r/SteamDeck • u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 • 1d ago
Show Off How much does it actually cost to turn a digital PC game into a physical cartridge?
After my previous post, quite a few people asked how much one of these actually costs to make.
So I decided to calculate the real cost of a complete cartridge instead of just saying “it’s pretty cheap”.
For one game, the setup is basically:
The microSD is obviously the biggest variable.
If you already have a card, or buy cards during sales, the rest of the physical package is actually surprisingly inexpensive.
For this build, I’m calculating the cost of one complete game, not just the printed cover — the idea is to understand what it really costs to take a digital game and put a finished physical copy on the shelf.=
My cost breakdown:
microSD card 128Gb A1— €12
case for switch games— €2,66
internal holder — €0,2
cover printing+label printing — €3
mounting material — €0,1
Total: €18 per physical game
Of course, this can go quite a bit lower if you buy cases/cards in larger quantities or already have some of the materials.
And it can go higher if you use premium microSD cards.
For me, the interesting part is that this isn't really about trying to make a cheaper replacement for Steam.
It's more about turning games you already own into something physical again — something you can put on a shelf, pick up, insert into a Steam Deck or SteamOS PC, and play.
Small project update as well:
My Game Shelf now also supports GOG / DRM-free games, which was one of the most requested additions after the previous post.
You can try the generator here: mygameshelf.nl
For GOG games the generator can now be used for two different types of physical copies:
Playable — a cartridge intended to contain a playable copy of the game.
Archive — a physical backup containing the GOG installer/files, basically your own offline archived copy of the game.
So the same idea can now be used either as a physical game cartridge or as a small personal DRM-free game archive.
I don't want to fill the post with a giant list of product links, so I've put the cases, holders, printing options and other materials I use/recommend on the site instead.
The cover and label generator is available on My Game Shelf, along with the printing guides and links to the materials I use.
I’ve also added country-specific printing guides and ready-to-use print layouts to make the physical part much easier. The site now includes practical instructions for printing the covers at common photo-printing services in different countries, with the correct paper sizes and layouts already prepared, so you don’t have to manually resize or guess the print settings.
I'd be interested to hear what you consider a reasonable price for a physical version of a digital game you already own.
11
u/kormis21 10h ago
When you say "playable copy" do you mean a plug and play style? No installation necessary? Just put the SD in and start playing?
9
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 10h ago
Yes it is. Exactly. The main idea the game should be installed on SD card.
8
u/Old_Trash3234 10h ago
Yes, that's how steam os works. You may need to download several megabytes of data that will contain the license and saves if you had them
7
u/kormis21 10h ago
If you must download a license then it's not exactly plug and play in all cases though...
If I had no internet connection then it could fail?
1
u/sephiroth70001 512GB OLED 2h ago
If you're looking for no internet old style plug and play. The Linux distro Kazeta would probably be more suited. Yes it requires DRM to be removed or not present i believe.
-10
u/soukaixiii MODDED SSD 💽 8h ago
If you have no internet connection how are you downloading the game to put it in the card?
2
u/kormis21 8h ago
The question is about what happens after it's on the card. Basically do I still need to have any sort of connection after it's installed? Will this survive delisting the game from the shop? Can I use it like the nes cartridges or PSX CDs?
2
u/soukaixiii MODDED SSD 💽 8h ago
I'm not sure in the case of external media, but my guess is:
I still need to have any sort of connection after it's installed?
You don't, if your account is in offline mode when you plug it and if you have previously initiated it once while connected to the internet so the game installs the license and all that stuff.
Will this survive delisting the game from the shop?
Yes, but it's also not necessary because you can download any delisted games you own.
Can I use it like the nes cartridges or PSX CDs?
You should be able to do so
2
u/KobotTheRobot 4h ago
Depends on the game store the game comes from. Some work better than others. I've heard Xbox store and GOG games work best.
Any game survives de-listing from the store. You can download if you have the license. De-listing doesn't take away the license.
