10 Board Game Mistakes to Avoid

The most expensive board game mistakes are rarely about the rules or the art. They are practical: a component list that does not match the files, parts that waste paper, a box that is too big, an insert that does not fit. Each one costs money or weeks, and each one is easy to avoid once you know it. These are the ten board game manufacturing problems we see most often, with the fix for each.

1. A Component List That Does Not Match the Files

This is the number one problem in production. The quote says 185 cards, but the files contain 120, or 169. Should we print what was quoted or what was sent? Every mismatch stops the project until it is answered.

The fix: keep each kind of part in one file, all the cards in one file, all the token sheets in another, and write the count under any part that repeats (x2, x3). Before you upload, check every count against your quote. Our guide to the board game manufacturing quote request shows how to list parts the way a factory reads them.

2. Parts That Waste the Printing Sheet

Every card, token and board is cut from a printing sheet, and you pay for the whole sheet. A token sheet of 290 × 290 mm leaves part of its sheet empty, while one of 210 × 280 mm fits two to a sheet and halves the cost.

The fix: design your parts to the standard sheet sizes from the start. They are listed in our guide to board game printing cost.

3. A Box Too Big for What Is Inside

A big box with few parts costs more to make and to ship, takes more shelf space, and disappoints players when they open it. The box should be at least 15 mm larger than your biggest part on every side, and not much more.

The fix: measure your biggest part (a folded board, the rulebook) and stack all your parts to find the depth. Then choose the closest standard board game box size.

4. An Insert That Does Not Fit the Components

An insert must hold every part snugly. A plastic insert needs about 8 mm of space around the largest part, and it does not suit small boxes under about 155 × 100 × 48 mm. Without a good insert, parts rattle, cards bend and boxes break in shipping.

The fix: let the insert be designed around the final parts. We design inserts with you free of charge and finalise them after the samples, when every part is real. The options are in our guide to the board game insert.

5. Changing Files After They Are Confirmed

When your files are set up for print, you get one round of changes, and the first revision after the sample is free; further revisions are charged by the hour. Once the raw materials are bought, a change can also cost material.

The fix: collect every change in one list and send it at once, before you confirm.

6. Expecting Screen Colours on Paper

Rich colours above about 160 percent total ink, and large solid areas over 4 × 4 cm, vary the most in print. Colours can also differ by up to 20 percent between a hand-made sample and mass production, especially blue, purple and brown.

The fix: keep large areas under 180 percent total ink, approve colours on the pre-production sample, and follow our print-ready artwork guide.

7. Add-Ons That Need Their Own Print Run

An add-on that only 50 backers buy can still need a full setup. A larger deluxe box for 50 people can cost around USD 1,500 on its own. Language packs and add-ons that need new printing processes are the most common trap.

The fix: choose add-ons made with processes you already use, or sourced and 3D-printed pieces, and see board game translation for cheaper language options.

8. Deck Sizes the Machines Cannot Handle

The shrink-wrap machine takes decks of 50 to under 90 cards; smaller, larger or odd-shaped decks go into plastic bags instead. Decks of 55 or 66 cards, instead of the usual 54 or 65, come with the first card flipped unless you pay to turn it.

The fix: plan deck sizes with the sheet and the machines in mind. See playing card size.

9. Starting Too Late for the Busy Seasons

Factories close for about 30 days around Chinese New Year, and August to November is the pre-Christmas rush. A project that starts late can lose a month or more.

The fix: plan backwards from your delivery date with our guide to how long it takes to make a board game.

10. Forgetting Safety Tests and Box Labels

A game for players under 14 counts as a toy in most markets and may need safety tests and warning labels. Labels must sit on the box itself, not on the shrink wrap, and they are hard to add once the box is printed.

The fix: decide your age range early and plan the tests and labels before the box art is final. Start with safety tests for games.

The Bottom Line on Board Game Mistakes

Most board game mistakes come from planning, not from the factory: counts, sheet sizes, box and insert fit, late changes and timing. Check your component list against your files, design to the sheet, size the box to the parts, and collect your changes into one round. We check every file before printing and send an artwork issue report with the fixes, free of charge. When you are ready, contact us.