Good News Gamers! GOG is Officially Coming to Linux

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GOG built its whole brand around selling DRM-free games and providing offline installers that work without requiring an internet connection or any kind of verification from their side.They even encourage people to download installers and copy them over to physical media like discs, and treat the copy as theirs. This is something the big players in the space, Steam and Epic Games, just cannot do, since both keep your library tethered to their clients.And don't even get me started on account standing. If you break their rules, they retain the right to suspend your account or, worse, ban it outright, leaving you locked out of your own games.GOG GALAXY is the company's optional client that does the things one would expect from such an application. It handles auto-updates, cloud saves, achievement tracking, rollbacks for when a patch breaks your save, and pulls in game libraries from other platforms.Sadly, none of that has ever officially arrived on Linux, as the client is only offered for Windows and macOS. Linux gamers who want it on their systems have to run the Windows client through compatibility layers like Bottles or Lutris instead of installing it directly.What you see when you visit the GOG GALAXY website from a Linux computer.All's not gloom though, as it has now been confirmed that a Linux build of GOG GALAXY is coming. Speaking to Liam from GamingOnLinux, the joint CEO of GOG, Krzysztof Papliński, stated that they already have a "specialist on board," and are looking for the "best way to approach Linux support."Before you get too excited, know that there's no release window mentioned in the original email reply by Krzysztof, who notes that:This is a significant undertaking, so while we’re not ready to share any specific plans, timelines, or results just yet, it’s very much an area we’re investing time and effort into.Some contextThis isn't appearing out of nowhere. Late last year, GOG became an independent company after CD Projekt sold it to co-founder Michał Kiciński, ending its run as a subsidiary.A few days later, in January, Michał told PC Gamer that Windows is "poor-quality software" and that he isn't surprised people are gravitating away from the ecosystem altogether.In the same interview, managing director Maciej Gołębiewski said Linux was already one of the things GOG had put in its strategy for the year.Around the same time, a new job listing went up, looking for a senior software engineer, with the description referring to Linux as the next major frontier for the platform.This is great newsPlaceholder image of the Windows client for GOG GALAXY.A native GOG GALAXY client would finally let Linux gamers manage their GOG library the same way Windows and Mac users already do. Though I am not sure if any other game platforms will be supported.But despite that, gamers will still get to take advantage of a well-equipped launcher that handles large game libraries with ease. Which is supplemented by handy conveniences like auto-updates, cloud saves, syncing between multiple devices, and staying connected with your friends.This matters more than you might think, btw. Nowadays, digital storefronts are the ones who have the final say over what stays in your library and what doesn't. The recent delisting of Xbox games showed us that quite clearly.Physical media is going away too, as Sony, for instance, recently confirmed it will stop producing game discs for new PlayStation titles starting January 2028, pushing new releases into digital-only territory.GOG's DRM-free installers and the optional client that lets you download those eliminate both problems. Since nothing phones home to check a license, copying those installers onto a USB drive or burning them to a Blu-ray or DVD is enough to keep a library playable long after the storefront disappears.