That's right, the post-apocalyptic detective adventures of Access Games' Tex Murphy 1 & 2 are free until December 24th for anyone who registers with GOG.com, and if you go for the free adventure games, you might stick around for the savings. There's a huge list of discounted titles on sale now at the website, with Fallout 3 and Freespace 2 only $3.98; Sacred Gold and Jagged Alliance 2 for $5.99; and Heroes of Might and Magic 3 and Beyond Good and Evil on sale for $7.49 apiece. All the games in the sale (and all of the games on GOG for that matter) are completely DRM free, allowing you to put them on whatever computer you'd like and play them as long as you want without ever having to worry about the man coming down on you. You buy it, it's yours.

There's still no BloodNet, but I maintain hopes that one day it will make its way there.

GOG Xmas Holiday Sale [GOG.com]

Myst is one of those games that brought countless newcomers into the world of PC gaming, with it's high-quality visuals and challenging puzzles making it one of the earliest hits of the CD-ROM era. Now GoG.com has reached an agreement with developer Cyan Worlds to put the games up for sale once more, starting with Myst Masterpiece, available now for $5.99.

"Keeping the Myst series alive is incredibly satisfying," said Rand Miller, co-founder of Cyan. "GOG.com allows us to keep the ages of Myst accessible for our fans, and in addition make them available to a whole new generation of gamers."

Masterpiece will be followed shortly after by Riven, which weighs in at a 2.2GB, a truly massive game for its time, and Manhole, Rand and Robyn Miller's earlier adventure game for kids.

Over the years I've probably purchased Myst in one form or another more than a dozen times. I suppose it's nice to have another option.

Designed and coded by Kevin Ryan and produced by Jeff Tunnell, The Incredible Machine took PC gaming by storm in the early 90's, winning over casual and hardcore gamers alike with its challenging, Rube Goldberg-esque physics puzzles. The convoluted path the franchise took to get back into Tunnell's hands is right in line with the convoluted nature of The incredible Machine's puzzles. The rights were lost in limbo after parent company Sierra scrapped publisher Dynamix in 2001, with Sierra then being scrapped by Vivendi Universal three years later. Now the property is squarely in the hands of PushButton Labs, a company co-founded by the game's producer, Jeff Tunnell, who couldn't be happier.

"TIM was a genre defining franchise and I could not be happier to have the property available to PushButton Labs. I'm very excited to see what we can do with it moving forward."

While we imagine what sort of greatness will come of the franchise in the future, we can explore its past today. PushButton Labs has packaged up the bulk of the series into one giant, Windows Vista and XP compatible package, available for $9.99 today through CD Projekt's GoG.com.

I will be staying far, far away from this re-release, as I fear for my free time.

The folks at GOG have been quite busy since we last checked in with them, adding new games to the service left and right. The past month's additions include Earth 2150, Septerra Core, and several older Ubisoft titles. Now those more respectable offerings cower off to the side, hiding in the corner as Postal and Postal 2 make the scene. Postal Classic and Uncut is now available on the site for $5.99, with a downloadable manual, wallpapers, and avatars available as additional bonus content. Postal 2 and all of its expansions will be made available in the coming weeks. CD Projekt was so excited about the deal they even let Running With Scissors CEO Vince Desi speak.

"The folks at GOG.com know Kielbasa from Sausage and I love 'em both, so when I got their call I was like ‘let's do it'."

See, CD Projekt is a Polish company, and kielbasa is traditional Polish sausage...you know what? Nevermind.

The story walks people through everything from trade-ins, to bartering, sales hunting and rentals. It's a fast, worthwhile read that introduces readers to half a dozen sites and services.

Here's the break down:

GameStop: The granddaddy of the used games business with more than 6,100 stores world wide.

Switch Games: A free website for online trading of consoles and games with a social network for game trade matchmaking.

Goozex: An online trading site for gamers that uses a special point system.

GameFly: The $16 a month video game rental service that also offers used game sales.

GameTap: Well-known download service for older PC games.

Good Old Games: Another download service for PC games, this one from CD Projekt.

Cheap Ass Gamer: Hive mind for video gaming deals world wide, makes it's money through a commission collected from online retailers for referral sales.

Have you used any of these services? Are there any you use not listed here?

New Web Sites Help Players Shop & Swap [Wall Street Journal]

Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror is now available for purchase n the website, which offers DRM-free classic PC games at low, low prices - in this case only $5.99. Featuring a mad drug kingpin and the potential rebirth of a Mayan god, it's adventuring gaming at it's finest. For adventure gaming at its even more finest, stay tuned for Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon, which should also be added to the site shortly.

