Two things get called a game box and they have almost nothing in common in production. One is a small printed carton that holds a deck of cards. The other is a rigid, wrapped box that has to survive being opened a hundred times and stacked on a shelf between sessions. To order either, start at the custom game boxes product page. To decide what to order, read on.
Card decks: start from the card
| Card format | Card size |
|---|---|
| Poker | 2.5 x 3.5 in |
| Bridge | 2.25 x 3.5 in |
| Tarot | 2.75 x 4.75 in |
The box footprint is the card size plus clearance, and the depth comes from the deck itself. Measure the actual deck, squared up, because card stock caliper and any coating change the stack height significantly between print runs. If the deck ships with a rules card or a divider, measure with those in place.
Tuck boxes with a thumb notch are the standard, and a two piece lid and base box is the premium alternative for collector decks. Both benefit from lamination, because a card box gets opened and closed constantly and an uncoated tuck flap wears at the crease.
Board games: the box is a structural product
A board game box is normally a rigid two piece construction, a chipboard base and a telescoping lid, wrapped in printed paper. It carries real weight in components, gets picked up by the lid, and sits under other boxes on a shelf. That points to a heavier chipboard than the equivalent gift box would use, and to a lid that overlaps far enough down the base to stay square.
- Size the box to the board folded, since the folded board usually sets the footprint and everything else fits around it.
- Plan the insert with the components in front of you: cards, tokens, dice, miniatures and rulebooks all behave differently.
- Lamination is not optional on a box that is handled repeatedly. Matte hides fingerprints, gloss deepens color.
- Foil and embossing on the lid are common on collector editions, and each adds a production pass.
Inserts hold the game together
An insert stops components migrating in transit and speeds up setup and pack down, which players notice more than any print decision. Die cut paperboard trays suit cards and tokens. Corrugated partitions suit heavier mixed components. Molded or thermoformed trays suit miniatures. See insert packaging for the options and how they are dimensioned.
Minimum, price and lead time
The minimum is 100 units, which is realistic for a first print run or a crowdfunded title's early batch. Unit pricing starts at about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on your written quote, and on games the insert and the rigid construction move the number more than the printing does. Dies, plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof are included.
Turnaround is stated per product in three lanes: Rush (expedited production plus air freight), Standard (air) and Cost saver (sea). Printed tuck boxes run from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 days for delivery. Rigid board game boxes are specialty constructions and can run up to about 12 weeks, so build that into any fulfillment date you publish.
Quote your game
Send the component list, the folded board size and your run quantity through the quote form. Related: rigid boxes for the construction and custom toy boxes for adjacent formats.
