We live in an era when digital gaming is more popular than ever, and that comes with massive benefits—instant access, cross-progression across devices, and the ability to seamlessly update games with patches and fixes.
However, it also comes with plenty of less welcome elements. DRM limits what we can do with the games we own, while online services often come tied to expensive subscription models and annoying microtransactions. Our gaming systems are also terminally online, which can result in unwanted distractions.
For those of you keen to return to a time when gaming was a more straightforward affair, you might want to check out Kazeta, a lightweight operating system which "brings the console gaming experience of the '90s to modern PC hardware and games: insert cart, power on, play."
As highlighted by ETA Prime, Kazeta can be installed on your PC and transform it into an offline games console. It promises to be "direct" and "distraction-free", replicating the "classic '90s console experience."
It achieves this by allowing you to take your DRM-free games and create bootable 'carts' using SD cards or "other external media." Save data is captured automatically, and you even benefit from other bonuses, such as playtime tracking.
Kazeta supports modern AAA and indies, GOG and itch.io games, Linux and Windows titles and even retro games via emulation, and is pitched as the perfect OS for "kids, parents, and grandparents who just want to play."
If you want to learn more, check out the video above and head over to the official site.