Gabriel Cornish

A Rebel's Guide To Gaming in 2026

The game industry is reaching maturity. That means growth will be harder to come by for most companies.

Naturally, these corporations will look to control and squeeze more money from their player base.

What this will look like:

Honestly, that's fine. Whatever. If this is the path they want to go down, we will take a different path.

If we follow some simple principles, we can take back power in how we choose to play games.

Some conveniences will be lost, but I think that's a feature, not a bug.

The principles below are listed from easiest to hardest to follow.

Default To Offline

Step one is to keep your gaming device in offline mode by default. Only turn it online if you plan to play multiplayer with friends or want to update a specific game.

If you never went online ever again with your console, you can ensure the playable games on your device are preserved.

While you're in offline mode, you're unreachable by the console manufacturer. There's nothing they can do. They can't force an update, collect your data, bug you with notifications, or remove the installed games on your device.

While you're at it, block all forms of automatic updating. This gives you the most control.

Own Your Games

Buy physical. Do a quick check to see if the full game is on the disc. If it is, you now own the game, and it cannot be taken from you.

If you're on PC, aim for DRM-free games. Storefronts like GOG are an underappreciated gem.

Lastly, cancel your gaming subscriptions.

You'll want to reduce dependence on digital platforms as much as possible. Yes, even Steam. If you absolutely have to buy digital because there is no other option, ensure you can launch the game in offline mode on your device.

Of course, there are less "legitimate" ways to claim ownership over games, but that's up to the individual.

Stay One Generation Behind

Force companies to earn your trust. Stay one hardware generation behind to evaluate whether the next generation lives up to the hype.

If you can stay multiple generations behind, even better.

By staying a generation behind, you save money and get the best of what that older generation has to offer. You also train yourself not to fall into the marketing hype the platforms depend on.

Older generations have games that are just as good as anything produced today.

Don't blindly rush into the next generation. At a minimum, make sure the next gen allows you to follow these principles in some way.

Avoid Firmware Updates

[If you're a PC gamer, you don't really have to worry about this part.]

Most consoles are locked-down ecosystems.

Eventually, these ecosystems get cracked open, and that will give you more freedom to do what you want on the hardware you bought.

By keeping your console on older firmware, you maximize the possibility of your firmware version being jailbroken in the future (if it hasn't been already).

There are no guarantees, but you can at least increase your odds.

Jailbroken hardware gives you the greatest level of control for preserving your games and playing the way you want to play on the hardware you bought and paid for.

Conclusion

By following these simple principles, your gaming hobby will look different. Your options may become more limited because these constraints are harder to adhere to in the year 2026.

But, I would argue, you set yourself up for a more fulfilling way of interacting with the hobby. You put yourself in control and send a clear message to the gaming industry:

They need you more than you need them.