Preservationists are fighting to keep physical media alive, but it turns out even shiny new PC games can be popped on discs and cartridges. In fact, you can theoretically turn any external storage you've got lying around, like old SD cards and USB sticks, into a game that will then automatically run when connected to your rig, and you don't have to use DRM-free storefronts.
Yes, we've witnessed enthusiasts using SSDs as faux retro console cartridges for your PC, but Archades Games (Ryan Enstrom) is going the extra mile with even more options. If you were at the Utah Retro GameXpo, you may have actually spotted the creator at a booth showcasing various discs that will work with Steam, GOG, and the Xbox app. However, if you're stuck on an entirely different continent like me, YouTuber Keegbots has you covered with a 7-minute chat on how the whole thing works.
"I started making digital games into physical games last year, and thanks to Sony, it's given me a nice boost this last month," explains Enstrom. When asked whether the discs rely on homebrew software, the creator clarifies that it's "all just on Windows right now" before delving into how the format uses existing operating system features and some clever "simple batch scripts and PowerShell" as workarounds.
The first example on the Archades Games table actually utilizes GOG's DRM-free and offline installers, something the storefront actively encouraged last month. The preservationist says those games simply require popping the installer in a folder, setting up a traditional autorun script, then burning it to a disc.
"GOG is the best way to go since they're all DRM-free," the creator advises while citing the licence covering offline installers. That said, the other storefront games featured at the table aren't sailing the seven seas of piracy (even though it looks exactly like a market stall from my childhood), as Enstrom confirms those still conform to digital rights management structures and clarifies, "I'm not interested in bypassing DRM."
That part of the conversation is the creators' queue to highlight the "cartridges" dressed up with pretty vinyl labels at the end of the booth, and they're actually harboring an HDD secret. While some of the examples, like Indiana Jones and the Golden Circle, are installed on SATA SSDs that are "still fast enough to run 99.9% of all games," some of the collection actually uses old 2.5-inch mechanical drives.
Given the price of storage right now, I'm delighted at the idea of recycling old HDDs into PC game cartridges. Sure, install times will be slower compared to the best SSD options today, but most games from before 2020 will load just fine from mechanical drives (I should know; I was still using one until then). The part that arguably matters more is getting each game's respective storefront to play nice with external media, and, surprisingly, the Xbox app is well equipped.
"The Xbox app is a lot nicer than it used to be," Enstrom claims. "It can dynamically detect drive changes, so you pop it in, it knows the game's installed and will run it, you pop it out, it knows the game is now installed anymore." That's something that's missing from Steam on Windows, as the app will still think the game you've played is installed locally.
It's extremely clear that Enstrom has been pouring his heart and soul into this physical PC game project for months, and he's even conjured up a custom UI for multi-carts like the Metal Gear Solid collection. As a fun side to the main quest, the creator has also made custom Blu-rays that package retro games and their respective ROMs together, meaning they will automatically install and launch. Keep in mind these are strictly for personal use only, but the idea of bundling emulators with ROMs in this fashion isn't too dissimilar to the way your Super Pocket will load Evercade cartridges.
Again, these discs and cartridges aren't going to be for sale, not unless publishers decide to pinch the idea and use it to resurrect physical PC games. That would be the ultimate middle finger to Sony, and I reckon even this personal-use proof of concept shoots down any reason to end PS5 discs in 2028. If you simply want to turn your own digital collection into something you can actually hold, Archades Games has you covered with a bunch of video tutorials and explainers.
If anything, projects like this give me hope that the gaming scene won't let physical media go down quietly. Let me know in the comments if you'll be turning your digital games into physical discs and carts, and if you'd rather just download everything, feel free to argue your corner.
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