Sony announced that it will halt PlayStation disc production by 2028, effectively moving the console ecosystem toward an exclusively digital library. This shift has sparked backlash among players who fear losing permanent control over the games they purchase.

GOG's Do‑It‑Yourself Solution

In response, GOG.com posted a short tutorial on X (formerly Twitter). The message read, "Download the offline installer of any of your games on GOG, save it to a disc, and it's yours forever. You don't need a storefront's permission to play what you bought." The post underscores the principle that ownership should not be contingent on a third‑party platform.

Limitations of the Approach

While the method offers an immediate remedy, it does not address every hurdle. Not all titles are available on PC, and many popular franchises—such as Ubisoft's catalog—are absent from GOG’s catalog. Moreover, certain games, even if technically archivable on a disc, require constant online connectivity, rendering them unplayable if servers shut down.

The Broader Digital Rights Issue

This problem predates Sony’s disc‑free vision. Always‑online games have long been vulnerable to the whims of the entities financing their servers. The real challenge emerges when storefronts themselves disappear—like the upcoming shutdown of the PlayStation Store for PS3 and Vita. Once offline, any digital purchases not already installed become inaccessible. Microsoft’s tentative disc‑to‑digital strategy hints at a possible workaround, but its scope remains uncertain.

Looking Ahead

GOG’s tutorial is a band‑aid for a systemic issue that may eventually demand legislative intervention. If players are to truly own their digital titles, clear legal frameworks must evolve. Until then, burning games to disc is a pragmatic, though temporary, safeguard.