- Primary Subject: DIY Physical Media
- Key Update: A PC gamer repurposed old SSDs into physical game cartridges.
- Status: Published
- Last Verified: 2026-07-16
- Quick Answer: A PC gamer creatively turned old SSDs into physical game cartridges to replicate the nostalgic experience of physical media.
It is no secret that the digital age of gaming has completely robbed us of that tangible, cozy feeling of physical media. There is a generation of players who will never know the pure bliss of popping open a new game box, flipping through the (more often than not) useless manual, and sliding a disc into a wobbly Xbox disc tray to enjoy it with no extra download required.
We traded physical ownership for the cold convenience of massive launchers. Amid some rather controversial choices, like Sony pushing for an all-digital ecosystem starting in 2028, one PC player has cooked up a brilliant, DIY- way to bring that physical media magic back.
Shared on social media by Pirat_Nation, Reddit user u/Jibril-sama has bypassed the digital-only prison by literally turning old, used 2.5-inch SSDs into physical "game cartridges."
To do it, Jibril bought a batch of cheap, used 128GB SSDs for around €7 each. On each drive, they installed a single Steam game along with a small custom script. Now, whenever they want to play a game, they simply slide the SSD into an external reader. The script triggers instantly, firing up Steam and launching that specific game—replicating the classic "insert and play" console experience that’s virtually gone now.
Beyond the pure nostalgia rush you get from holding game cartridges, Steam at that no less, the project is actually incredibly practical. Instead of letting low-capacity drives rot in a drawer, Jibrili uses them to offload games they don't play as often, which in turn free up valuable space on their main rig.
It might not be a practical solution, but it’s a cute little novelty in a time in which every storefront and company is pushing hard for a dystopic all-digital gaming ecosystem.
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