Build a DRM-Free Game Library That Lasts

1. Decide what "library" means to you

Before you start hoarding installers, pick a goal. Do you want a curated shelf of your 30 favorites, a deep collection across a genre, or a preservation archive of overlooked indies? Your goal decides storage size, folder structure, and how strict you need to be about metadata.

2. Buy from DRM-free sources

• GOG — every game on the store is DRM-free, with offline installers.
• itch.io — the default for indie DRM-free releases; "claim" free games to keep them in your library.
• Developer direct stores — many studios sell straight from their site, often cheaper.
• Humble Bundle — many bundles include DRM-free downloads alongside Steam keys.

3. Download the offline installers

A storefront entitlement isn't ownership — the installer file is. Whenever you buy a DRM-free game, download the full offline installer (not just the launcher) and store it locally. On GOG that's the "Download offline backup installers" option; on itch.io it's the direct download button on the game page.

4. Use a clear folder structure

A structure that scales:

Games/
  Installers/
    PC/
      Stardew Valley/
        stardew-valley-1.6.15-installer.exe
        cover.jpg
        notes.txt
      Celeste/
        celeste-1.4.0.0-linux.tar.gz
    Mac/
    Linux/
  Saves/
  Mods/

One folder per game. Keep the version in the filename. A tiny notes.txt with the storefront, purchase date, and any launch quirks pays off in five years when you've forgotten everything.

5. Back it up — properly

Follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies of the data, on two different media, with one copy offsite.

• Local working copy on your main drive or NAS.
• External drive updated monthly. Cheap, fast, and survives a cloud outage.
• Offsite copy — encrypted cloud storage (Backblaze, rsync.net) or a drive at a friend's house.

Verify backups every few months. A backup you've never restored from isn't really a backup.

6. Keep metadata with the files

Storefront pages disappear. Store the cover art, a short description, the developer's name, and a link to their site alongside each installer. Tools like Playnite (Windows) or Lutris(Linux) can manage all of this in a single library view and launch DRM-free installers directly.

7. Re-download updates on your schedule

DRM-free games still get patches. Once or twice a year, refresh installers for games you actively play. Keep the previous version too — sometimes a patch breaks a save format or removes a feature, and the old installer is the only way back.

8. Support the developers

Owning a DRM-free copy doesn't mean ignoring the people who made it. Buy direct when you can, leave reviews, and tell other players. A healthy DRM-free ecosystem depends on indie devs being paid for their work.

9. Stay legal

DRM-free is not a synonym for free. Pay for what you play, and only archive games you've actually bought or that the developer has released for free. Preservation works when ownership is respected.