GOG is delisting Warcraft 1 and Warcraft 2 from its store at the request of Blizzard just weeks after the games entered its preservation program and, perhaps not coincidentally, just weeks after Blizzard released remastered versions of both games.
The CD Projekt-owned storefront announced the two games will be delisted on December 13 "at the publisher's request." Those who own them through GOG can still expect "a seamless experience and tech support" that will preserve "their experiences for years to come," however.
GOG is also offering fans who don't yet own Warcraft 1 and 2 a discount code for the games, with users who enter "MakeWarcraftLiveForever" able to get a $2 or equivalent price reduction on the bundle containing both (otherwise priced at $14.99).
The removal comes exactly one month after Blizzard released remastered versions of Warcraft 1 and 2, which are available on Battle.net for $9.99 and $14.99 respectively. The original versions of both games are also still available to purchase for $5.99 and $9.99 respectively.
The GOG Preservation Program was also announced in November as a means to ensure the longevity of over 100 games such as Fallout: New Vegas, The Witcher 2: Assassin's of Kings, Resident Evil, and more. Warcraft 1 and 2 feature on this list too, and GOG has used their delisting as an opportunity to make clear it will continue to support Preservation Program games even if they're removed from sale.
"Once a game joins the Program, we pledge to maintain its compatibility even if it gets delisted from the store," it said. "This means that owners of those titles can still expect a seamless experience and tech support for those titles. This also considers potential changes in Windows OS that may impact games' playability."
Preservation is a growing concern for video game fans worldwide who worry about games new and old losing functionality as time goes on. A chief example comes in The Crew, which Ubisoft removed from sale and took offline in March. This means The Crew, which was released in 2014, can no longer be played in any capacity, now or in the future. It no longer exists.
The Crew was an online-only game and therefore part of a category perhaps more at risk of delisting, but even single-player games are increasingly becoming at risk. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, for example, is a purely single-player game that launched only partly on-disc. It otherwise required a download for the complete game, and therefore its physical version cannot exist without an internet connection.
GOG said it wants hundreds of games to enter the GOG Preservation Program by the end of 2025, and that it currently has a long backlog of games currently being evaluated. Each game must pass through many quality tests before it is deemed of a high enough standard to enter the GOG Preservation Program. Games which fail will be improved upon until they match GOG's standards.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
