Hi there!

First of all, I'm sure there was this question sometime, but the search button doesn't simply work. I'm using the Galaxy Client, maybe it's a webbrowser only feature? Sorry abot that.

My main question is about a reverse GOG Connect function.
GOG Connect is awesome. I bought a game, so I should use it on any platform I wish. Well, that's the customer view at least.
Now I've a dilemma. I wish to own games on both platforms (Steam, GOG) if possible. Currently the only way to achieve this is to buy from Steam and enable it on GOG with Connect, if available. That way all the revenue goes to Valve.
Currently I still play primary on Steam (achievements, playtime statistics, ingame overlay). In a few months I'm gonna buy a new gaming rig and with it some newer games like Witcher3 - no reason to buy it now, if I can't play it anyway.

So, will it be possible in the future to buy games on GOG and activate/play them on Steam?

Unlikely I think. You're right that with Connect the sales are going to Steam, but GOG can benefit greatly from it if it brings more people over this way. But Steam already has a massive userbase so the vice versa probably isn't of any interest to them.

Steam is the dominant force in PC Gaming.
It has a dangerous and unhealthy control of over 2/3rds of Games released on the PC.

The ability to buy on GoG and use via Steam will only help strengthen that grip.


Its worth noting you can add Non-steam games via the Steam client, which will give you access to playtime statistics, and ingame overlay, just not achievements.

No chance in hell.

That's pretty much a surefire way for GOG to start losing money. There's enough people already who show up to this forum asking "Where's my Steam key? What do you mean you guys don't sell Steam keys here?" The idea behind Connect (so far as I can figure) was to get Steam customers to realize that GOG even exists and draw more customers to the store (see attached picture). Making GOG games available on Steam would probably do the exact opposite.

That being said, the decision is out of GOG's hands. GOG implemented Connect by having some program which reads Steam's API or whatever the heck it's called (I'm horrendous with tech terms), so in theory, Steam would have to do something like this to scan GOG libraries and add the games detected.
Of course, I seriously doubt GOG is big enough that Steam would even care, so my answer to you question is no, since there's no reason why Valve could be bothered.

Unlikely. Steam already owns most of the PC market, and they get a cut of the sales for all games sold, so they have no reason to agree to it.

That image is gold.

I understand GOG connect because you can have DRM free copies of Steam games, but the opposite is just pointless.

"owning games in both platforms"

"have all my games in one place"

"my friends can see what I'm playing right now"

People should stop care about these meta-gaming bullshit. You buy PC games, not GOG games or Steam games. Just play.

Unlikely that GOG would offer Steam keys, however some devs do offer Steam keys to their GOG customers:

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/steam_keys_for_gog_games

Quite the opposite. In fact, they could do this without any contact with Steam at all. What it basically comes down to is giving out Steam keys for the games people own on GOG. So all they'd have to do is contact the dev, same as they do for GOG connect, many of whom already give out Steam keys for the same games in other places, and ask them to do the same here for owners of the game. Check the library vs devs who give out Steam keys, list the Steam keys and voila. Only thing it can't do is auto activate on Steam.

Of course, that's a "Freedom of choice" option GOG is not likely to be interested in offering ;)

Connect is a promotional tool for GOG. Basically, they take the loss of providing you with a game you own in an another store free of charge. To provide Steam keys as well would be counterproductive in this case, as it would promote Steam at the expense of GOG.

Don't cross the streams.

It would be bad.

Somehow I don't believe that you've never done it...

You mean like...

First of all, thanks for friendly replies. It's rare to find that online.

Sounds like a solution.

That's the thing I don't understand. Why would it be bad for GOG?
In my opinion that would allow be to buy games on GOG too, IF I want them in both of my librarys without paying twice.

So, is the goal to coexist with Steam or replace it?