According to KitGuru.net, CD Projekt Group has officially sold its digital game store, GOG.com, ending its 16-year ownership. The buyer is Michal Kicinski, a co-founder and major stakeholder of CD Projekt, who purchased 100% of the store’s shares for 90.7 million Polish Zloty, which is approximately £19 million. Launched back in 2008 as “Good Old Games,” the platform was built as a DRM-free alternative to Steam. The companies state the sale is part of CD Projekt’s strategic shift to focus almost entirely on its own game development. For gamers, a distribution agreement ensures CD Projekt games like The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 will stay on GOG, and future titles from the studio are still planned for the store.
Why now and what’s next?
So, why sell now? Here’s the thing: GOG, for all its beloved principles, has never been a massive money-maker compared to the gargantuan success of CD Projekt‘s own games. It’s a passion project that grew into a vital preservation hub, but it’s a different business entirely. CD Projekt is basically saying, “We want to put every single resource into making the next Witcher and Cyberpunk games.” Running a store, even a principled one, is a distraction they don’t need. This move lets them do that while ensuring GOG lands in the hands of someone who genuinely gets its mission.
A return to roots, not a reboot
This isn’t some random corporate takeover. Kicinski helped create GOG’s original DRM-free philosophy. In their official blog post, they stress that independence and those core tenets—DRM-free installers, the optional Galaxy client, game preservation—are staying put. It’s a homecoming. Think of it less as a sale and more as a custodianship transfer back to one of its founders. That should give fans some real comfort.
The big win for gamers and publishers
For us, the customers? Day-to-day, probably nothing changes. Your library is safe, and you’ll still buy DRM-free games. But there’s a potentially huge upside for GOG’s future catalogue. Before, other game publishers might have been hesitant to put their biggest titles on a store owned by CD Projekt, a direct competitor. That perceived conflict of interest is now gone. As an independent store, GOG can more credibly court every publisher out there. And let’s be honest, a healthier GOG with a wider selection is good for everyone who cares about owning their games.
What it really means
Look, this feels like the best possible outcome. CD Projekt gets to focus. GOG gets to keep its soul, arguably with a sharper focus under an owner who doesn’t see it as a side project. And gamers keep a crucial, pro-consumer storefront alive. It’s a rare corporate maneuver where everyone seems to win. The real test will be whether this independence allows GOG to grow and secure more big-name releases. But its survival, and its mission, now seem more secure than they have in years. If you want to support platforms that champion this model, well, that’s what voting with your wallet is for.
