Striked vs GOG

In this blog post we will compare the popular gaming platform GOG ("Good Old Games") with Striked. We will look at factors such as features, pricing, DRM, and much more to provide you with a first comparison that may help you better understand the benefits of using Striked, whether for personal or business use.

GOG

Let's take a closer look at GOG first. The digital distribution platform first launched in 2008 and is owned by CD Projekt RED, the same company behind the popular Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077. GOG began as a platform for selling classic games from the 80s and 90s that were often difficult or impossible to find elsewhere due to compatibility or licensing issues. These games were typically offered by other sites as "abandonware," meaning they were no longer sold by their original publishers and were considered to be in the public domain. GOG took a different approach, working directly with the original developers and publishers to acquire the rights and licenses necessary to sell the games legally.

Over the years, GOG has expanded its library to include newer titles and indie games, but has always maintained its commitment to offering DRM-free versions of all games on its platform. DRM, or Digital Rights Management, is a technology used by many video game publishers to prevent piracy and unauthorized distribution of their games - in other words, once you buy a game on GOG, you own it completely and don't have to worry about any restrictions or online authentication requirements. But it can also be a source of frustration for customers who experience technical difficulties or are unable to access their games due to restrictive DRM policies.

Striked

Founded in 2022, Striked provides a fully automated platform for game developers to create, sell and distribute video games worldwide, with a focus on the indie sector. Striked aims to lower the barriers to success and make market access more democratic and lucrative for all, especially by offering a fair and transparent pricing model.

At the same time, Striked's social network for gamers and developers creates synergies and feedback loops for unique innovation potential and a community that supports and develops each other. Whether alone or with friends, Striked is available on desktop and mobile devices and creates a new gaming experience by integrating social features. This allows developers to find the right audiences and build long-lasting communities.

Direct comparison

Pricing

Most importantly, compared to GOG, Striked's business model is not revenue based, but completely free for everyone - there is not even a setup fee for game entries! Striked takes no cut of the revenue generated on the platform. Developers keep 100% of the revenue instead of losing 30-40% to the platform like they do on GOG. Striked is funded by monthly subscriptions, the price of which is based on the needs of the developers. However, there is also a 'free package' that can be used indefinitely at very attractive terms. With Striked, developers can grow their business without worrying about additional fees or losing a percentage of their revenue to the platform owner.

Community & social features

While GOG only offers a storefront, Striked brings a few more social features to the table. In addition to the storefront, Striked has an entire social network that offers a variety of ways to engage with your audience. Integrating community services directly into the game takes the burden off of developers by allowing community building to take place very close to the product, rather than on third-party channels.

Striked gives the community its own tools to make the platform what they want it to be: there are forum-like spaces for chatting or just hanging out, custom profiles to showcase your own gaming personality, curated feeds with friends' activities and news from the gaming world, and livestreams that anyone can start with the click of a button. By the way, streamers keep 100% of their donations (minus payment provider transaction fees). In addition, users can earn digital coins by completing missions, unlocking achievements, testing new games, and being an active member of the community. In the near future, these coins will be redeemable for exclusive rewards and discounts in the store or marketplace.

Platform support

Striked is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile devices, while GOG officially only supports Windows and macOS.

DRM

As mentioned above, GOG is known for its DRM-free approach to gaming. This means that you own the games you purchase and can play them offline. Striked has decided to give developers the option to choose whether or not to use DRM on their game. They can enable DRM to protect their game from being copied and Striked will automatically take care of it.

Library sync

GOG offers the ability to unite multiple game libraries in one place with "GOG 2.0" and Striked also offers this feature with the Striked launcher. All your PC games can be easily managed in one place, but friend lists from other platforms can't yet be integrated to keep e.g. track of all your friends and their activities at a glance.

Game selection

The game portfolio at GOG is completely curated and developers must apply to be able to have their game on the store. In contrast, Striked is for self-publishing, the full process of publishing a game can be done by a developer on their own. While the process can be daunting for new developers, there is documentation and the process is designed to be as self-explanatory as possible.

GOG has a solid library of around 7,000 games. Striked does not have that yet, but that is to be expected from a very new player in the market. Let's see how it looks in a few years!

Conclusion

Striked is a company that values feedback and is always open to suggestions for improvement. We take constructive criticism seriously and believe that nothing is set in stone. Our commitment to continuous improvement is reflected in everything we do. We hope this article has given you some insight into our company's status and practices. If you found this article helpful, keep an eye out for other articles in this series that will provide more information about Striked and how we compare to others in this dynamic industry. We're new to the market and we want to make a meaningful impact on the global gaming industry. Help us achieve this goal and let's grow together! Thanks for reading!