The two pay games come as part of a deal between Revolution and GoG that previously saw the release of two free games on the site - Beneath a Steel Sky and Lure of the Temptress. As I have planned, GoG.com is quickly becoming a haven for fans of old adventure titles. Except, of course, Blood Net. I shall not rest!

Broken Sword's Riddles can now be Solved at GOG.com

To ring in the New Year, GOG.com offers DRM-free versions of two entries in Revolution Software's adventure series

Warsaw, Poland – December 30 – Closing out 2008, GOG.com (http://www.gog.com), the digital distribution platform with DRM-free classic games, announced another new deal with Revolution Software. After releasing two of Revolution Software's classic point-and-click freebies just a week ago – Beneath a Steel Sky (http://www/gog.com/en/gamecard/beneath_a_steel_sky) and Lure of the Temptress (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/lure_of_the_temptress) – GOG.com will soon expand its games catalogue with the additions of Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/broken_sword_the_smoking_mirror) and Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/broken_sword_the_sleeping_dragon).

The Broken Sword series introduces gamers to the adventures of George Stobbart and Nicole Collard, pushing players through gripping plots based on history and mythology. Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror uses an upgraded version of the renowned Virtual Theatre game engine developed by Revolution Software, and Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon is based on a 3D graphics engine using a direct control mechanism. Both games will be available at the incredibly low price of $5.99 – DRM-free and fully compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista.

“The Broken Sword series is another great addition to our ever growing games catalogue. The games offer beautiful graphics and, most of all, great stories that will keep you glued to your computer for hours,” said Adam Oldakowski, Managing Director of GOG.com. “We're very happy to welcome Revolution Software to our site. We're grateful they agreed to add their freeware games to our catalogue – which have done very well – and I believe that the Broken Sword series will be as popular on GOG.com as the two free games.”

Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/broken_sword_the_smoking_mirror) is now available at GOG.com with the release of Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/broken_sword_the_sleeping_dragon) planned in the near future. This announcement puts an official end to “GOG.com fever month,” but that doesn't mean we don’t have a few more things up our sleeves for all fans of gaming oldies.

###

Available until December 31st, the holiday bundles package together several related games into one $9.98 package for easy consumption. Bundles include Fallout & Fallout 2; MDK & MDK 2; Freespace with Silent Threat mission pack & Freespace 2; Descent 1+2 & Descent 3 with Mercenary expansion; and Stonekeep & Lionheart. As a big fan of the MDK series, I cannot stress enough to anyone reading who might be related to me and looking for gift ideas how much someone like me would appreciate that particular bundle. Just saying.

GoG has also added Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus and Patrician 3 to their line up this day, just in case the bundles didn't tickle your fancy. Head over to GoG.com today to check out all the new additions!

GOG.com Launches Holiday Bundles

Celebrate the Season with Great Deals on Classic PC Games – Cheap, no Matter Where you Live

Warsaw, Poland – December 23 – Stressed out? Need to get away from those family members that showed up uninvited and just won’t get the hint that you need some “me time”? Gamers with a few extra bucks left over after some intense holiday shopping should head right over to GOG.com (http://www.gog.com), where five new holiday bundles will be available for a limited time. Until December 31 fans of DRM-free classic PC games can get any of the following bundles for just $9.98: Fallout & Fallout 2; MDK & MDK 2; Freespace with Silent Threat mission pack & Freespace 2; Descent 1+2 & Descent 3 with Mercenary expansion; Stonekeep & Lionheart. Before you go, “oh but I already bought one of those, what about me?!” rest assured that anyone who’s already bought one of the games will get $1 off the second title.

Additionally, two new games were added to the GOG.com games catalogue today. Following up on the release of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee last week, Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/oddworld_abes_exoddus) continues the imaginative adventures of everyone’s favorite Mudokon. Grab that for $9.99 then read part one of GOG.com’s Oddworld Retrospective (http://www.gog.com/en/editorial/editorial_oddworld_abes_oddysee/). Strategy fans can get their fill with Patrician 3 (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/patrician_3), as they expand a medieval trade empire to encompass the Old World… and all of that economic power can be harnessed for just $9.99.

“We want to bring people the best value no matter where they live. With our Polish origins, we know how awful it feels when popular web services and products are not available or are more expensive just because of where we live," said Adam Oldakowski, Managing Director of GOG.com. “That’s why we’re committed to making sure that these great holiday bundles are available worldwide, and that our prices and product catalogues are the same for everyone across the globe; we think that everyone should have access to great games like Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus and Patrician 3.”

