I am unable to play multiplayer Shadow Warrior 2 due to requiring GOG Galaxy to play online. The reason I bought SW2 was to play co-op with my friend, who is in the same situation now.

GOG claims Galaxy is optional and always will be, yet this is clearly not the case as it's locking multiplayer behind it. Had I known that when I preordered ages ago I wouldn't have done so.

From everything I have read of galaxy it's poorly coded, has security vulnerabilities, downloads unpacked games which balloons download sizes. Even disregarding those points I simply don't want yet another 'gaming interface' clogging up my pc, especially when gog claims it's not required.


This is becoming increasingly common on gog now. Stop trying to force your rubbish interface on us.

its been pretty wel known that you need galaxy for anything multiplayer

having said that
galaxy is stil rubbish and still oh so "optional" until it isnt anymore
until it isnt anymore
but hey its stil drm free so that makes it awwwwwright right ?

Really?? *throws internets out of a window*

and the internet ;p

though i now imagine somebody flicking an IE icon out of the window

GOG galaxy is fine. It is handy because it keeps my games up to date. I can easily select a game among the list of games installed and from there just launch it. Still galaxy is not required to download and play your games. But if you want to play online, you will need a way of connecting. THis is where galaxy comes in.

GOG never requires you to use galaxy for your single player (offline) experience.

For you maybe, but not for me. I didn't buy it for single player and there's plenty of alternative potential for internet multiplayer, even something as simple as direct IP. Your reasoning of 'this is where galaxy comes in' just sounds like the same lame excuse gog is trying to make to pull the wool over user's eyes.

I've been on gog for years and in recent years, everything they have done has been for their benefit at the expense of consumers. I've watched them go back on plenty of policies & promises whilst continuing to spout how 'devoted' they are to their user base & how they won't break the remaining promises. They still push the no DRM and yet DRM has been present in some releases and Galaxy is their own personal form of it as it is holding core parts of the game to ransom.

Gog's policy is 'Use our program or you won't get the whole game you paid for.'

Stop blaming GOG and go tell developer to implement LAN support.

I've sent a pigeon years ago but no responses so far.

From GOG's store-page for the game (emphasis and underlining is my own):

'Multiplayer Notice: Please note that the GOG Galaxy Client is required to access Multiplayer. '

It's not GOG's fault for not having more features to connect. It's the way the developer implemented it. I've also been on gog for years. I've watched htem try to go back on policies. When they renounced flat prices world wide, I stood there with many other users spouting my concern and complained about it. What did we get? We got difference between euro-dollar cash back in our account as a result. I have not seen them taking back any other promises though.

Which releases have DRM according to you? I haven't come across any. Games requiring you to be online to play online do not count in my books. Anyhow do know that many people have different ideas on what DRM is and stands for. You prefer not to use galaxy, which is fine, but you do go through the hassle of downloading game files one by one installing, etc. With Galaxy it's much quicker. Honestly, it will not hurt you to use galaxy. Once galaxy is installed it only takes 2 clicks to start galaxy, one click to select the game, and another click to play. 4 clicks in total. After you're done, you can close galaxy by right clicking in the task bar.

I think it will be less of a hassle, than having to use something like direct connect, typing in IP addresses, etc. Also like others have written the requirement is on the product page.

Do you prefer to have other ways of connectivity? Well, then you can contact the developer and perhaps you're not the only one and something will be done.

While I am very sympathetic to your position regarding clients such as Galaxy; you've lost me on an important point. (emphasis mine)

Are you claiming that, back when you pre-ordered, that the Galaxy requirement for multiplayer wasn't listed? It is certainly listed right now.

If it was listed back then, and you bought it anyways - it would basically nullify your argument.

If you claim it wasn't noted back then - can you back up that claim (such as a screenshot of the gamecard from that time )? If yes, then if I were you I would feel entitled to apply for a refund and then carry on.

I myself want nothing at all to do with monolithic clients, such as Galaxy and Steam (and all the others). I don't have any such clients installed, and I try to avoid games requiring them. If I mistakenly miss the "warning", then I'll grumble, be pissed, but accept it was my fault for missing that. If said client is required but it isn't noted on the gamecard - I'd apply for a refund.

It wasn't listed back then no. According to a post on the Shadow Warrior sub forum it was added 2 days prior to release.

If that's the case I would not feel shy at all about applying for a refund. Ball's in your court.

Would they approve the refund? Don't know... But you do know the answer if you don't even try.. :)

I prefer to have ways that don't require poorly coded unnecessary bloatware that seems to have a history of security flaws (majority of people I see with hijacked accounts all have galaxy in common.) Plus I've also never known GOG to be particularly adept at coding.

DRM is certainly complicated with different viewpoints but in this case it's simply that I have to download a third party application that is not part of the game to play a part of the game. I appreciate that this varies from your own opinion but I don't really understand why people take issue and defend gog against those of us not wanting to be forced into using a client that is allegedly optional.

GOG is the one that pushes for Galaxy integration not the developer. I doubt most developers care about Galaxy, it's just more rubbish to have to code in & I doubt GOG makes it easier to code than a basic setup such as IP Direct.