GOG is exploring the possibility of bringing back boxed PC games by letting customers order physical editions directly from their digital libraries. However, the idea remains in its early stages, with logistical challenges and publisher approvals still standing in the way. In the meantime, the company is taking smaller steps to revive the appeal of classic big-box editions.
I think a usb card would be the most cost effective option and It also has enough space to slap a sticker of the game on it. They would have to research it it’s something others would like or if limited edition reprints would be the most wanted ones, it would certainly be more profitable.
The disk is likely more cost-effective ( if only they’d continue to manufacture them ). Flash memory also degrades a lot faster than disk, especially if not read periodically.
Flash memory data retention isn’t that long unless it’s periodically powered up, the higher the levels per cell the worse it is (so, SLC - single level cell, where each cell only encodes 1 bit with 2 values - has far longer memory retention than QLC - quad level cell, where each cell encodes 4 bits with 16 values).
Meanwhile as somebody else already pointed out, stamped CDs and DVDs will last decades (this is not so for recordable ones, though if I remember it correctly even those last longer without content corruption than QLC flash).
A well manufactured laser disc can easily last 44 years as -somewhat- proven by the history of the compact disc. A solid state memory chip that can hold over 10 gigabytes of data -at a reasonable cost- cannot say the same. Maybe really good quality chips that nobody would ever pay for alongside a game could last 20 years, but realistically 10 years is a stretch without rewriting the data.
Even Switch 1 catridges are a bit suspect despite most of them being less than 32GB in capacity & thanks to scale being much much cheaper than anything GoG will be able to get their hands on for this.
I mean yes they could get manufacturing costs down to $3 per unit I’m sure, but that kind of defeats the purpose of anyone ever wanting to have a physical copy of a game. I think discs are just a much better long term storage medium.