Looking for a last-minute holiday gift for the gamer on your list? If you're pressed for time, and can't get to a store or wait for an item to ship, consider shopping on GOG.com, a Web store that sells downloadable video games.
Short for "good old games," GOG started off specializing in older and hard-to-find games, such as "Baldur's Gate" and "Ultima Underworld." Now, the store offers a considerable selection of video games — both new and old — including hit titles of 2013 such as "Outlast."
Unlike Steam, the biggest downloadable video game seller, GOG doesn't require users to install a client platform in order to play its games; you just download the game and play it.
GOG.com also prides itself on the fact that all games sold through its site come without digital rights management (DRM) software, making the site popular with those who disagree with the limitations DRM places on media.
It's easy to give video games through GOG.com. Here's how.
1. Sign up for a free GOG.com account. To do so, click "Login/signup" at the top of the screen. You'll need to enter an email address and a password, and that's it.
2. Choose a video game or games to purchase. Once you've made your choice, go to your cart, and either click "Gift entire pack" or check "This is a gift order." You'll be prompted to enter the recipient's email address and an optional note. Recipients will receive a code or codes that can be redeemed to download the games, but they'll need their own free GOG.com account in order to redeem the gift.
3. Enter your purchasing info and check out. You can use Visa, MasterCard, Amex, PayPal or PaySafe to make the purchase. Once it's complete you'll receive a confirmation email.
4. Bonus Step: Redeem a Gift. The recipient of a GOG.com gift will receive an email asking the giftee to sign into a GOG.com account. To redeem a GOG.com gift, go to the website and sign in to your GOG.com account or create a free account. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the button "Redeem gift." Then you'll be prompted to enter the code you received as part of the email telling you about the gift. Doing so will associate the games to your account so you can download them and start playing.
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