Hey guys, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but maybe some of you will like the idea.

After seeing Sony announce the end of physical games, I got inspired by creators like ArchadesGames on YouTube to build my own physical "cartridges" for PC games using SD cards.

As a sysadmin, I wanted a plug-and-play framework for DRM-free games that:

• Works cross-platform (Windows & Linux).
• Has zero or minimal OS footprint.
• Keeps save files on the Card (or syncs them back necessary)
• Gives that physical, "one game at a time" single-purpose console feel—no secondary screen distractions, no decision fatigue.

I spent a few days putting together DreamCard (DRM(free) + Card). Here is how it works:

First Time Windows

• The first time I insert an SD card formatted configured as DreamCard into the computer, I can install an autostart script. This script mimics the functionality of the autostart.inf files from the early 2000s, but only responds to DreamCards.

User Experience

• Windows: I insert the game into my computer's SD card reader, and the launcher starts. It's modeled after the DreamCards design, launches the game, handles game file synchronization in the background for games that inevitably need to write to the user directory, displays the playtime, and essentially serves as the landing page. I press “Launch Game” and my game starts
• Linux (Ubuntu/Proton): Plugging the card into Linux reveals an additional partition (ext4 for Proton runtime data). Instead of the launcher, running a simple shell script launches the game through Proton with access to the exact same saves as Windows.

Partition Structure

SD Card
├── Partition 1: Companion [exFAT]
│   ├── Install_Companion.bat / UnInstall_Companion.bat
│   └── scripts/ (PowerShell detection scripts)
├── Partition 2: Proton [ext4]
│   └── (Proton prefix & runtime data)
└── Partition 3: GameData [exFAT]
├── Launcher.ps1 / Start_Game.ps1 / Start_Game.sh
├── resources/ (game icon, metadata JSON)
└── game/ (Complete DRM-free game directory)

Current Status & To-Dos

• Tested Games: Currently working with Gothic 2, Dragon Age: Origins, and Morrowind (via OpenMW because why not).
• Linux Integration: Linux isn't my main strength yet, so while the shell execution works via Proton, I'd like to clean up the backend logic eventually. Some games need a bit more work for the save sync on Linux.
• Compatibility: Needs broader testing across distros (Bazzite, Debian, SteamDeck).
• Witcher 3: Or something more modern that needs to run on an SSD or a faster SD Card. Havent reached the speed limit of the sd card yet
• Shelf Space: As soon as the cases and printable stickers arrive, I plan to add the games to my collection. Of course, I still need to come up with covers and a consistent design language.

Would love to hear thoughts, edge-case warnings, or ideas to make it more fun.

Oh, and the GUI looks a little overdesigned on purpose. I wanted a mix of 80s synthwave aesthetics and hypermodern design. I think it looks like fun, not a work application.