- Two GOG executives were interviewed and asked about the backlash against Windows 11 and the increased interest in Linux.
- The owner said: “I am really surprised with Windows. It is such a poor quality software and product, and I am very surprised that it is [spent] So many years on the market. I can’t believe it!”.
- And the CEO noted that Linux was “one of the things we’ve put into our strategy for this year to look at more closely.”
We heard from a couple of the top executives behind GOG, a popular gaming platform focused on classic titles – hence the acronym ‘Good Old Games’ – and they made some withering comments about Windows 11, as well as hinting at how Linux will become more important to GOG in 2026.
The executives in question are new GOG owner Michał Kiciński and CEO Maciej Gołębiewski, who were interviewed by PC Gamer.
Our sister site asked about the backlash against Windows 11, which has reached new heights since Microsoft began pushing AI further into the operating system late last year, and the growing interest in Linux as a result (which was already sparked by the success of SteamOS on portable devices).
Kiciński said: “I am really surprised by Windows. It is such a poor quality software and product, and I am so surprised that it is [spent] So many years on the market. I can’t believe it!”.
Kiciński doesn’t run Windows 11, you might not be surprised to learn that he uses macOS, but sometimes he has to fix his parents’ PCs.
The owner further explained: “Sometimes I have to fix my mother’s or my father’s Windows computer, [and] It’s amazing… So I’m not surprised that people gravitate away from the Windows ecosystem.”
However, it was Gołębiewski who gave the big hint about Linux, when asked if gamers were adopting it as an alternative to Microsoft’s operating system.
The CEO said Linux was “one of the things we’ve put in our strategy for this year to take a closer look at,” but declined to elaborate, noting: “I don’t want to commit to any specifics, but you’ll certainly see this trend, and we also see that Linux is close to the hearts of our users, so we could probably do better on that front, and that’s something we’ll be looking at.”
Analysis: Linux is gaining strength (or is it the other way around?)
That last comment comes against a backdrop where Valve has made some laudable progress with SteamOS (and Steam Deck, as well as other laptops, are also using the platform). This has meant that more games are compatible with SteamOS, which really boosts the Linux compatibility front, and on top of that, we apparently also have the Steam Machine on the near horizon.
That compact device could be a landmark moment for easy and convenient living room gaming, potentially, and given all this, it’s no surprise that GOG will be looking at Linux more closely by 2026 and beefing up support for gaming on this platform.
What’s a little more surprising is the heat Windows 11 gets here, and the GOG owner pulls no punches in evaluating Microsoft’s operating system. Of course, part of what’s “unbelievable” to Kiciński is that Windows is “such poor quality software,” given that it’s been on the market for more than 30 years. (And, in fact, it has been around longer, but not as a full operating system, but simply as an interface overlaid on top of DOS.)
Of course, it’s not isolated to firing criticism at Windows 11, which many saw as a step back from Windows 10. Mainly because the performance of the newer OS was lacking compared to its predecessor in some aspects, particularly with search and File Explorer, and still is to this day, plus a bunch of features were removed with Windows 11 (although some have been added back since the OS launched in 2021).
However, the worst crime Microsoft is guilty of now, in the eyes of the growing ranks of detractors, is that big push to include more AI in Windows 11 instead of trying to fix those shaky foundations – the shoddy elements the GOG owner talks about.
The best graphics cards for all budgets
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
