likely would. GameSpy sucked.
Steam hate it or love it from its early days still was basically the best and most stable and reliable option for the endless number of services that gamers needed out side of downloading and buying games.
Seriously steam could have no store front at all and it would still have been a majorly successful application and service for the entirety of its early life.
GOG sells only DRM-free games and has usually taken a pro-open source stance (I don't have a source for this sorry)
And... I don't give a fuck about a corporation's best interests (at least, not one I don't own significant stock in).
But also: Epic have the financial backing of god, hollywood, and fortnite behind them. Valve make more revenue off their cut of everyone else's games than many small nations have in annual GDP.
GoG is a recently spun off loss leader for a large regional publisher. And you don't add these kinds of capabilities without a LOT of corporate investment... or management who decides "AI Can Do It"