Many older games these days can only be found in physical boxes that are difficult to obtain for a reasonable price, and even then there’s no guarantee they’ll work. Enter GoG, rectifying that issue by hitting hard with digital premiers this week, most recently releasing Shadow of the Comet and Prisoner of Ice - two classic Call of Cthulhu point & click adventures adapted for modern systems.
A few days before that, a trio of Warhammer 1990s strategy games appeared on the store which includes fantasy epic Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat, and two games set in the sci-fi Warhammer 40k universe called Final Liberation: Warhammer 40,000 Epic and Warhammer 40,000 Chaos Gate. Interestingly GoG is listed as publisher alongside the ‘company’ category for all three games. Usually that category is reserved for the developer and the current owner of the intellectual property, which may indicate that GoG now owns them. There have been some questions asking whether this means all three Warhammer games will be permanent GoG exclusives.
We contacted GoG to see if they wished to add a statement on the matter but they have not responded so far. This article may be updated as needed.
Quick Take
I’ll be trying most of these games at some point but my old favorite Shadow of the Horned Rat takes precedence. It’s fiendishly difficult for the uninitiated. Every unit is unique, at risk of permeant death, and there are several paths through the campaign as well as tons of optional side missions. Take every single one because experience points are more valuable than gold! Also if you can finish the whole game without ranting in Skaven-speak, you’re a stronger person than I.Not sure what to make of the other news right now. It’s my understanding GoG typically enters an agreement with the owner of the IP to get the game in working order for modern systems on condition that it remains a site exclusive for a limited time. If GoG now owns those Warhammer games, no such time limit would exist. Should they be released elsewhere just for the sake of choice? Or is it pointless to sell them on other platforms anyway because GoG is by far the most relevant market for older games? Let me know what you think in the comments!