###

Yes, if you pop over to GOG's website and create a new account, you'll be able to download the classic 1994 adventure game free of charge. It'll even be optimised and compatible with your fancy new Windows XP/Vista machine.

But wait! There's more!

You'll also be able to download the just-as-classic Lure of the Temptress, which was developed by the same kids, Revolution Software. Lure is also completely free of charge.

Well? Go!

[GOG]

The first fruit of the partnership between GoG.com and Oddworld Inhabitants is the game that kicked off the strange new world, Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, which follows the plight of lovable Mudokon Abe as he tries to rescue his friends from the slaughterhouse that is RuptureFarms.

“We are happy to add the Oddworld series to the GOG.com catalogue. It's a great chance for anyone who’s already played the games to remember why they were so much fun, and also to introduce Abe and his fellow Mudokons to a new generation of gamers,” said Larry Shapiro, President of Oddworld Inhabitants. ”We believe that digital distribution is the future of gaming for both developers and gamers, making GOG.com an ideal fit for Oddworld.”

Abe's Oddysee is now available for $9.99 from the website, and comes with a bonus MP3 soundtrack and map to sweeten the deal. Yum.

Oddworld Inhabitants to Inhabit GOG.com

Gaming Visionaries Bring Visionary Games to the DRM-Free Classic Games Site

Warsaw, Poland – December 16, 2008. Today GOG.com (http://www.gog.com), the home of digitally distributed, DRM-free PC classics, and Oddworld Inhabitants announced that the world’s most famous Mudokon, Abe, will soon be sneaking his way into the GOG.com's games catalogue. In order to meet rising demand for games with epic storytelling, top-notch production values and emotionally engaging characters, the ever-so-awesome Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee and Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus will be made available at GOG.com… as always, 100% DRM-free, compatible with modern operating systems, stuffed with bonus materials and sold for just a few Spooce… errr… dollars.

“Oddworld Inhabitants created an unbelievable world and fascinating characters that remind us about the pure joys of gaming. It's amazing how the game holds up to today’s games and we're not surprised that many consider these some of the best platform games of all time,” said Adam Oldakowski, Managing Director of GOG.com. “That's why we’re beside ourselves with joy to add these games from the Oddworld universe to the ever-growing catalogue at Good Old Games.”

“We are happy to add the Oddworld series to the GOG.com catalogue. It's a great chance for anyone who’s already played the games to remember why they were so much fun, and also to introduce Abe and his fellow Mudokons to a new generation of gamers,” said Larry Shapiro, President of Oddworld Inhabitants. ”We believe that digital distribution is the future of gaming for both developers and gamers, making GOG.com an ideal fit for Oddworld.”

The Oddworld games will begin to appear in the GOG.com games catalogue with the release of Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/oddworld_abes_oddysee) on December 16... oh, that’s today, isn’t it? Uhh… well… Okay, we’re ready? Good news! Check out GOG.com as soon as you can. Stay tuned for the announcements of additional publishers and new site features in the coming weeks.

###

The purveyors of DRM-free classic PC games have plans to significantly pad their relatively skimpy adventure title line up with Adventure Soft's titles, and Simon the Sorcerer is an outstanding place to start. The first in a series that now spans four titles, Simon the Sorcerer follows the adventures of the teenage Simon and his dog Chippy, mysteriously teleported to a fantasy world filled with parodies of beloved fantasy fiction such as the Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. Simon is voiced by Chris Barrie, who played Rimmer on the British sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf, as well as Lara Croft's butler Hillary in the Tomb Raider movies. Simon is optimized for today's PCs and runs a mere $5.99.

Not a bad start. It's no BloodNet, but they're definitely moving in the right direction.

Point-and-Click Adventures Venture onto GOG.com with Adventure Soft

The vast catalogue of DRM-free PC classics is getting bigger with traditional point-and-click adventures

Warsaw, Poland. December 9, 2008. GOG.com (http://www.gog.com), the classic-games haven for anyone looking for DRM-free PC oldies, is proud to announce an agreement with Adventure Soft to bring its classic adventure games to the site. Under the agreement, GOG.com's games catalogue will expand with the addition of, among others, the adventures of the pointy-hatted teenager we all know and love… and we're talking about Simon the Sorcerer, of course, and not that Harry fellow. Thanks to the magic tricks of the GOG.com team, all games are 100% compatible with modern operating systems and have never even heard of DRM.

