In response to the increasing shift towards all-digital game ownership and the recent announcement that Sony will end support for physical games on its consoles, a Reddit user has devised a novel "game cartridge" system for Steam. This setup involves installing specific games onto external 2.5-inch SSDs and utilizing a custom script to launch them automatically through Steam.
When a user connects one of these SSDs to a desk dock, the system boots the game. This process not only frees up space on the primary drive but also presents a visually appealing arrangement. The user's post detailing this creation has garnered significant attention on Reddit, with over 17,000 upvotes and nearly a thousand comments, with one user remarking, "We’ve officially come full circle. Physical media for pc is back, and it looks gorgeous."
While Steam's widespread adoption has contributed to the decline of physical releases on PC, rival platform GOG has maintained support for offline installers. Unlike many modern games that rely on "live" installers requiring server access during installation, GOG's offline installers are self-contained executables. Players can download these installers once and store them on physical media like discs or drives, allowing for game installation and play without an internet connection. This approach enables users to create true backups of their games, independent of digital storefronts.
GOG's ability to offer offline installers is attributed to its status as a Digital Rights Management (DRM)-free platform. DRM is a technology employed by companies to prevent piracy, often by mandating separate accounts or continuous internet connectivity for gameplay.
The concept of "ownership" in the context of digital storefronts such as Steam, PlayStation Network, Nintendo eShop, and Xbox's store is often debated. When a game is purchased digitally, consumers typically acquire a license to access the content rather than outright ownership. This license can be revoked at the storefront's discretion, potentially due to expiring contracts or the discontinuation of older console digital stores. This issue has been highlighted by incidents such as Sony removing over 500 films from PlayStation accounts due to licensing disputes.
These concerns over digital ownership have fueled negative reactions to Sony's decision to cease producing physical game copies by January 2028. In parallel, advancements in PS5 emulation are being accelerated by developers as players seek alternative methods to access games they have legitimately purchased but might lose access to in the future.