GOG.com vs itch.io

Struggling to choose between GOG.com and itch.io? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

GOG.com is a Games solution with tags like drmfree, classic-games, new-games, optimized, legal-downloads.

It boasts features such as Curated selection of DRM-free classic and newer games, Frequent sales and special offers, Optional gaming client (GOG Galaxy) to manage games, Community forums and user profiles, Rollbacks to older game versions, Support for mods and other user-generated content, Cloud saves and achievements through GOG Galaxy, Offline backup installers for all purchases and pros including DRM-free model promotes ownership, Older games patched for modern systems, Competitive pricing with frequent discounts, Optional client offers convenience, Supportive policies for user-generated content.

On the other hand, itch.io is a Games product tagged with indie-games, game-marketplace, open-source-games.

Its standout features include Game publishing platform for indie developers, Sell games, assets, books, etc. directly to customers, Customizable storefronts for creators, Built-in tools for managing projects, Community features like forums and jams, Open revenue sharing model, and it shines with pros like Easy publishing for indie creators, Large audience of gamers looking for content, Very customizable storefronts, Good revenue share for developers, Active community of indie developers.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

GOG.com

GOG.com

GOG.com is an online platform for buying and playing DRM-free classic and newer video games. It offers a curated selection of games that are optimized to work properly on modern systems. The storefront provides a one-stop shop to discover and download high-quality games legally.

Categories:
drmfree classic-games new-games optimized legal-downloads

GOG.com Features

  1. Curated selection of DRM-free classic and newer games
  2. Frequent sales and special offers
  3. Optional gaming client (GOG Galaxy) to manage games
  4. Community forums and user profiles
  5. Rollbacks to older game versions
  6. Support for mods and other user-generated content
  7. Cloud saves and achievements through GOG Galaxy
  8. Offline backup installers for all purchases

Pricing

  • One-time Purchase

Pros

DRM-free model promotes ownership

Older games patched for modern systems

Competitive pricing with frequent discounts

Optional client offers convenience

Supportive policies for user-generated content

Cons

Smaller library compared to Steam

Lack of newer AAA releases

GOG Galaxy client still missing some features

No trading cards or achievements without Galaxy

Slow or lacking updates for some games


itch.io

itch.io

itch.io is an open marketplace for independent digital creators with a focus on indie games. It allows developers to upload, publish, sell, and distribute their content easily.

Categories:
indie-games game-marketplace open-source-games

Itch.io Features

  1. Game publishing platform for indie developers
  2. Sell games, assets, books, etc. directly to customers
  3. Customizable storefronts for creators
  4. Built-in tools for managing projects
  5. Community features like forums and jams
  6. Open revenue sharing model

Pricing

  • Free
  • Revenue Share

Pros

Easy publishing for indie creators

Large audience of gamers looking for content

Very customizable storefronts

Good revenue share for developers

Active community of indie developers

Cons

Less features than Steam or other full marketplaces

Lower visibility than mainstream platforms

Less quality control than curated stores

Smaller customer base than mainstream stores