The future of physical games has been looking bleak lately, but ModRetro and its M64 console are proving that there is still very much a strong market left for these kinds of releases. ModRetro has been making waves in the news recently because of its mission to release brand-new Nintendo 64 games to the public, and they are all physical releases. As gaming barrels forward towards the future, ModRetro is more interested in looking to the past for inspiration, which has really piqued my interest.
As someone who has been working on collecting some of my favorite classic games and consoles for the past two years, ModRetro’s M64 is something I never thought I would see in 2026. The industry is quickly going in a direction where the future of physical media is in question, and it’s made a lot of longtime gamers and collectors worried about what that means for gaming as a whole. Even though current trends and news stories are painting a concerning picture of physical games, ModRetro is presenting a silver lining.
For those who aren’t aware, the M64 is ModRetro’s in-house console. It looks like a new Nintendo 64 from an alternative universe, and it already has a few of its own games to check out. That isn’t the only exciting thing about the M64, though. It fully supports classic Nintendo 64 games. So, longtime gamers who have been wanting to boot up some of their favorite classic N64 games but haven’t been able to because their systems have given away to age have a solid fix with the M64.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
It also presents the perfect moment for younger gamers who have never been able to get their hands on a Nintendo 64 console to finally experience a few of gaming’s most iconic titles in a similar way that they were intended to be played at launch. Yes, there are plenty of iconic Nintendo games from the 90s that can be played on the Switch 2, but there’s something special about getting to play it on the original console. The M64 may not be the OG, but it’s a fun replacement that has the potential to recapture that feeling.
A Look at the M64 and Its Games
- Priced at $229.99 USD.
- The console comes in four different colors: Clear, Purple, Green, and Red.
- Xeno Crisis
- Buck Bumble
- Extreme-G: Turbo Fusion
- Xibalba 64
Being priced at $229.99 isn’t exactly the cheapest, but considering the recent console price increases, its price point is enticing, especially if retro games are your particular thing. On the flip side, gamers who already own a functioning Nintendo 64 don’t even necessarily need to purchase an M64 console. The games listed above are all compatible with the original Nintendo 64, so the $229.99 price tag might not even be an issue. Buck Bumble and the games bundled into Extreme-G: Turbo Fusion were actually even originally released for the Nintendo 64.
Physical Games Are Worth Protecting, But They May Eventually Become More of a Niche Than a Norm
I, and many other gamers, want physical games to be the standard, but the unfortunate reality of the situation is that this is an unlikely scenario. Sony ending physical game production after 2028 is the biggest nail in the coffin that physical gaming has seen. It wouldn’t be surprising for other companies to eventually follow suit. Nintendo has already caused controversy with its use of Game-Key Cards for certain games. When the Switch 2 was announced last year, the reveal that Game-Key Cards are simply license keys within a physical box quickly caused heavy debate about the topic.
Even though current trends and news stories are painting a concerning picture of physical games, ModRetro is presenting a silver lining.
This year, the debate has quickly ramped up because of Sony’s choice. On top of that, Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive’s decision to make GTA 6‘s physical version a download code instead of an actual disc has added plenty of fuel to the fire. It’s been a wild time for physical game lovers, which makes ModRetro’s throwback console that much more intriguing.
Even After Physical Games Are No Longer the Norm, Projects Like ModRetro Are Bound to Rise Up
After ModRetro’s Xibalba 64 reviews drew a lot of positive feedback, many were in awe that gamers had a chance to actually purchase a brand-new game that was compatible with the Nintendo 64. Of course, Xibalba 64 isn’t a game that’s going to appeal to every kind of gamer, but that isn’t the point. It’s an option for those who love classic consoles and long for a simpler time in gaming.
Sony eventually ending physical game production has been so controversial that there are even Marvel’s Wolverine boycotts being proposed ahead of the game’s launch on September 15.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this didn’t kickstart a trend. Other developers and game lovers could potentially craft games that are compatible with the PS2 or the Wii. Granted, it’s far too early to say at the moment, but it’s not impossible. Sony’s PS6 and the next-gen Xbox might be mostly digitally focused, but that doesn’t mean that physical media has to disappear for good.
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Image via Sony -
Image via Sony -
Image via Rockstar Games
Looking to the music industry might actually offer some solid insight into what the future of gaming has in store. A lot of people are now solely focused on music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. However, there are specific corners that really love buying physical copies of music through vinyl and CDs. It’s just not as common as listening to music via streaming services. Gaming might soon find itself in a similar situation. Certain developers might craft games specifically for older consoles so they can release them on physical discs, so gamers can actually own them.
This isn’t a perfect fix to gaming’s physical media problem, but it’s better than nothing. I want physical games to last as long as possible, and if that means it has to come from retro-focused projects like ModRetro, then so be it. No more physical PlayStation games or Xbox titles make the future seem dark, but ModRetro proves there are certain workarounds that bring forth an unexpected upside worth being excited about.
