Custom Board Games
PrintNinja has been helping indie game designers, publishers, and Kickstarter creators bring custom board games to life since 2009. From a simple card-and-box party game to a complex strategy game with custom miniatures, folding game boards, punch-out tokens, and specialty packaging — we manufacture every component under one roof and deliver a finished, retail-ready product.
What We Manufacture
A board game is only as good as its components. PrintNinja produces the full range of board game parts, so you don’t need to coordinate with multiple vendors:
| Component | Options | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Game boards | Bi-fold, tri-fold, quad-fold, hex-fold | Game board options — multiple sizes and folding configurations |
| Playing cards | Poker, tarot, mini, square, custom | 7 card stock options from 250-330 GSM, with gloss, matte, or linen finishes |
| Punch-out tokens | Circles, squares, hexagons, custom shapes | Punch-out token options — die-cut from high-density greyboard |
| Custom dice | D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, D20 | Custom dice — engraved or printed, multiple sizes and materials |
| Miniatures | PVC plastic, custom sculpted | Custom miniatures — from simple pawns to detailed character models |
| Plastic pieces | Meeples, pawns, cubes, discs | Standard and custom molds in your choice of colors |
| Wooden pieces | Meeples, cubes, tokens, custom shapes | Screen printed or laser engraved natural wood components |
| Tokens & markers | Cardboard, wood, plastic, metal | Resources, currency, score trackers, and status markers |
| Playmats | Neoprene, rubber-backed | Full-color printed play surfaces that lie flat and protect table surfaces |
| Instructions | Booklets, foldouts, cards, box print | Saddle-stitched booklets, accordion folds, or printed directly on the box |
| Organizing inserts | Custom compartments, vacuum-formed | Keep components organized and protected inside the box |
Packaging Options
Your game box is the first thing customers see on a shelf or in an unboxing video. PrintNinja offers several packaging formats:
- Two-piece boxes — Separate lid and base, the industry standard for board games. Available in high-density paperboard with full-color CMYK printing, gloss or matte lamination, and optional spot UV or foil stamping.
- Magnetic close boxes — Premium hinged boxes with magnetic closure for a luxury unboxing experience. Popular for deluxe editions and collector’s sets.
- Tuck boxes — Lightweight folding boxes for card-only games or game expansions.
- Shrink wrapping — Professional retail-ready packaging that seals the box and indicates the game is new and complete.
We provide free downloadable templates for every box type, including two-piece box templates, magnetic box templates, and instruction templates.
Print Quality
Every PrintNinja board game is produced using offset lithography — the same process used by the major publishers. Offset printing delivers richer colors, sharper detail, and more consistent results than digital printing, especially for the large quantities that board games typically require. All printed components use full CMYK color on calibrated presses, with quality checks at every stage of production.
Game boards are constructed from printed art paper laminated onto high-density greyboard, then die-cut and scored for precise folding. Cards are printed on professional-grade card stock with your choice of finish. Boxes are wrapped in printed paper with lamination for durability and a premium feel.
From Prototype to Production
Creating a board game is a process, and PrintNinja supports you at every stage:
- Budgetary quote — Use our board game pricing calculator to estimate costs based on your components, quantities, and specifications. Adjust options to see how each choice affects your per-unit price.
- Design and file setup — Prepare your artwork using our free templates and file setup guide. Our prepress team reviews every file and flags issues before production begins.
- Prototyping and proofing — Review digital proofs of every component, or order physical proof copies to playtest with real production materials.
- Production — Your game is manufactured, assembled, packaged, and quality-checked. We handle all component coordination so you receive a finished product, not a box of parts.
- Shipping — We ship directly to you, your fulfillment warehouse, or multiple locations for crowdfunding campaigns. Free ocean shipping is included on most orders.
For a visual overview, download our Board Game Printing Process PDF.
Pricing
Board game printing costs depend on your components, quantities, and specifications. In general, the more units you order, the lower your per-unit cost — offset printing becomes dramatically more economical at scale. Our sample pricing page shows example configurations at various quantities, and our pricing calculator gives you an instant estimate tailored to your specific game.
Looking for ways to optimize your budget? Our guide to cost-effective board game printing covers smart decisions that reduce per-unit costs without sacrificing quality.
Kickstarter and Crowdfunding
PrintNinja is one of the most experienced printers in the Kickstarter tabletop game space. We understand the realities of crowdfunded projects — campaign timelines, stretch goal planning, backer communication, and split shipments to fulfillment partners around the world. Many of our customers have run successful campaigns and returned for second and third print runs.
Why PrintNinja
- Experience — We’ve been printing custom board games since 2009 and have produced thousands of unique game titles.
- All components under one roof — Game boards, cards, tokens, dice, miniatures, boxes, inserts, and instructions are all manufactured and assembled together. No coordinating multiple vendors.
- Dedicated project managers — Every project is assigned to a PrintNinja team member who guides you from quoting through delivery.
- Quality assurance — On-site QA inspectors check every production run before shipment.
- Trusted by creators — We maintain a 4.7-star rating on Trustpilot from hundreds of verified customer reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum order quantity for custom board games?
Most board game projects have a minimum of 500 units, though this can vary based on component complexity. Higher quantities significantly reduce your per-unit cost.
Can I include custom miniatures in my board game?
Yes. We produce custom PVC plastic miniatures from your 3D sculpt files. Miniatures can be single-color or painted, and are packaged along with the rest of your game components. Learn more about custom miniatures.
How long does board game production take?
Standard production takes approximately 8-12 weeks from artwork approval to delivery, depending on component complexity and shipping method. Games with custom miniatures or specialty components may require additional time for tooling.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. We offer ocean freight, air freight, and split shipping to multiple destinations worldwide. Many of our Kickstarter customers ship to fulfillment centers in the US, EU, and Australia simultaneously.
Explore Our Resources
Select a category below to dive deeper into materials, components, customization options, and more.
If you’ve already clicked on all of the above links, you’re probably curious as to what comes next in the process. Although all of the information you need is above, you should call our office at (877) 396-4652 and get started on the next step… placing your order!
This process may seem easy enough, especially with a company like PrintNinja, but it is a very specific, and work-filled one. If you would like a specific outline in an organized flow-chart, click on our PrintNinja Printing Process PDF. Once you’ve checked out that timeline and you’re convinced you’d like to bring your idea to life, get in touch with us.
In the mean time, check out our custom board game calculator and play around with pricing and components!
Ready to start?
We’ve created a custom pricing calculator just for board games so you can explore printing choices, shipping methods, and accurate order prices for your project. You can also customize just about anything, from dice and pouches to specialty options like foil stamping.
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