It would appear that online game companies are realizing that there is value in actually selling your product in stores. indiePub is leading the charge to get online games into game retailers. Essentially the new physical copy with be a cartridge that contains a redemtion code. You go on your phone and enter the code to redeem a game.

"The Android All-Stars cards also tap into a small fraction of the new indiePub technology that will soon be unveiled with the launch of the new indiePub site. Android publishing partners benefit by having their great games pulled from the clutter of the hundreds of thousands of apps in the Android Marketplace to then be placed in front of significant consumer retail traffic." - indiePub CEO Mark Seremet

These cards are called Android All Stars. The cards will be sold for about ten dollars giving you different games depending on the card. At the moment there are three cards to choose from at launch.

Volume 1 will include Fruit Ninja, Doodle Jump, Sally's Spa and several others

Volume 2 will feature Kona's Crate, Guerilla Bob, Free Kicks Soccer, Backbreaker Football and others

Volume 3  is a special Atari card featuring over 100 classic Atari games

Look for these cards to hit retail  soon! Each will sell in multiple retail outlets in both the U.S. and Canada including Target, Toys 'R' Us, Sam's Club, Rogers Mobile and more. indiepub is hoping that people will give the cards to other Android users as gifts since according to them you can't give specific apps to other users as presents. With Christmas right around the corner indiepub is counting on your gift giving spirit to make this a success.

Do you think that these cards are actually a good idea?

That is a great idea...MS should do the same with games on WP7.