I am posting this here since the game's dedicated forum is rarely visited.

What is GOG position regarding this matter? Since Paradox acquired Prison Architect, they have included their always-online, data collecting launcher on both Steam and GOG versions of the game. This requires an always online connection to be present at all times.

Check the latest reviews for the game, and people are complaining about it. Yet it has been a few months since this patch, and there has been no communication regarding this matter.

What happened to the "DRM-FREE" moto from GOG? What is keeping this from happening to any other game? How can I trust GOG to remain "DRM-FREE"?

Did you send in a support ticket and see what gog had to say first?

I ask as this seems like it could be(though likely isn't) an attempt to slander the site without much in the way of proof(no, a screenshot of some people SAYING the game has DRM isn't enough proof).

Now if someone has proof of such claims(technical proof showing said DRM or screenshots of the gog version showing such) then I am all ears.

Has anybody contacted GOG Support on the matter? If not you should.

Judging by the screenshot it seems those reviews were posted awhile back(some of them)....if this was an actual issue one would assume a regular user would've brought it up before and staff would've fixed it or done something about it....as such have not happened it leads me to call this accusation into question.

Of course if it IS an actual issue I think staff needs to be contacted and something done, of course.

Not sure if i have latest updated but my last install was Sep 30th. Just ran the game then, new Campaign. Building new block to house prisoner --- my wifi disabled. Game seems to run ok offline?.No paradox launcher etc..

apparently the current version has an (hard to find of course) option to enable offline play. ill download and check myself tomorrow (today, after some kip depending on your time zone).

The launcher is online-only, but you apparently don't need it to run the game:
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/the_what_did_just_update_thread/post22682

Still, didn't gog promise no drm and to make MP only require their own client to run? If so, that's not keeping that promise to some degree.

This shit is why I stopped buying from Paradox..
well this and some other issues.

I am not sure about GOG exact terms, but all I personally expect from games I purchased on here is that they will run offline forever and that content can't be "updated away" without my permission; so basically, I can roll back an update to play the original version.

If those two conditions are satisfied, they can do anything they desire.

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/the_what_did_just_update_thread/post22692 (Posted September 22, 2019) https://www.gog.com/forum/general/the_what_did_just_update_thread/post22688 (Posted September 22, 2019)

The Paradox launcher is apparently only required for online (multiplayer etc) usage. It wouldn't be the first game GOG sold here which followed a similar path.

It sucks mate, but it's not GOG's fault that Paradox did this. If you're expecting GOG to stand up and demand Paradox release a DRM-free multiplayer option just for its customers - you're dreaming.

So ponder this: do you want a single-player game and future updates (with an option for 'DRM' multiplayer)? Or do you want a de-listed game in your library which is still single-player but gets NO updates?

They used to do similar things in the past, back when they actually cared about more than their next payday.

On Gnome you can bypass the launcher by pointing your shortcut's Exec to ".../GOG/Prison Architect/game/PrisonArchitect.x86_64" and the Path to ".../GOG/Prison Architect/game/".

Not sure if the shortcut conventions are the same on other distros, but I would assume so. There should be an executable that does the same on Windows, I guess.

Also found the launcher annoying, since multiplayer works without it.

Multiplayer has never "counted" when it comes to GOG being DRM free. Not since the site launched.