Game Hang Tab Boxes

Box Sizes for Card Decks and Dice

A standard poker-size card is 63 x 88 mm, so a single deck of around 54 cards fits a carton of about 66 x 22 x 92 mm internally. Larger card counts, sleeved cards or a rule booklet add depth, so measure the actual stack rather than relying on the card count. Bridge-size and tarot cards need their own measurements.

Dice sets vary more. A seven-piece polyhedral set fits a small carton with a card insert, while a set of large wooden dice needs a deeper box. Travel games that include a mini board, tokens and cards often use a flat carton about the size of a paperback, with the tab sitting above the long edge.

Remember that the tab adds height. A box of 92 mm with a 35 mm tab hangs at about 127 mm overall, which matters if the shop's peg rails are close together. Our guide to measuring a product for packaging covers the allowances for shuffled decks and loose dice.

Strength Where It Counts

The tab carries the whole weight of the box, so the board must be thick enough not to tear when customers pull the game off the hook. For a single card deck, a standard folding boxboard is plenty. For heavier dice sets and multi-deck games, we either use a thicker board or fold the tab over on itself to double its thickness.

A tuck end with a locking flap keeps the box closed while it hangs, so cards do not slide out if someone tips it upside down. For games that will be opened in the shop to show the components, a small clear window or a peel-off sticker seal can help prevent loose cards going missing.

Artwork That Sells a Game in Seconds

The front panel should show the game's name large enough to read from a couple of metres, along with the player count, age range and playing time. Shoppers check those three things first. Bold illustration or a striking photo of the components helps the box hold its own among other games on the same wall.

Use the back panel for a short pitch and a photo of the game in play. A few lines on how to win often sells better than a full rules summary. The tab itself is printable space, so many publishers put the logo or a small character there. Spine panels can carry the title too, which helps when the game ends up on a home shelf.

Matt laminate protects artwork against handling, while a gloss finish makes bright colours pop under shop lighting. Spot gloss on the title is a cheap way to catch the eye. Games sold in gift shops without a peg wall use the same artwork on custom hanger boxes with a fold-down tab.

Matching the Box to How the Game Is Played

Think about what happens after the game is bought. A card game that lives in a pocket or a backpack needs a tough tuck box that can be opened and closed many times without the flaps tearing. A dice set that sits on a desk might be better in a box that opens like a drawer once the tab is cut away. A party game played once a year needs something that survives months in a cupboard.

Players notice these details. A box that splits at the corners after a week makes the whole game feel cheaper, even if the cards inside are excellent. A sturdier board, a locking tuck flap and a matt laminate add little to the price and keep the box looking good on a home shelf.

If your game has expansion packs, design the main box and the expansions as a family. Keeping the same height and spine layout means fans can line them up together, and the hang tabs make the full range look tidy on a shop wall. The free proof drawn with the tab in place shows the box hanging as well as flat, which is where tab tearing usually becomes obvious.

Ask Your Stockists Which Hooks They Use First

The one detail that cannot be changed after printing is the hang hole, so settle it before anything else. Email two or three of the shops you expect to stock the game and ask whether their peg walls use single-prong hooks or double-prong euro hooks; a euro slot fits both, so when in doubt choose it. Then measure the deck or dice set at its thickest, remembering that shuffled cards sit looser than a factory-sealed deck, and add 2 mm each way. Decide last whether the tab folds flat for online orders. Publishers who sell the same deck without a peg wall use the plainer playing card tuck boxes for standard decks.

Send the artwork with the front, back and tab as one dieline, keeping the title clear of the hole. Email the game size, hook type, style and quantity and a custom quote comes back within one working day, followed by a free design proof with the hole position marked. Boxes are made in 4 to 7 working days once approved and delivered flat, free and tracked, on the UK mainland in 2 to 3 days. Creased or misprinted boxes reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded.