An update on Steam / GOG changes for OpenTTD

Source: Hacker News

Update on Steam and GOG Changes for OpenTTD

I wanted to provide an update on the situation with OpenTTD on Steam and GOG, and what the Atari re‑release of Transport Tycoon Deluxe means for OpenTTD. There has been a lot of speculation and, in some cases, misinformation spread about what has happened. Our initial announcement perhaps didn’t provide as much detail as we could have, but I want to reassure OpenTTD fans that we have not been “pressured” by Atari to make these changes.

Collaboration with Atari

Atari approached us to explain their plans for the Transport Tycoon Deluxe re‑release and what it might mean for OpenTTD. They are keen to work with us and hope that the new release will be welcomed by the community that has been playing OpenTTD for the past 20+ years.

We discussed these plans and understood that a compromise would be needed to balance Atari’s commercial interests (which they are entitled to pursue as the rights holder) against the availability of a free, well‑developed evolution of the game. The decision was made that access to OpenTTD on these platforms would be conditional for new players: they must purchase Transport Tycoon Deluxe first, while retaining the ability to download OpenTTD for free from our website.

Some have suggested that we should have removed OpenTTD from Steam and GOG entirely, but that would have caused unnecessary disruption to the many thousands of people currently enjoying the game on these platforms and could have prevented new players from discovering the game in the future.

Importance of Transport Tycoon Deluxe

The OpenTTD project owes everything to Transport Tycoon Deluxe and to Chris Sawyer. Without TTD, there would be no OpenTTD—it’s as simple as that. As I covered in 2024, OpenTTD started off as a pretty much perfect clone of TTD, and though the game has evolved almost beyond belief since 2004, it is still rooted in the fundamentals of Transport Tycoon Deluxe.

Agreeing to collaborate with Atari on their re‑release not only enables players to go back and play the original game as it was in 1995, but also helps to ensure OpenTTD remains a thriving project for years to come.

Contributions and Support

As part of the discussions, Atari agreed to make a contribution towards the running costs of our server infrastructure. We are also extremely grateful for the many donations that have come in over the past few days from users—your support will help keep our services going, and it is deeply appreciated.

Community Response

I understand that these changes have provoked strong feelings in the community, but it is important to emphasize that Atari has worked collaboratively with us, and OpenTTD retains its full independence. Even after reading this, you may still not agree with the choices we’ve made, but I ask that you share your views respectfully.

The Transport Tycoon community has been a source of joy in my own life for well over a quarter of a century, and it would be fantastic for us to continue to enjoy these brilliant games well into the future.