I honestly never felt tempted to click on those.

Think I clicked on them once or twice in the beginning but never now. I agree - completely waste to have specific ads in the installer because it relies on a remote source that can change at any time. especially when games get delisted.

Would've been fun if they made an official "GOG roulette"-type page (like wheelhouse, pickagame, and gamegauntlets) and link to that instead in the installers. :D

Honestly, adverts in installers is not really a good idea, it is short term thinking, and not really necessary. Hasn't the customer seen enough adverts at GOG and in emails from GOG?

I can see some small justification for further games in the same series. But honestly, is the customer really ignorant enough for those?

In any case, it shouldn't be hard to provide dynamic links, that GOG redirect via a long term keyword.
But even those can fail, if an advertised game is no longer at GOG.

As it is though, GOG should not be updating advert links in existing installers, such that it seems like a game has had an update, when it hasn't.

It could be though, that GOG gets paid to do adverts, but they are only for a certain duration. So another reason not to bother, as they just make GOG seem b-grade when the links are broken.

your points is very valid. gog might not agree but, i do agree. it would certainly help to change them, so that they will connect if there is a connection, to find offers and if not, show nothing. they should change the ads without adding a blue dot to the installers.