The OpenTTD team has clarified recent changes affecting the game's availability on Steam and GOG, addressing community concerns about Atari's Transport Tycoon Deluxe re-release. The developers emphasized they weren't pressured by Atari but chose to collaborate, implementing a compromise where new players must purchase Transport Tycoon Deluxe before accessing OpenTTD on these platforms.

This decision balances Atari's commercial rights as the original game's rights holder against OpenTTD's free availability. The team explained that completely removing OpenTTD from Steam and GOG would have disrupted thousands of existing players and potentially blocked new players from discovering the game. OpenTTD's origins trace back to being a near-perfect clone of Transport Tycoon Deluxe from 1995, and the collaboration ensures both the original game and its open-source evolution can coexist.

The partnership includes Atari contributing to OpenTTD's server infrastructure costs, while the project maintains full independence. The developers acknowledged strong community reactions but stressed that Atari worked collaboratively throughout discussions. They also expressed gratitude for recent donations that will help sustain OpenTTD's services.