GOG’s New Owner Acknowledges Steam’s Advantage — But Has No Plans to Compete Directly

Michal Kiciński, co-founder of CD Projekt and GOG, who bought back the GOG digital storefront from CD Projekt in late 2025, has said that he does not see direct competition with Steam as a realistic strategy. In an interview with GamesIndustry, he noted that Steam’s dominance makes any attempt to challenge it head-on a losing battle.

GOG managing director Maciej Gołębiewski emphasized that Steam remains the industry’s “Goliath,” and that the experience of other companies has shown just how costly it can be to challenge it directly. According to him, GOG’s continued existence and growth under these conditions prove that the platform has its own niche — preserving games and keeping them accessible for years to come.

At the same time, Kiciński reassured users that GOG’s fundamental principle — being DRM-free — will remain unchanged. He described this not only as an ethical stance, but also as a practical value that allows players to retain access to their purchased games regardless of the platform’s status or an internet connection.

Unfortunately, they will not be able to save BioWare’s project Anthem — on January 12, Electronic Arts officially shut down the game’s servers, leaving the title completely inaccessible.