GOG brings back "big box" PC games, one printable template at a time

Ars Technica reports that GOG is leaning into PC gaming nostalgia with a new “Printable Big Box” collection for a handful of classic titles. Owners of Armikrog, Descent, Hitman: Codename 47, Myst, and Star Trek: 25th Anniversary can now download box-art assets directly from the store page.

The bundle includes an animated 3D box model in GLB format plus flat printable templates in PDF, SVG, and Adobe Illustrator formats. GOG is presenting the feature as both a collectible throwback and a preservation effort, since physical packaging is often lost or damaged long after the software itself survives.

For developers, the interesting part is less the nostalgia than the delivery: this is a lightweight way to extend a digital storefront with tangible, fan-facing extras without shipping physical stock. It also shows how archival assets can be repurposed into something interactive and shareable, which may be useful for other retro-focused releases or special editions.

The collection is still small, but the approach could scale if GOG decides to add more titles. If it catches on, it gives publishers another low-cost way to add value for collectors while keeping the preservation angle front and center.