Custom Board Game Boxes

Inserts and Component Storage

A good insert is what separates a box that people enjoy from one that annoys them. When components rattle loose, players spend the first ten minutes of every game sorting tokens. When everything has a place, setup is quick and nothing gets lost.

Card inserts are the most economical. A folded card tray with wells for card decks, a recess for dice and an open area for tokens covers most games. Rigid board trays with wrapped walls feel more premium and can carry printed labels for each compartment. For miniatures, a cut foam layer holds each figure safely.

Plan the insert around the rulebook and board too. The folded board usually lies on top, with the rulebook above it, so the insert's top edge should sit level with the base rim. That stops the board bowing and the lid pressing down on the components. p2 Our foam inserts cut for miniatures page shows how a figure layer sits under the board.

Sizing Custom Board Game Boxes

Start with the folded game board, since it usually sets the footprint. A board that folds into quarters to around 260 x 260 mm will need an internal box size a few millimetres larger. Then stack the components that sit underneath to find the depth: insert height plus board thickness plus rulebook.

Retailers have preferences too. Square boxes around 300 mm and rectangular boxes around 300 x 220 mm fit common shelf depths. Very large boxes can be hard for shops to stock, so it is worth checking with your intended stockists before fixing a size.

Shipping costs are another factor. A box that fits a standard courier size band can save a crowdfunded project a large amount across all backers, so we can suggest small changes in depth that keep you under a band without squeezing the components.

Weigh a finished prototype as well. A heavy game full of wooden pieces needs a thicker greyboard so the base does not bow when the box is lifted from one end, which is how most people pull a game off a shelf. p3 Thick greyboard grades are explained on the greyboard box construction page.

Artwork, Finishes and Shelf Appeal

The lid is your cover art, the sides are your spine and the back is your sales pitch. Put the title and art on top, repeat the title on at least two sides so it can be read when the box is stacked on a shelf, and use the back for a photo of the game in play, the player count, play time, age guidance and a short description.

Finishes give cover art depth. Matt lamination with spot gloss on the title and characters makes them catch the light. Linen-texture paper wraps feel classic and hide fingerprints, which is useful for boxes handled often. Foil on a title or logo works well for deluxe editions.

Print the inside of the lid and base too. A pattern, a map or a short welcome note inside the lid adds a lot to the first opening for very little extra cost. p2 If you want the title in metallic, the foil and embossed box finishes page shows what each foil looks like on a dark wrap.

Who We Make Game Boxes For

Independent designers producing a first print run, small publishers expanding a range, crowdfunded projects fulfilling backer rewards, escape room and puzzle game makers, educational companies making classroom games and businesses creating branded games for training and team events all order these boxes.

We also make expansion boxes and storage boxes sized to sit alongside the core game, so a whole range shares the same look and stacks neatly on a shelf.

Tabletop cafés commissioning house games for their regulars order them as well, usually in small, carefully finished runs. p2 Games sent to backers in the post usually travel inside outer shipping boxes sized for games so the wrap stays unmarked.

Prototype the Insert in Card Before the Box Is Wrapped

Game boxes are usually sized correctly; it is the insert that gets redesigned. Before you ask for a quote, cut a rough insert from spare card, load your real decks, dice and tokens into it and close a lid over it. If the board bows or the lid sits proud, the depth needs another few millimetres, and finding that out now costs nothing. Send us that mock-up's measurements alongside the component list.

Then tell us how many backers or retail units you need and which courier size band you want to stay under; a small change in depth can keep a crowdfunded game in a cheaper band across every parcel. The custom quote is emailed within one working day, with minimums set per job so a first run of a few hundred is normal.

The free proof includes dielines for lid, base and insert. Production is 4 to 7 working days once you approve it, then free tracked UK mainland delivery. Publishers that sell a card-only expansion often order tuck boxes for card decks in the same artwork so the expansion sits beside the core box.