If you’ve ever opened a board game box only to find cards sliding around, tokens spilling into every corner, or miniatures bumping against each other, you understand the importance of a good insert.
Board game inserts are the unseen structures that keep everything in its place within a game’s box. They protect a game’s components, reduce setup time and make the overall experience of playing a game smoother and more enjoyable.
If you’re in the process of designing a board game, the design and materials you choose for its insert will have a big impact on how easy it is for players to organize its pieces and enjoy it.
In this guide, we’ll break down what board game inserts are, why they matter, the most common materials used, common types of inserts, and what you as a game creator should keep in mind when you choose your game’s insert.
Need help designing your game’s inserts, box or other components? Contact us and our expert team will help you get every aspect of your board game or card game ready for production.
What Are Board Game Inserts?
A board game insert is the internal structure of the game’s box that organizes and protects the components inside.
Board game inserts can range from a simple cardboard spacer that prevents a deck of cards from sliding around to specially designed and engineered modular trays that are designed to hold hundreds of pieces.
It’s important to distinguish inserts from other storage options for board games. Game inserts are typically included in the game box by the publisher. Just about every game includes some form of insert to keep its components organized.
There are also “aftermarket organizers,” which are sold separately for collectors who want an upgrade. Both serve the same purpose, but inserts from the publisher are part of the product and are a critical part of your game, not an optional extra purchase.
Why Board Game Inserts Matter
The value of a well-designed insert goes beyond keeping your game’s components organized in its box. Here are the key reasons they matter:
- Component protection. A good insert keeps your game’s tokens, cards, miniatures and other components from rubbing against each other in the box. This reduces any damage to your tokens, scuffed cards, and other common wear and tear on your game.
- Setup speed. A well-designed board game insert will make all of your game’s essential components easy to access, reducing setup time for your game and improving players’ experience.
- Gameplay. Inserts can also double as component trays for your game, allowing players to pick game pieces out and store all components on top of the table.
- Storage. A solid insert keeps all of your game’s components in the right place when it’s being shipped to a customer or stored at home.
As a game publisher, your insert has a significant impact on your game’s perceived value. Just like great packaging makes a new smartphone or pair of sunglasses feel premium to customers, a well-designed insert means your game is clean and tidy from the first unboxing.
Think about the first impression your customers might form if your game arrives with its tokens, cards and other components scattered around the box. This is the problem a high quality game insert solves.
Common Materials for Board Game Inserts
Plastic Inserts
Plastic is the most common insert material for large-scale production games. Injection-molded inserts can be produced cheaply once the mold is created, making them a practical, affordable choice for mass-market games.
The upsides of plastic inserts is that they are durable, inexpensive to manufacture at scale and light in weight. The downside is that the setup costs of making a plastic insert means that small publishers may not find this option cost-effective.
Also, like with other plastic products, plastic inserts are less environmentally friendly than game inserts made from sustainable materials.
Cardboard Inserts
Cardboard is another common option for inserts, especially for board games made in moderate quantities and/or aimed at an affordable price point. Cardboard inserts are generally made from the same material as the game box.
The advantage of cardboard is that it’s affordable and lightweight. It’s also more recyclable than plastic, giving it some sustainability benefits. The downside is that cardboard is less durable as a material, meaning it might warp or deform if it’s exposed to moisture.
Wooden Inserts
Wooden inserts are usually not included in mass production for games, but can be popular as aftermarket upgrades for serious collectors. Wooden inserts have a premium feel and usually are laser cut, giving them a precise design and more luxurious look and feel.
Compared to plastic and cardboard, wooden inserts are extremely durable. They’re often sold separately from games by third-party creators. If you search on Etsy or other marketplaces, it’s usually possible to find wooden inserts or organizers for most popular games.
From a publisher’s perspective, there are several downsides to using a wooden insert for your game. First, wooden inserts are significantly more expensive to manufacture than inserts made from plastic or cardboard.
Second, wood is heavy, meaning your game will cost more to ship to your customers. Because of the additional weight of wood, your game may also need a thicker, heavier-duty box to avoid warping and support its internal components.
Choosing the Right Insert for Your Game
Like with other game components, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to picking the right insert for your game. As a game publisher, you’ll want to consider several factors when you’re choosing your game’s insert design and material:
- Component count. The more components your game has, the more important inserts become for keeping them organized. If your game has hundreds of tokens, miniatures, or other components, you may want to talk to us about a modular insert design.
- Aesthetics vs. practicality. A premium wooden insert may look amazing and give your game a premium feel, but it comes with extra production and shipping costs, meaning it may affect your game’s pricing and market positioning.
- Budget vs. longevity. Cardboard inserts keep production costs down, while plastic and other materials may offer better durability. Think about who your game is aimed at, when and how it’s going to be played, and other factors that may affect wear and tear.
- Environmental impact. Materials like plastic have significant environmental costs that you may want to avoid when making your game. We can help you explore sustainable options for manufacturing your game.
In addition to the factors above, different materials have different cost structures and impacts on your game’s manufacturing timeline.
The Bottom Line on Game Inserts
Board game inserts aren’t the most aesthetically interesting components, and as such, they’re often overlooked during the design of our game. However, the type of insert you choose has a big impact on your game’s experience, making it an important component for you to consider.
A well-designed insert protects your game’s components, speeds up setup and enhances the overall value of your game.
If you’d like help choosing the right type of insert for your game, contact us. We can help you learn more about materials and design options for your game’s inserts and other components and help you get your game ready for manufacturing.
