Steam isn’t the only digital games service in town, and for a long time, its main competitor has been GOG. While Steam supplies the latest and greatest titles, GOG (formerly known as Good Old Games) has always focused more on getting classics to run on modern systems. There’s some overlap between the two, however, and that’s where GOG Connect comes in. This new service can help you build your GOG library by linking your accounts and sharing select games between them.
GOG detailed the new process on its website, and gave a list of the first games to take advantage of the transfer service. In theory, the idea is simple enough: If you own a GOG Connect-eligible game on Steam, you can link your accounts and add the game to your GOG library, free of charge. Since GOG games are DRM-free and come with lots of digital extras, it’s a simple way to merge the convenience of Steam with the versatility of GOG. The process does not appear to work in reverse, though, so if you’ve purchased an eligible game on GOG, you’ll have to buy it again on Steam.
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Linking accounts is extremely simple. Simply visit the GOG Connect page and follow the instructions under the “Connect Your Accounts” header. Sign into your GOG account, sign into your Steam account, and use the “Import Games” button to transfer any titles you wish from Steam to GOG. At present, there are 23 titles available, and GOG has explained that these and other games will phase in and out over time. In other words, if you want to maximize your GOG library, check to see which games you can transfer often.
The introductory titles are an agreeable mix of older big-budget releases and newer indie fare. Saints Row 2, The Witcher and The Witness are probably the most famous titles currently in the program, although fans can also link indie darlings like FTL, To The Moon and Trine. There’s no word on when or how often these titles will change yet.
If you’d rather not get your Steam and GOG accounts mixed up, GOG still has an olive branch for you. Most of the eligible games are on sale with discounts up to 85 percent, along with a few other fan favorites like System Shock 2 and Saints Row: The Third. Linking a Steam account is, after all, only one way to build a library.