“It's great to have Adventure Soft on board. Point-and-click adventures are iconic examples of PC gaming in the 90s, and games like Simon the Sorcerer are some of the best examples of the genre,” said Adam Oldakowski, Managing Director of GOG.com. “With the addition of the Adventure Soft games, our users will get a load of brain-wracking riddles and off-beat humor.”

Adventure Soft's games will start hitting GOG.com's game catalogue with today's appearance of the original Simon the Sorcerer (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/simon_the_sorcerer). The announcement of the Adventure Soft agreement is the next phase of “GOG.com fever month” that began when the company announced the addition of Arx Fatalis to the ever-growing catalogue of Good Old Games. Expect more news about new features, new releases and some more agreements to announce in the upcoming days.

###

“Epic Games redefined the first-person shooter with the Unreal series, and we’re very happy to welcome them to the growing list of companies that share our vision of digital distribution,” said Adam Oldakowski, Managing Director of GOG.com.

A lovely catch for the folks at GoG, to be sure, but still no BloodNet? Come on guys.

Epic Games on GoG.com [Good Old Games via GI.biz]

They've got a pretty nice selection of titles, generally falling between the $5.99 and 9.99 price range, though they seriously need to get hopping on adding in some adventure games to the mix. The Fallout series is nice and all, but I crave pointing and clicking. Bring me Dark Seed and BloodNet and we'll talk.

Consider me intrigued. Also consider me not going anywhere near the service, because I have a buying disorder that doesn't register how many times purchases under $10 occur, leading to some surprising and painful math lessons once the bank statement hits. Slots are still available, so hit the link below to sign up today.

Good Old Games [GOG.com - Thanks to Paul for the Pic!]

You'll have to wait until September - it's currently in beta- but the site's teaser says it'll sell games for $5.99 and $9.99, and promises total DRM freedom:

You won't find any intrusive copy protection in our games; we hate draconian DRM schemes just as much as you do, so at GOG.com you don't just buy the game, you actually own it. Once you download a game, you can install it on any PC and even re-download it whenever you want, as many times as you need, and you can play it without an internet connection.

Whoa, really? Awesome.

Details after the jump.

Time Travel Invented. GOG.com Brings Good Old Games to the Present

CD Projekt Announces DRM-Free Online Store for Classic PC Games

Warsaw, Poland – July 10, 2008. CD Projekt, best known in the Western world for its award-winning PC RPG, The Witcher, is proud to unveil its invention of time travel. The company sent several representatives to the past and they’ve returned with some amazing findings. Quick to capitalize on the incredible treasures of history, the company is pleased to reveal its newest project, GOG.com. The site, whose name is an acronym for Good Old Games, is a new games-on-demand platform that allows old fogies (and young fogies) to buy some of the best PC games of all time – many of which just can't be found in stores anymore – and play them on modern hardware, completely free of intrusive DRM. GOG.com is poised to become the center of the classic-games universe with a huge community section including forums, user reviews and ratings, as well as insightful commentary and editorials from some of the industry’s most beloved writers. A closed public beta of the site is scheduled for launch on August 1st, and excited old-school gamers can sign up for more info and a chance to enter the beta by visiting GOG.com.

The site makes it tremendously easy for gamers to buy, download and install some of their all-time favorite PC games. The games will be sold for $5.99 or $9.99, are guaranteed to work on Windows Vista and Windows XP systems and are available to download as many times as needed. This is very nice, yes? The DRM-free games, low prices, the site’s ease-of-use and the community are some of the main features that make Good Old Games something more than just another digital distribution outlet.

GOG.com has already lined up agreements with such publishers as Interplay and Codemasters to make their games available on the site. Among the titles those companies are bringing to the site are in-demand classics like Fallout, Freespace 2, Operation Flashpoint: Game of the Year Edition and TOCA Race Driver 3. Negotiations are in progress with several other publishers, with the ultimate goal of GOG.com offering a comprehensive collection of classic PC games from the 80s, 90s and 2000s.

“Our main goal is to create a user-friendly site with the best classic PC games for a price that might be considered impossible to achieve,” said Adam Oldakowski, Managing Director of GOG.com. “The people behind GOG.com are gamers and we all know how difficult it is to find a lot of classic games. So we’ve started building a great games catalogue, gotten rid of the copy protection that gamers hate so much, optimized the games to work on modern operating systems, and made them cheap enough that piracy seems like a rip-off. It’s so easy to buy, download and install a game and then get deeply involved in the community; we’re very confident that gamers will absolutely love the site.”

Okay, so that part about inventing time travel was a lie. Sorry.

Any publishers interested in bringing their titles to GOG.com are encouraged to contact contact@gog.com.