As a publisher, reprinting your game is one of the most exciting milestones you can hit. It means players enjoyed your first print run, demand hasn’t slowed down, and your game has carved out a spot in the market, all of which are very good things.
While a reprint is usually simpler than producing your game the first time, it still requires careful planning to make sure you get the best combination of quality and value.
The good news is that once you’ve gone through the learning curve of your tabletop game’s first print run, the second is far easier. Files are already prepared, components are already selected, and you now have experience under your belt.
At the same time, reprinting comes with unique challenges. How many copies should you print? Should you upgrade components? Finally, how do you fund it?
Below, we’ve answered these questions and walked you through the key considerations for your first reprint. We’ve also included a few production tips to make the process smoother and more profitable than your first print run.
If you’re ready to reprint your game, or manufacturing your first game and need expert help, feel free to contact us. We can answer your questions, prepare a manufacturing quote, and get your game ready for production.
When to Consider Reprinting Your Game
The clearest signal you’re ready to reprint your game is simple and obvious: your first print run is selling out. Whether you’ve sold your game via a crowdfunding campaign, retail distribution, or direct sales, low inventory is the best indicator that a second wave of demand is waiting.
Here are some signs it’s time to plan your reprint as soon as possible:
- You’re down to the last 10-20% of stock. Waiting until you’re completely sold out risks a gap in availability, which can kill momentum, reduce revenue and make it harder to sell your game to your target audience over the long term.
- Retailers or distributors are asking for more copies. If retailers and distributors have let you know they’d like more inventory of your game, this is a strong sign that the market can handle another print run.
- Players are messaging you asking where to buy. A reprint isn’t just about making more money from selling your game — it’s about keeping players engaged and ensuring your game’s brand stays in the public consciousness.
- Conventions or seasonal events are approaching. Timing your game’s reprint for a big convention, a special event, or the holiday season can help you maximize its exposure and sell more copies.
When it comes to reprinting your board game, the biggest and most common mistake is waiting too long. Once you’ve lost sales because your game is unavailable, you may find that it’s harder to rebuild demand later.
What Stays the Same & What Can Change
One of the advantages of a reprint is that most of the heavy lifting is already done. Your game’s artwork files, molds, and component choices from your first print run are already on record with your manufacturer, which saves you time and setup costs.
However, a reprint is also an opportunity to make improvements to your game. Many publishers use this chance to refine their product based on feedback from players and observations they’ve had throughout the process of manufacturing and marketing their games.
Things that usually stay the same:
- Your game’s design and rules (unless you’re planning a second edition).
- Your core artwork and game components.
- Your game box size and shape (important for retailers and fulfillment).
Things you might consider updating for your reprint:
- Rulebook clarity. If the first version of your game received lots of questions or confusion about rules of gameplay mechanics, now’s a good time to edit for clarity.
- Component quality. Upgrading card thickness, box sturdiness, or adding inserts can make your game feel more premium.
- Artwork corrections. If your game’s artwork has any errors, now’s a good time to fix typos, improve contrast, or adjust layouts.
- Stretch goals and promos. Consider folding any popular stretch goals into the core game for wider commercial appeal.
- Expansions or add-ons. Some publishers align their reprints with new content, bundling them together for efficiency.
The key here is balance. You want to improve your game when it adds value but avoid changing so much that your reprint feels like a completely different edition. Players expect consistency in a game between print runs, especially if they’re buying expansions later
Production Considerations for Reprints of Your Game
Reprints are generally faster and cheaper to produce than first runs, but there are still important factors to plan for.
Since your manufacturer already has your files and molds, you usually won’t pay any significant setup fees again, unless you make major changes to your game. It’s also quicker and easier to get your game into production. Both of these factors simplify production.
Reprinting also unlocks economies of scale. Many publishers increase their print quantity for the reprint, which lowers the cost per unit and improves margins. If your game has already shown it has commercial appeal, you’re no longer taking a gamble when you print its second run.
Hitting MOQ is often easier with a proven game, as your distributors and retailers might commit to orders in advance. It’s good to reach out to all of these stakeholders before you decide on a quantity for your reprint, as these commitments can help you to get better value per unit.
While reprints are generally faster, they can still take months depending on your manufacturer and your requirements. As such, you’ll still need to plan ahead, especially if you’re targeting a specific season.
Finally, if you’re making small improvements to your game, make sure that you confirm with your manufacturer that new components will still match the old run (important for mixed sets of cards or expansions).
First-time reprints often turn out better than the first edition. With the experience of your first run, you’ll know exactly what to expect in terms of timelines and costs. You can also take action early to identify and fix mistakes and compromises that occurred with your first print run.
Financial Planning for a Game Reprint
A reprint is both easier and riskier than your first print run. Easier because you now know your game sells. Riskier because you’re likely thinking larger in terms of quantity and may not have the cushion of a Kickstarter campaign to front the costs.
Estimating Demand for Your Game’s Reprint
When it comes to assessing demand, your first print run is the best data you’ll get. Look at how quickly you sold through your initial copies, how many went to backers vs. retail customers and whether demand is growing or tapering off.
Make sure to print enough to cover expected sales for the next 12 to 18 months, but avoid tying up too much cash in slow-moving inventory.
Reprints often come with larger print runs, which means your cost per unit goes down. Even if you keep the same retail price, your margins improve significantly. This is one of the reasons why successful games become more profitable with time.
Funding Options for Reprints
Unlike your first run, you may not have crowdfunding money sitting in your account. Funding for your reprint can come from revenue generated during your first print run, commitments from any retailers or distributors that sell your game, or potentially from another crowdfunding campaign.
Make sure you have your funding secure ahead of time, as doing so gives you more confidence as you go into production again.
Remember, you’ll need to pay manufacturing and shipping costs upfront, but you might not have revenue from distributors or retailers until weeks or months later. Plan your cash flow carefully to avoid bottlenecks that could affect your reprint’s time to reach the market.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Reprinting Your Game
Reprinting your game is a great way to generate more revenue and cement your game’s status as a product with lasting appeal. However, even experienced publishers can run into problems with reprints.
Here are some of the most common mistakes we’ve seen:
- Waiting too long to order. Running completely out of stock can hurt your brand and make retailers hesitant to reorder later. Managing your inventory is especially important if your game is sold via online distributors, such as Amazon or Walmart.
- Over-updating your game. If you make an excessive number of changes to your game, it can feel more like a new edition and might confuse customers. This could fragment your audience and reduce your game’s commercial success.
- Manufacturing too few copies of your game. If your reprint sells out straight away, you’ve left money on the table and may have to start the cycle over again in order to capture the full demand for your game.
- Printing too many copies of your game. On the other hand, it’s also possible to print too many copies. If you’d like help selecting the optimal quantity for your reprint, contact us and we’ll help you choose a balanced quantity that maximizes your profits.
- Ignoring feedback from players. Your players are the best quality-control team. If you’re aware of any issues that have been flagged by your players, fix them early, before you print thousands more copies.
How We Can Help You
We work with both first-time game publishers and established companies on reprints for board games and card games all the time. Our team can help you with everything from upgrades to your components to strategic advice about quantities, timing and game improvements.
When you work with us on your game, we’ll keep your game’s artwork files on record, meaning you don’t need to resubmit anything unless you want to make updates.
The Bottom Line on Reprinting Your Game
Reprinting your game is a milestone worth celebrating. It means your game has fans, demand, and staying power in a competitive market. It’s also easier than printing your game for the very first time.
However, like every stage of publishing, reprinting your game requires thoughtful planning from deciding when to reprint to what you should change.
We can help you with these decisions and details so that you can reprint your game with total confidence and maximum commercial success. Reach out to us today and we’ll help you with every step of making your game, whether it’s your first run or your latest reprint.
