Board Game Manufacturers USA, UK, Europe

Most board games are made in China, but a few factories make games in the USA and Europe. They mostly print for big brands, or print small numbers on demand. The UK and Australia have no mass-production board game factory today, only prototype and short-run printers. This guide names the main board game makers in each market, and shows when local printing makes sense. It also gives shipping times from China and the safety mark each market needs.

Board Game Manufacturers USA

Board game manufacturers in the USA fall into two groups: one very large factory for big brands, and print-on-demand services for small runs.

• Cartamundi, East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. The Belgian group bought this former Hasbro factory in 2015, and it still makes classic Hasbro games. It suits very large runs for established brands.
• The Game Crafter, Madison, Wisconsin. A print-on-demand service, launched in 2009, with no minimum order. You upload your files and order as few copies as you need. It suits prototypes and very small runs.

Board games made in USA factories cost more per copy, and many still use parts made in Asia. Card game manufacturers in the USA follow the same pattern: print-on-demand decks in small numbers, or large card factories for big brands. Who makes board games for most independent American publishers? Usually a factory in China.

From China, games reach the US West Coast in about 30 days, and the Midwest and East Coast in about 35. That is with our shipping partner's door-to-door sea service, duty paid. Import duties on goods from China change often, so check the current rate before you order. Games for children in the US need a Children's Product Certificate (CPC), based on ASTM F963 tests. Read more in our guide to CPC for board games.

Board Game Manufacturers Europe

Board game manufacturers in Europe include some of the largest game factories in the world. Three well-known names:

• Cartamundi, Turnhout, Belgium. Makes board games, card games and playing cards. It also owns Spielkartenfabrik Altenburg, a playing card factory in Germany.
• Ludo Fact, Jettingen-Scheppach, Germany. Makes board games, card games and jigsaw puzzles for publishers, including classics such as Catan and Dixit.
• Trefl, Gdynia, Poland. Makes jigsaw puzzles, board games and playing cards, for its own brand and for others.

European factories usually cost more per copy than factories in China. Many also ask for higher minimum orders, and offer fewer custom plastic and wooden parts. From China, games reach the EU in about 70 days with our shipping partner's door-to-door sea service. Games for children sold in the EU need the CE mark. Read more in our guide to the CE certificate for board games.

Board Game Manufacturers UK

There are no mass-production board game manufacturers in the UK today. The nearest large factory was Cartamundi's plant in Waterford, Ireland. It made Hasbro games such as Monopoly for 45 years, and closed in 2023. UK board game makers today are prototype and short-run studios, such as Ivory Graphics in England, which makes card games and small runs of board games.

So most UK publishers order from a factory in mainland Europe or in China. Since Brexit, games from the EU also go through customs. From China, games reach the UK in about 70 days with our shipping partner's door-to-door sea service. Games for children sold in Great Britain need the UKCA mark. Read more in our guide to UKCA markings.

Board Game Manufacturers Australia

There are no mass-production board game manufacturers in Australia. Board game printing in Australia means short runs of cards and prototypes. For example, Aussie Custom Cards prints custom card decks. For a full print run, Australian publishers usually order from China.

China is close to Australia by sea: games arrive in about 40 days with our shipping partner's door-to-door service, duty paid. New Zealand takes about the same. Games for children in Australia and New Zealand are tested to the AS/NZS ISO 8124 toy safety standard. Our guide to board game safety tests explains how testing works.

Shipping Times From China at a Glance

These are door-to-door sea times with our shipping partner, Prime Ship, duty and tax paid. They are counted from the day the games leave the factory.

• US West Coast: about 30 days.
• US Midwest and East Coast: about 35 days.
• Australia and New Zealand: about 40 days.
• Canada, the UK and the EU: about 70 days.

When Local Printing Makes Sense, and When China Does

Print locally when you need a few copies fast. Many companies that make board games locally are print-on-demand services, and they are ideal for prototypes, review copies and runs under a few hundred. Choose China when you print 1,000 copies or more, or need custom parts such as plastic miniatures, wooden pieces or special inserts. That is where the supply chain is, so the price per copy is lower and the choice of parts is wider. Our guide to how to choose a board game manufacturer shows how to compare the factories on your list.