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GOG.com Adds DRM-Free Movies

by Rainier on Aug. 27, 2014 @ 9:31 a.m. PDT

DRM-free digital distribution service GOG.com is adding movies to its catalog.

The team will launch its movie section with documentaries catering directly to its existing community: gamers and geeks. The line-up includes world premieres like Gamer Age and The King of Arcades, as well as award-winning films presented at international festivals, like Indie Game: The Movie. The movies will be available - with plenty of additional goodies - for download or streaming.

Joining the service are three films from indie game and film publisher Devolver Digital:

  • Pixel Poetry is an original documentary premiering on GOG.com about the creative and artistic culture surrounding games, directed by Richard Cook.
  • Good Game takes an interesting look at competitive gaming, featuring the Evil Genuises of Starcraft fame, directed by Mary Ratcliffe.
  • The Art of Playing (this one GOG is giving away for free), the gaming episode of the award-winning Arts in Context series produced by KLRU, Austin's PBS affiliate.

"In this new digital economy, many of the artists that Devolver works with believe that if they are lucky enough to have someone pay for their work,” says Devolver’s Mike Wilson. “The last thing that artist (or publisher) should do is impose ownership restrictions on those who paid. Devolver started distributing indie films because we believe that the sophistication, discovery, and community that exists within PC games platforms such as GOG can really help to elevate all the great filmmaking independent talent out there in the same way that it has for indie game developers. We are very excited to be a part of this launch and hope to place all of our 75+ independent films on GOG, DRM-free, eventually.”

With this first step into a completely new territory and a major website level-up, GOG.com aims to be the place to be for both gamers and film buffs.

The DRM-free digital distributor of PC games wants to change the landscape of the movie industry, kicks off with 20 documentaries on gaming and the geek culture but eyes TV and cinema classics from major studios.

"Our initial idea was to start with the big guys, but the process is not easy." admits Guillaume Rambourg, GOG.com VP for North America. "In our first round of talks, the response was largely, ‘We love your ideas, but we do not want to be the first ones. We will gladly follow, but until somebody else does it first, we do not want to take the risk’.” Most studio officials agreed that DRM is pointless, but were quick to add that the lawyers would not allow them to get rid of it."

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