Gold master
Also said as Going gold, Release candidate, RTM
The final approved build, the one that goes to the disc plant or the storefront. "Going gold" is named after the gold master discs that used to be sent for pressing.
It is the moment that can no longer be undone for anyone who buys a disc. Everything after it can only reach players as a patch.
Say it
“Release candidate 3 goes gold on Friday if it clears the test pass with no severity-one bugs. Anything we find after that goes in the day-one patch.”
Where you’ve seen it
CD Projekt Red announced that Cyberpunk 2077 had gone gold on 5 October 2020. Three weeks later it delayed the game from 19 November to 10 December, to get its day-one update right across nine platforms.
Not to be confused with launch
Going gold is when the build is finished and handed over. Launch is when players get it, and it may be weeks later.