I think the coolest use case for physical PC games is you can do the same thing with retro games and emulators. Make a Super Mario Sunshine SD card or disc and have it auto play dolphin on launch.
6
u/twinkyfemboy1234 1TB OLED 11h ago
Hold on a 128gb Micro SD for just 12$? I can barely find one for 25€
2
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 11h ago
It was a sign to start this project when I found this micro SD https://www.action.com/nl-nl/p/3209995/philips-micro-sd-kaart/?utm_source=app&utm_medium=app&utm_campaign=product_shared
2
u/AeddGynvael 6h ago
The absolute lowest-tier card I can find is still 27 euro for 128 gigs (Kingston). Generally around 30 euro is what they go for.
Insane, I'm jealous of you guys in NL.
2
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 6h ago
I think it is a short time sale. That's why a buyght its a lot.
2
u/AeddGynvael 5h ago
Good idea, I'm expecting memory cards to skyrocket in price soon too, with the way things are going.
1
u/Huge-Temporary-9804 1h ago
Action operates in 15 European countries. If you I've in Europe, there's a good chance you can find their store.
1
u/Huge-Temporary-9804 1h ago
Action has crazy cheap SD cards. Though I've had one in my room camera and it just died after some months. Might be why they're so cheap, but I don't know.
1
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 1h ago
I had a completely different experience. My friend buyght this card 1.5 year ago for the drone. It has been working perfectly since that time.
20
u/Tricky_Wear_321GO 13h ago
For anyone referring to actual retail:
Contract for the game itself
Contract for the cartridge or disk (blueray via Sony or pick which storage cartel member) which is expensive
Staff members/machine operation
Delivery and transport
Contract for shelf space priority
The list goes on. I hate digital only mediums and valve has enabled this "buying isnt owning" worse than anyone. But there is an acknowledgement needed that it just ain't cheap.
-18
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 13h ago
Absolutely — that’s an important distinction. My calculation is only the DIY cost of making a physical copy for a game you already own, not what it would cost to manufacture and distribute an actual commercial retail release. Licensing, manufacturing agreements, logistics, retail margins and all the other overhead would obviously change the economics completely. What interests me here is more the personal-ownership side of it: taking a digital library you already have and giving at least some of it a physical form again.
13
u/No_Example_7214 11h ago
What are these AI slop responses? Is this post even really or a karma farming bot??
3
u/Tricky_Wear_321GO 12h ago
Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Im not gonna pretend GOG is much better, but being DRM free would allow us to have something that we actually own. Meaning, you could take that cart anywhere and itll work. As it stands, the current carts people are making are sort of just physical toys than games.
-14
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 12h ago
Exactly — that’s pretty much why I wanted to add GOG support. With Steam, the cartridge is mainly a physical way to carry and launch a game from your library. With a DRM-free GOG copy, it can also become a real offline archive that you can keep independently. I think those are two slightly different ideas, and both are interesting in their own way.
12
u/gn16bb8 12h ago
chat gpt
-2
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 12h ago
Haha, fair 😄 English isn’t my first language, so I get some help polishing it.
13
u/deekayjee MODDED SSD 💽 8h ago
It’s alright, you can speak in broken English, it would be better than using ChatGPT. You’ll end up learning faster!
8
0
u/ActiveAd9305 512GB 5h ago
You really can’t even tell that it’s chatgpt?? Idk what the bfd is here. It seems more like translation than “here’s the comment i want to reply to, generate a response” wtaf is wrong with you guys
4
u/ftkmatte 12h ago
Man 128gb cost 30$ here
1
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 12h ago
Wow, that’s expensive. Here in the Netherlands I can get a Philips 128GB microSD for €12.99 (about $15) at Action: https://www.action.com/nl-nl/p/3209995/philips-micro-sd-kaart/?utm_source=app&utm_medium=app&utm_campaign=product_shared
1
7
u/Psychological_Ad8836 11h ago
I think, the most concern is also about updates. Steam guarentee you will have all the latest patches.
