GOG Galaxy is finally heading to Linux. GOG confirmed it during its first GOG Showcase, a stream marking the store's 18th birthday, in plain words: "GOG GALAXY is officially heading to Linux."
The timing comes from GamingOnLinux, which reports that full Linux support arrives in 2027 as part of a whole new release of Galaxy for all platforms. Neither GOG's post nor GamingOnLinux gives a month, so 2027 is as tight as the date gets right now.
GamingOnLinux also says GOG told it back in July that this work was under way. The Showcase is GOG saying so publicly.
What changes, and what doesn't
Linux isn't the only platform getting attention. GOG says it has reworked the client on Windows and Mac too, aiming to be simpler, run faster and offer cleaner ways to view your library.
Here's the bit that matters most if you've never touched a launcher and don't plan to. GOG says "our core promise stays untouched: GOG GALAXY is entirely optional." In its words, your games are "yours to download and keep through offline installers, exactly as they've always been."
So the launcher is an extra. On GOG's description, it won't become the price of entry on any platform, and that's the store's whole pitch.
What GOG's post doesn't cover is just as useful to know. It doesn't explain how Galaxy on Linux will handle games that only have Windows builds, and it doesn't list distributions or system requirements. Anyone planning around those details should wait for the beta.
How to get in early
GamingOnLinux says you can register for the beta on GOG's anniversary page, for whenever that beta arrives. No opening date has been given in either report.
GOG also opened sign-ups for a second project at the same time. GOG Social is a closed beta for a new community space, which GOG pitches as a tidier home for game talk that it says has been scattered across old forum posts, Discord servers and comment threads. Promised features include:
- Posts with screenshot galleries, videos and community polls, with threaded replies
- Tagging any title from the store so other players can jump to its page in one click
- Built-in spoiler tags and topic following
GamingOnLinux reads this as a modern social network and a bit of extra competition for the Steam Community.
The rest of the Showcase
Galaxy wasn't the only announcement. GOG says its Preservation Program now has more than 10,000 GOG Patrons across 100 countries, which it credits with over 1,700 under-the-hood fixes across more than 300 classics. Nox is the latest rescue: GOG says the community spoke up for it when asked what to save next.
GOG also announced Retrovibe by GOG, a publishing partnership it calls its first step into publishing, with a debut lineup led by Project Warlock: Lost Chapters. And seven EA Anniversary Editions landed on the store, including Wing Commander Prophecy, which GOG says it led the restoration on, and Road Rash.
Next up for Galaxy is the beta. GOG hasn't dated it, so for now the sign-up is the only step on offer.
Jax's take: Love this for Linux players, but the headline feature is still the one GOG didn't change. A launcher you can ignore completely is a great promise to keep. If the new Galaxy is good, people will use it because they want to, and that's how a launcher should have to earn its spot.
Reporting notes
