New GOG owner reckons it doesn't have to beat Steam outright, just do a few things better: "If there's a version of the game that's clearly better on GOG, and it has the promise that it will run forever… people will come"

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New GOG owner reckons it doesn't have to beat Steam outright, just do a few things better: "If there's a version of the game that's clearly better on GOG, and it has the promise that it will run forever… people will come" News By Ashley Bardhan published 14 January 2026

It's more like a non-hostile takeover

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CD Projekt and GOG co-founder Michał Kiciński, who's now the official owner of the DRM-free digital storefront, knows he won't be able to topple Steam – but he doesn't want to.

GOG managing director Maciej Gołębiewski observes to PC Gamer, "Attacking a Goliath in wrestling is not a good idea," since "one needs to have good agility." Instead, Kiciński is confident GOG has quality games and loyal users, and when other people observe that, they'll flock like birds.

"I think it has a very solid foundation as a company," Kiciński says. "Good results, a very good brand – known, respected – with very clear values, and customers love it and stand behind it." That may not be enough "to unhook somebody from Steam," he admits, but Kiciński would rather let GOG shine in its ability to provide high quality, old-school games instead of worrying about being a direct competitor to the leaky faucet that is Steam, an incessant stream of games both good and… not so good.

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"If there's a version of the game that's clearly better on GOG, and it has the promise that it will run forever… people will come," Kiciński says.

He continues, "We would like to persuade people, 'OK, if you have an option to purchase a game – more purchase than rent – and you value having your classic, beloved game to own, then check out GOG. If it's not important, or you have different priorities, go for Steam."

Steam games that openly use generative AI earned $660 million, including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Stellaris, and more, as studios continue to rely on the technology.

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. TOPICS Valve Ashley BardhanSenior Writer

Ashley is a Senior Writer at GamesRadar+. She's been a staff writer at Kotaku and Inverse, too, and she's written freelance pieces about horror and women in games for sites like Rolling Stone, Vulture, IGN, and Polygon. When she's not covering gaming news, she's usually working on expanding her doll collection while watching Saw movies one through 11.

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