OpenTTD Moves to Bundle Model on Steam and GOG

After five years of offering OpenTTD as a free standalone game on Steam, the developers have announced a significant change to how the popular transport simulation game is distributed on that platform. Starting immediately, OpenTTD will no longer be available for direct download on Steam. Instead, new players must purchase a $9.99 bundle that includes both the original Transport Tycoon Deluxe and OpenTTD as separate products.

The change affects both Steam and GOG.com stores simultaneously. Existing owners of OpenTTD on Steam will see no changes - the game remains in their library and will continue to receive updates as before. Players who need to reinstall can still access their existing copy.

This shift represents a notable departure from OpenTTD's long-standing free distribution model on these platforms. The developers emphasize that the game itself remains free and open source - the bundle simply serves as the mechanism for obtaining the Steam or GOG versions moving forward. Players can still download OpenTTD directly from the project's website without charge.

The bundle includes a newly re-released version of Transport Tycoon Deluxe, described as "a faithful emulation of Chris Sawyer's original Transport Tycoon Deluxe, now playable on modern machines." This represents Atari's involvement in the distribution change, as they now manage the Steam and GOG listings for Transport Tycoon Deluxe.

For players who have long wanted to experience the original game that inspired OpenTTD but were unable to purchase it, this bundle provides an opportunity to access both titles together. The developers stress that this distribution change has no impact on OpenTTD's development process, which continues to be handled by independent developers supported by the player community.

Other distribution platforms remain unaffected by this change. Players can continue to download OpenTTD from the official website or through other channels that previously offered the game. The development team maintains that their workflow, open source commitment, and update schedule remain unchanged despite the Steam and GOG distribution adjustments.

Support channels for OpenTTD remain the same, with the project's community handling questions, suggestions, and bug reports. Atari now manages support for Transport Tycoon Deluxe and the new bundle listings on Steam and GOG.