PSA Digital distribution platform GOG, formerly Good Old Games, might not get as much attention as Steam or the Epic Games Store, but its 4,000+ DRM-free titles make it a popular option for gamers. However, the CD Projekt-owned company is informing users of a new policy that will see cloud saves above a certain size deleted.
GOG is sending out emails stating that as of August 31, 2024, cloud save files that exceed the default allocation limit of 200 MB per game will be deleted. Local saves will be unaffected, of course, but those who play their GOG games on multiple devices or simply like the security of cloud backups might be disappointed by the change. It will also affect those who uninstall games but prefer to keep their saves in case they decide to re-install said titles.
GOG writes that as the size and number of games increase, so does the demand for cloud storage. It says the limits ensure that all players have access to sufficient and manageable space for their game progress, and – likely the more important factor – the associated costs are kept under control.
After August 31, GOG will start deleting cloud save files over 200 MB. The first items to be erased will be unnecessary files: anything unrelated to the game that has ended up in the cloud save folder.
If the save folder for a game is still over 200 MB the save files themselves will be deleted. GOG will start from the oldest ones and stop when the remaining files fit the allocation limit.
GOG has a how-to page for backing up cloud save files to a local machine. It's advisable to do this before logging into the service, accessing the Cloud Saves Management section, reviewing your saved data, then deleting any unnecessary files or old saves.
GOG says users will continue to receive notifications from the company until all their cloud save files are within the allocated limits.
Having both Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on GOG meant I was one of the users to receive the notification: The Witcher's cloud save folder was 667MB, while Cyberpunk's was 618MB. But then hundreds of hours of gameplay make for a lot of manual and autosaves.