{"id":2187,"date":"2021-02-18T10:49:59","date_gmt":"2021-02-18T10:49:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hersh.ml\/?p=2187"},"modified":"2025-10-01T20:13:02","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T20:13:02","slug":"printing-cost-for-board-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/costs\/printing-cost-for-board-game\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Does it Cost to Print a Board Game?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTalk to Our Team About Creating Your Board Game\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFrom design to manufacturing, we can help you with every aspect of turning your game concept into reality.\n\nContact us to talk to our team and get expert, insider help on the game design and manufacturing process.\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tContact Us\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The cost to print a board game can vary based on several factors, including the raw material costs, the cost of the printing plates for your board game, and the process of calibrating the printing machines. These all add together to result in a total printing cost.<\/span><\/p>

One thing to be aware of is that printing is mostly made up of fixed costs, such as making the printing plates for your custom board game and setting up the machines. <\/span>This means that the smaller your print run, the higher your cost per unit of your game will be.<\/b><\/p>

If you’re planning to make a board game, it’s important to keep in mind that the total cost per unit is made up of more than just printing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

For example, in addition to printing your game pieces, there\u2019s also the cost of coating, gluing, cutting, assembly, and then packaging to keep in mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

We\u2019ve explained the printing process for games and its costs below. If you need more help working out how much it will cost to print your game (or if you need help with any part of the board game design and manufacturing process), please<\/span> contact us<\/strong><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Pricing for Board Game Printing Basics<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The cost to print your game will vary based on the following factors:<\/span><\/p>

  1. Your choice of paper size<\/b>. Paper comes in several sizes, each of which requires a different type of printing plate. Creating a cost-effective board game involves choosing a paper size that allows you print everything you need while minimizing waste per sheet.<\/span><\/li>
  2. Your game artwork<\/b>. Your artwork plays a big role in determining your printing costs, as the time required to set up a printing sheet can take anywhere from an hour with good art assets to one month for badly made artwork.<\/span>
    <\/span>If your assets comply with printing standards, the price of your game can be lowered by up to $200 per component type. Our team can work with you to make sure no space is wasted and your print run is as efficient as possible.<\/span>
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  3. Your print run size<\/b>. Because the printing process involves a lot of fixed costs, large print runs are much less expensive on a per-unit basis than small runs or the creation of a prototype.<\/span>
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  4. The grade of paper you choose<\/b>. Paper comes in various grades, or weights, measured in grams per square meter (GSM). It\u2019s also available in different levels of whiteness, which determine the color quality of the final printed item.<\/span>
    <\/span>The \u201cperfect\u201d weight can vary based on the type of game you’re creating and this, with your choice of paper whiteness, will impact your raw material costs for printing.<\/span>
    <\/span><\/li><\/ol>

    The quality of the printing machine<\/b>. Many different printing machines are used for board game printing, and some machines may offer pricing advantages over others.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Printing Plate and Paper Sizes for Board Games<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    A critical thing to keep in mind in terms of printing costs is the numerous varieties of paper sizes and printing plates.<\/span><\/p>

    As there are numerous combinations of paper sizes and printing plates, we cannot cover all of them in detail. Instead, we will cover the most frequently used options, I’ve shared the most cost-effective and relevant dimensions for board game creators.<\/span><\/p>

    If you have a question, please comment at the bottom of this article,<\/span> or contact us<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>

    Disclosure: This article is written mostly for Small and Medium Publishers. If you are a large publisher that exceeds 10 tons of a single raw material per print run, you can customize the size of paper to your game\u2019s needs without any additional costs.<\/b><\/p>

    Paper Size Categories<\/b><\/h3>

    There are two elements to consider regarding the size of paper for a board game or card game:<\/span><\/p>

    The first is the size of the printing plate. In our manufacturing facility, we use the following four types of printing machines, with corresponding plate sizes:<\/span><\/p>

      1. S: Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52-2 with a printing plate size of 490X330mm (19X12 inch)<\/b><\/li>
      2. M: Heidelberg Speedmaster SX 74 with a printing plate size of up to 540X780mm (21X30 inch)<\/b><\/li>
      3. L: Heidelberg Speedmaster SX 102 with a printing plate size of up to 720X1020mm (28X40 inch)<\/b><\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol>