GOG Explores Reviving Physical PC Game Releases, Faces Logistics Hurdles

GOG business development and partnerships manager Marcin Paczynski said in an interview with GamesRadar+ that he wants to bring physical media back to PC gaming. The DRM-free storefront still has to handle logistics and obtain additional publisher approvals before it can store and sell physical games. Paczynski hopes the move would give gamers more consumer freedom through tangible physical media.

Why GOG wants physical games

The PC was effectively the first platform to ditch physical games. Paczynski's interest comes as Sony and Microsoft face unpopular plans to stop producing physical games on their consoles. GOG wants to bring the box-fresh experience back to PC gaming and further advocate for game ownership and preservation, alongside its existing GOG Preservation Program efforts to make old games playable on modern hardware.

Logistics and publisher approvals

Paczynski described an ideal scenario in which customers could buy physical versions of games on GOG, select a game from their shelf, order it, and receive it. He also said GOG would need additional approvals from publishers to sell physical copies. The company has never kept physical inventory or handled shipping and other logistical problems before, so the business would be new for GOG.

Possible formats and extras

Paczynski did not provide details on what physical media the games would use. Because optical disc drives are rare on PCs now, CDs, DVDs, or Blu-rays are unlikely. The games could instead be delivered on media still accessible by most PCs, such as USB drives, or SD cards packaged like Nintendo Switch cartridges. Physical copies could also give gamers more agency over their games and potentially revive a used market where players can swap, buy, and sell games among each other. Publishers could also use physical releases to provide exclusive bonuses such as stickers, maps, secrets, and lore.

Sources: Tom's Hardware