GOG renews its focus on classic games, starting with 'The Wheel of Time'
The store wants to live up to its Good Old Games moniker.
GOG originally stood for "Good Old Games," and the online store wants to better match the expectations associated with that name. It's launching a revival that will do more to highlight and support classic game releases. The initiative will not only apply a "Good Old Game" tag to retro hits in the catalog, but will include a 'new' game: a version of Legend's 1999-vintage The Wheel of Time (timely given the Amazon series) that runs on modern hardware.
The Unreal Engine-based fantasy shooter won't offer stunning visuals, but Nightdive Studios' refresh lets it run on newer operating systems (Windows 7 and up) and support high-resolution displays. The premise remains the same: you play an Aes Sedai (magic-wielding woman) who uncovers a sinister plot decades before the timeline of Robert Jordan's novels. You'll also find deathmatch and capture-the-flag multiplayer modes, although Wheel of Time wasn't exactly a staple of the online gaming scene when new.
There's a strong competitive incentive for GOG to shift its attention to classic games — this could help it stand out compared to heavyweights like Steam and the Epic Games Store, many of which focus on the latest releases. The initiative could be useful for game preservation efforts, though. If nothing else, it could be helpful if you've been waiting decades to revisit a favorite.
