It looks like that "IRL homescreen" that brings the feel of a digital library to your physical game shelf is going from strength to strength. In fact, it now features a secret mystery bookshelf-style mechanism that will save you from indecisiveness when choosing what to play, transforming the process into a roulette lightshow.
Created by AlmostInventor, the IRL homescreen project still lets you highlight games for retro consoles or even new releases on your shelf like you would using a digital library. The invention still lets you highlight real game boxes, view projected game art animation below, and easily grab each disc thanks to motors that shunt it forward, but there's now a faux box in there that'll initiate a randomizer that'll pick for you.
In earlier builds, the IRL homescreen setup used a Gambling machine-style lever at the side. For what it's worth, I loved the arcadey look of that setup, but AlmostInventor has now swapped that out with something a bit more Scooby-Doo-inspired. Upon pulling the "RANDOMIZER: Roulette" box forward, the software behind the scenes turns the Wii-inspired selection sounds into a spinning Wheel of Fortune chirp complete with random box highlights before eventually landing on a single pick.
The idea of game-picking randomizers isn't new, and digital versions for Steam will throw your library onto a spinning wheel. I'm even guilty of using similar custom tools for picking everything from what films to watch to boring freezer meals on a Monday, where picking is pain, so my ADHD brain can absolutely see the appeal of a system doing that for physical games on my shelf.
The IRL homescreen is very much a "proof of concept" for now, as it's still confined to a single square of an IKEA unit and covers a short stack of games. Keep in mind that the mechanism behind it is 3D printed and relies on games being in a specific place so the projector can highlight them using software, but I'm extremely keen to see if it can expand to cover an entire bookshelf or collection.
Ultimately, the project is just a bit of fun, but it could be interpreted as an important statement piece. Sony is pushing ahead with the discontinuation of physical PS5 games in 2028, and infusing digital features into a real-life collection demonstrates that players still want the best of both worlds.
On a related note, a preservationist brings back physical PC games using custom discs, proving we could still have physical media that'll work with Steam, GOG, and the Xbox App.
Check out the best retro handhelds for ways to play classic capers on the go.
