Blizzard's pulling of Warcraft I and II tests GOG's new Preservation Program

Blizzard’s Delisting of Warcraft I & II from GOG

• Many see Blizzard’s request to pull the classic, DRM‑free bundle as a way to push players toward new remasters and Blizzard’s own store bundles.
• Some suspect artificial scarcity to drive last‑minute sales; others note Blizzard now sells essentially the same DOSBox builds on Battle.net, likely with DRM.
• Several argue this erodes already‑weak goodwill and reinforces a pattern of “killing” older products that compete with new offerings.

GOG’s Preservation Program & Store Practices

• GOG will keep installers available and continue technical maintenance for existing buyers, framing this as part of its Preservation Program.
• Some praise GOG as “least bad” among major stores: DRM‑free downloads, offline installers, and long‑term access.
• Others are skeptical, citing broken games (e.g., cutscenes not working) and a long‑broken account as evidence GOG can’t reliably honor maintenance promises.

Ownership, DRM, Piracy, and Copyright

• Strong support for true ownership of digital games, including legal rights to back up abandoned titles.
• DRM is criticized as turning purchases into leases and as harmful to consumer rights and cultural preservation; some even argue it’s a broader democratic risk.
• Copyright length is seen as excessive; shorter terms or legal preservation exceptions are proposed.
• Piracy is framed both as necessary preservation and as a security risk compared to signed GOG installers.

Quality of Remasters and Technical Updates

• Warcraft I is widely seen as needing a UX overhaul; Warcraft II less so.
• Blizzard’s remasters (especially Warcraft III: Reforged and its “2.0” facelift) are heavily criticized as low‑effort, AI‑upscaled, and sometimes worse than originals.
• By contrast, Diablo II: Resurrected and StarCraft remasters are praised.

Blizzard’s Reputation and Corporate Trajectory

• Numerous comments describe a decline from “when it’s ready” craftsmanship to rushed, monetization‑driven decisions: WC3 Reforged, Overwatch 2, WoW bugs, Real ID, cancelled projects.
• Overwatch 2 in particular is cited as a betrayal: shutting down OW1, adding aggressive monetization, and abandoning promised PvE content.
• Some tie this to public‑company pressures and “stock price as the metric,” arguing that privately held studios (e.g., Valve is mentioned) avoid some of these pathologies.

Political Controversies and GOG’s Principles

• GOG’s stance against Blizzard is contrasted with its earlier removal of the Taiwanese game Devotion after Chinese backlash over an in‑game Xi Jinping joke.
• Some see GOG as unprincipled and prone to political pressure; others argue it’s primarily a pragmatic, profit‑seeking store that happens to oppose DRM.
• Discussion branches into how easily player review‑bombing and state‑driven campaigns can shape distribution decisions.

Player Impact and Broader Industry Trends

• Commenters lament that delisting classics and enforcing online/DRM pushes players toward piracy and undermines game history.
• GOG is valued as a way to “lock in” childhood favorites before they disappear or are altered.
• Several express a shift in personal behavior: avoiding Blizzard, favoring DRM‑free stores and indie titles, and stockpiling offline installers as a hedge against future removals.