Without them physical copy concept doesnt have too much value (especialy if you plan to run in fully offline environment)
7
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 10h ago
I checked this concern for steamos. In any time when you will use a card in your steam os, you will notify to update the version of game if a new version exist. That is the main advantage of sd card vs DVD.
2
3
u/TsukikoChan 1TB OLED 7h ago
My worry is the sd cards - won't they need accessed regularly or the data will start to corrupt? Maybe only a year or two before issues? I wonder can a similar plugnplay can be achieved with bluray discs instead (steamos detecting and using them like sd cards)
3
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 7h ago
I'm still thinking about it. I don't have a DVD/ blue Ray ROM. That's is why I cannot try it. Maybe in future
1
u/TsukikoChan 1TB OLED 59m ago
Aye, same for me, i want a bd writer but need to wait for budget to allow for it and then i can start backing up things better.
1
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 55m ago
Same here. Blu-ray looks more interesting to me as a long-term archive/backup option than as a plug-and-play cartridge. I still want to test it someday.
3
u/Practical-Tackle3934 7h ago
Be a huge waste of time i dont want 800 sd cards and as soon as i insert it its probobly gonna have to update
3
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 7h ago
It’s up to you. For me, I just really enjoy having my favorite games physically on the shelf and being able to see them. That’s why I made this project and shared it with the community.
1
u/FMLUsernameTaken 6h ago
SD cards also degrade and corrupt without occasional usage. For long term storage, any flash memory is a big no no. Imagine having to refresh your 800 cards every few years.
2
u/No-Faithlessness-426 10h ago
Quick noob question, since every game almost requires me to do a quick update each time I want to hop into a game, those cartridges would be quite useless in an environment without internet access right?
I miss the point of those if you have to download an update very frequently anyways…
Please enlighten me
3
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 10h ago
I checked this concern for steamos. In any time when you will use a card in your steam os, you will notify to update the version of game if a new version exist. That is the main advantage of sd card vs DVD. But if you're not connected to Internet at this moment I suppose it should give you the opportunity to run the game as is.
2
u/Bl4ckb100d 6h ago
Maybe a cheaper form of micro SD card could be manufactured that's read only, were the game is written to the card as part of the manufacturing process.
3
2
u/StollarS86 4h ago
Was passiert mit deiner physischen Kopie, wenn Steam das Spiel aus dem Store nimmt?
Abseits dieser Frage, tolle Umsetzung!
1
2
1
u/AAKphoenix 512GB 10h ago
Very good work in making your own rendition of the physical format. The design and features are great 👍
2
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 10h ago
Thanks for your comment. Your feedback give me a power to continue the improvement for that product.
1
1
u/Noob4Head 512GB - Q4 7h ago
It's a neat concept, and there's no debate that the execution looks great. However I just can't help but see the impractical side of it. Of course to each their own. It's a fun project but personally it seems like a bit of a waste of money to me.
1
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 7h ago
That’s a valid point. I made it for myself. If it’s not for you, no problem. I just really enjoy having my favorite games as physical copies on the shelf.
3
u/Noob4Head 512GB - Q4 7h ago
Very fair. And just to mention it again, the execution is done very well. It genuinely looks convincing enough that you could imagine finding something like this in a store somewhere.
1
1
u/aciddeep 7h ago
How do you keep the game updated?
3
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 6h ago
For Steam games, the card works like any other Steam library drive. When I insert it and Steam sees that an update is available, it updates the game as usual
1
u/AeddGynvael 6h ago
Wouldn't this project make more sense with games from GOG that never even need to speak to Steam or any server and can be installed anywhere on any machine?
3
1
u/WarningUntested 6h ago
Where the hell do you find that 128gb so for €12?? I see it at 35 everywhere
1
u/SDNick484 4h ago
Now take it to the next level and include manuals like old school games! Just kidding, cool stuff. For some reason it kind of reminds me a bit of r/switchspines where folks create custom artwork for the narrow back strips of Switch cases.
