GOG Galaxy update adds rollback feature and pausable downloads

GOG Galaxy

I have to agree with James' assessment of GOG's Steam-like desktop client Galaxy: A big part of why I like it (and I do like it) is that it's not overloaded with extraneous bells and whistles. Even so, I also dig the changes made in the 1.1 update released today, which includes a new "rollback" feature that will revert a game to its previous state if an update happens to break something.

Other additions to Galaxy include new installation options that enable control over language and directories, an improved friend search, a pause and resume function for downloads, a smaller sidebar, and better overall performance through decreased RAM and CPU usage, plus GPU acceleration under Windows and App Nap support on Mac OSX.

"We know that patches can occasionally break a game or affect your mods," Piotr Karwowski, GOG's vice president of online tech, said in a statement. "With the newest update to GOG Galaxy, we're giving our users more control over their games and patches, but also addressing many of the top requests from our community."

The 1.1 update is available now to Galaxy users who have opted to receive preview updates, and will be rolled out to everyone else "very soon." If you don't want to wait, go into your Galaxy settings and check the "Receive preview updates to testing upcoming features" option (taking note of the "at your own risk" disclaimer), click OK, then exit and restart the program. Upon restarting it will download the update, install it, crash—at least it did for me—then spontaneously restart. Voila! Galaxy 1.1 is in the house. There's not much more to it than that but if details are your thing, you may find them at gog.com/galaxy.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.