According to IGN, CD Projekt has sold its DRM-free PC games storefront, GOG, to its original co-founder Michał Kiciński for 90.7 million Polish złoty, which is roughly $25.2 million. Kiciński, who also co-founded CD Projekt itself and still owns 10% of the company, started GOG back in 2008. The sale, announced this week, is framed by CD Projekt as fitting its long-term strategy to focus entirely on developing video games like the upcoming The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2. The two companies have signed a new distribution agreement, ensuring CD Projekt’s future games will still launch on GOG. CD Projekt insists GOG is financially stable and had “a really encouraging year,” with more gamer enthusiasm for its mission than ever.
Why sell the crown jewel?
On the surface, this seems like a weird move. GOG, with its staunch “you own your games” DRM-free philosophy, has been a beloved part of the CD Projekt brand for over 17 years. It’s a core part of their pro-consumer image. So why cash out for what is, in the grand scheme of a multi-billion dollar company, a relatively modest $25 million? The official line is focus. CD Projekt wants to be a pure-play game developer and publisher, not also a storefront operator. And honestly, that makes a ton of sense when you look at their insane roadmap: multiple Witcher games, a Cyberpunk sequel, and a new IP. Running a store that competes with Steam is a massive, distracting undertaking with thin margins. This is about cutting loose a side business that doesn’t align with their core, high-stakes production goals anymore.
What this means for gamers
Here’s the thing: for users, this probably changes nothing in the short term. And that’s by design. GOG will operate independently and keep its DRM-free ethos. Your library is safe. Future Witcher and Cyberpunk games will still be there day-one, thanks to that new distribution deal. The real question is about the long-term vision. In their official blog post, Kiciński talks passionately about preserving classics and finding new games with a “retro spirit,” even hinting at personally involved projects coming in 2026. This feels less like a corporate asset sale and more like a passion project returning to its founder. Will that mean a narrower, more curated focus for GOG, rather than trying to be a Steam alternative? Probably. And that might actually be its best chance at a sustainable future.
A friendly divorce
This isn’t a hostile spin-off. It reads like the most amicable corporate separation ever. Kiciński is already a major shareholder in CD Projekt, and the companies share “the same roots and values.” This is more like handing the keys of a beloved family business back to the sibling who always loved running it. CD Projekt gets to streamline. GOG gets a dedicated owner whose personal gaming interests (he calls himself a “mature gamer” who loves classics) align perfectly with the store’s historical niche. In a market absolutely flooded with storefronts and subscription services, maybe GOG’s path forward isn’t to compete on scale, but on curated principle. This sale gives it the chance to do just that, without worrying about how its P&L affects quarterly reports for a AAA game studio. Basically, it might be the best thing that could have happened to it.