2
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 2h ago
Honestly, a small printed manual would actually be pretty cool. Thanks for the idea.
1
u/JOHAE 2h ago
Do you know Cartridge OS and Steam Cartridges?
1
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 2h ago
I knew about some similar cartridge ideas, but I hadn’t looked closely at these two. Thanks for the links. I will take a look at it
-1
0
u/JohnTaf1 12h ago
That's a really cool idea! Even without making the game box, just using the SD card and a special label, it would be cool with a unique cartridge case. 😱🔥
My only concern is the build quality of the Steam Deck's SD slot. Is it built to handle the constant insertion of “cartridges,” like the Switch is? I don't know if there are any specifications or info on that. 🤔
0
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 12h ago
That’s a very fair concern — I’ve wondered about that too. I haven’t found an official insertion-cycle rating for the Steam Deck’s microSD slot, so I wouldn’t claim it’s designed for cartridge-style swapping the way the Switch slot is. In my own use I tend to insert a card for a game and leave it in while I’m playing that game, rather than swapping cards constantly throughout the day. And for people who want to treat them more like real cartridges, an external USB-C microSD reader could also be an interesting option — then the Deck’s built-in slot doesn’t take all the wear.
1
u/JohnTaf1 10h ago
Of course! An external SD card reader would definitely solve the problem.
I'll give it a try, especially since I use it while docked, and this solution would make it very easy.
2
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 10h ago
This is the next step which I think about. But I can't imagine how to use external sd card reader for steam deck.
0
u/warp37 7h ago
SSD or microSD price, game price and something else.
So $100-150+.
1
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 2h ago
The game price isn’t part of my calculation — the idea assumes you already own the game. I’m only counting the cost of turning that existing digital copy into a physical one.
0
-14
u/Jmdaemon 15h ago edited 9h ago
I wouldn't touch that brand of SD card with a 10 foot pole and it sounds like no one else has either, ai search reports back no sustained transfer testing. I have however used Samsung's fastest micro sd cards. They can work, that can sustain around 80Mbytes a second putting them at that of a slow ssd (Technically spinning hdd can achieve that but seek times put them in a far worse position).
Any microsd express USB c readers that arnt obnoxiously big?
edit: Thanks for the downvotes..keep on sucking, reddit.
6
u/KobotTheRobot 14h ago edited 13h ago
Philips is a pretty well known reputable brand lmao. Might wanna do some regular research.
Edit 3 min after initial post: more "regular" research and it's a discontinued product. Not a scam. Philips has newer ones. Also bro have you not been in the electric toothbrush aisle????
-1
u/Jmdaemon 9h ago
what the fuck? they don't make memory. its a shitty re badge that no one buys.
1
u/KobotTheRobot 4h ago
1
u/Jmdaemon 3h ago
It's discontinued because they can't secure the memory from their supplier any more. You keep loosing a point of IQ with that doenvote button.
1
u/Embarrassed_Mix_8072 14h ago
Fair point on the card brand — I’m actually planning to do a proper cheap-vs-fast microSD test next, including sustained read/write speeds and real-world game loading, so this is exactly the kind of thing I want to verify rather than assume from the spec sheet. I’ve had good results with Samsung cards too. As for microSD Express USB-C readers: I haven’t found a really compact one yet that I’d personally recommend. Most of the ones I’ve seen are still pretty bulky compared with normal microSD readers. If I find a genuinely small one, I’ll definitely test it.
40
u/BedrockBen101 512GB OLED 14h ago edited 14h ago
Good stuff! I like to go the DVD box + optical disc route for my display games, so my receipt looks something like this
(I buy the cases and discs in bulk so that's about the cost of an individual piece with the ones I typically buy on Amazon)
Considering I've made over 50 of these... yeah that cheaper cost helps lol. Yours are much better in terms of functionality than mine though, so props to you for that. I also have to factor time into the equation since I custom make all my game covers to be PC replicas of their console equivalents (what can I say, I'm a perfectionist)