The Shattered Star

With Sony announcing the end of PlayStation discs, I got thinking about the history of physical discs on PC. What were the last games you purchased which included a DVD?


Mine were Overwatch: Origin Edition in 2016, and Elder Scrolls Online in 2015. It's been 10 years. Even for those, I bought them because they were cheaper than digital and included extra content. I didn't install from the discs but rather redeemed the included codes.



The last PC game I actually installed from the disk may well have been Fallout 3, all the way back in 2008.

Even so, I'm a big supporter of DRM-free platforms like GOG and Itch.io, and I would welcome physical releases on SD card or a similar modern format.

What were your last physical game purchases?

Now this is an interesting question!

I actually decided last year I wanted to have a display of kinda my "gaming history", but because many of the games I played when I was younger were lost and/or (yarr) copied (plus, some got thrown out when I moved into my own place a while back), I didn't actually have versions of many of them that I could display - I certainly did some (still had my launch box copy of WoW for example), but certainly nowhere near enough for the full display.

I spent a good bit of time and money buying physical copies of pretty much everything I can recall that had a physical edition (sorry Endwalker) and meant something to me so that I could create that display. And I also picked up old "big box" copies of the most special games to me.

Few pics of my resulting display (you all may see some old favourites there - finding a still sealed boxed copy of NC2 was a particular highlight, plus the JP boxed copy of Heavensward was expensive but I also happen to think it looks incredibly cool). I am super happy with it, and it brings back fond memories whenever I look at it, reminding my why I really value physical copies of stuff.





In terms of a copy of something 'new' that I played though. I bought the Steelbook version of Metaphor Refantazio last year, which was obviously physical but came with a code. The last game I bought that I installed from disk would, I think, be Life Is Strange: Before the Storm Limited Edition in 2018.

Even if they don't come with actual disks, I wish more games still came with physical releases.

That is a truly amazing collection, especially to have amassed in only a year! Wow, so many favorites indeed!

I wish I had a nice DVD case for Freelancer. I distinctly remember my CD stuffed into a cardboard sleeve instead of a "proper" jewel case. I also remember my second copy of Morrowind being imported from Europe because of the superior packaging. DVD in a slim case. There was a brief stint where it seemed the US market was slow to adopt DVDs for games.

Kon wrote: I wish I had a nice DVD case for Freelancer. I distinctly remember my CD stuffed into a cardboard sleeve instead of a "proper" jewel case. I also remember my second copy of Morrowind being imported from Europe because of the superior packaging. DVD in a slim case. There was a brief stint where it seemed the US market was slow to adopt DVDs for games.

You may be right here. I don't recall ever in my life getting games in cardboard sleeves - sometimes multi-disk games had the extra disks in paper sleeves, but they were always held within the bigger plastic jewel case.

I always assumed we took that from the US as it was the bigger market, but maybe it's the other way round as you say! I guess, as with any media, businesses don't often think about how people might want to store and preserve their copies in x years, they just look at what's easiest to distribute (sadly).

Glad you enjoyed too

Based on the pictures below, my last PC physical release would be three games... Battlefield 4, Left 4 Dead 2 & Need for Speed Rivals.

My console games (PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U): My Vita games: PC & Linux games in DVD cases: PC & Linux games in sleeves: Old CD games that date back to 1995:

Having Darwinia and Defcon on disc is absolutely bonkers. Even Shogo, which was very niche at the time.

An impressive collection of titles, including some of the only Linux ports on disc!

Kon wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 17, 2026 2:47 pm

Having Darwinia and Defcon on disc is absolutely bonkers. Even Shogo, which was very niche at the time.

An impressive collection of titles, including some of the only Linux ports on disc!

I remember completing both Defcon & Darwinia. At one point, the only gaming I did on a PC was Linux & bought most everything I could from LGP... no Windows at all! I do recall Anny making fun of that once or twice.

Slacker wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 17, 2026 3:33 pm

Kon wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 17, 2026 2:47 pm

Having Darwinia and Defcon on disc is absolutely bonkers. Even Shogo, which was very niche at the time.

An impressive collection of titles, including some of the only Linux ports on disc!

I remember completing both Defcon & Darwinia. At one point, the only gaming I did on a PC was Linux & bought most everything I could from LGP... no Windows at all! I do recall Anny making fun of that once or twice.

Only once or twice though

And god, Darwinia!!! I haven't heard that mentioned in so many years now! Now that IS a blast from the past! You have good taste, sir!