6 - Where can I find manufacturers, and who should produce my board game?

Upon request, I'll continue with the topic of pricing in this blog post. How do I determine the production costs of the game? Through quotes from manufacturers. And where can they be found?

There are actually plenty of manufacturers that produce board games, and not all of them are easy to find. To find some, I visited the booths at Spiel 2019 with my prototype and outlined which components I needed using it as an example. While I’m sure I missed many manufacturers, I managed to establish contact with 17 companies. That’s definitely enough for a good overview. Three were from Europe (Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic), while the other 14 were from China. Of these, three never sent me a quote, leaving me with one German and 13 Chinese companies.

The first 14 quotes were overwhelming at first. So many different materials, various minimum order quantities, tiered pricing for print runs, special conditions for packaging and shipping, and sometimes even possible fulfillment services (shipping directly to Kickstarter backers—more on this in the next blog post). This led to prices that were not directly comparable at first glance. Usually, the prices are also listed individually for each component. To bring some clarity to the material chaos, it was time to pull out all the demo packages from Essen again.

Descriptions can initially be confusing.

Even though different manufacturers sometimes use different terms for certain things, the demo packages helped me get a clearer picture. Comparing the quotes also gave me an overview of which conditions are more standard in the industry and which are not. It also highlighted issues I hadn’t considered before that needed addressing with some manufacturers. With a second quote where I specified preferred materials, discussed any missing components, and standardized the print runs (e.g., 1,000/2,000/5,000 units), I was finally able to compare prices. And they vary widely—by about ±50% from the average price.

However, price alone isn’t everything. Communication with some companies was significantly better than with others. I had no board game references for some, and reviews from board game design groups and forums were a crucial factor in my decision-making. Some companies also specialize in certain components, such as miniatures, specialty dice, chips, coins, or game mats.

Deciding on one of the final five favorites was incredibly difficult. Panda has the best reputation in terms of quality and service but is very expensive and demands larger print runs. Other companies with bigger names were almost equally good in quality, offered significantly better prices, and provided excellent service. Ultimately, I chose LongPack. If something were to interfere, I could still fall back on Magicraft. Feedback on these companies is excellent, the prices are good, and communication was outstanding. However, the components needed and how comfortable one feels with a company may also play a role. The decision was truly tough and lengthy—370 emails were exchanged in total.

If you’re wondering what happened to the German company: I didn’t feel as comfortable with them. I also got the impression that they were reluctant to produce smaller print runs. The price was about 40% worse, even though some components were missing and not accounted for. Certain components made of other materials (e.g., plastic feet for standees) would still have to be ordered from China. Deluxe components for a special Kickstarter version would also have been significantly more complicated and expensive here.

Have you had experiences with board game manufacturers? I—and likely some of the readers—would love to hear your stories. Leave a comment. If you find this blog interesting, feel free to subscribe.

I hope this translation helps! Let me know if you'd like any additional support.

5 – How do you determine the price of a board game?

The common formula for pricing is:
MSRP = Landed Cost x 5

The “MSRP” stands for the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price—that’s the price you typically see in stores. “Landed Cost” refers to the cost of production, including transport to your warehouse and customs fees.

An example:
Let’s assume the pure manufacturing cost is €12 (this usually depends heavily on the size of the production run). On top of that, you need to add the cost of transporting the game from the factory to you or your warehouse. Typically, the board game arrives shrink-wrapped and on pallets. Depending on where production takes place, this can be cheaper or more expensive. Customs duties may also apply. For this example, let’s assume transport and customs add up to about €4 per game.

(I'm planning a separate blog post specifically about shipping and logistics.)

That gives us a Landed Cost of €16.
Using the formula, the MSRP would then be €80.

That sounds like a healthy profit margin—but it's not that simple.

If you sell the game directly yourself, the profit margin really is good; you’d only need to pay VAT (which depends on your country).
However, ideally, you want your board game to be available in stores—and that’s where distributors and retailers come into play.

Retailers might pay you 50–55% of the MSRP, while distributors typically pay only 40–45%.
So from a €80 MSRP, you’d get only €32–36 from a distributor (who are usually your biggest customers), or €40–44 from a retailer.
Taxes still need to be paid from that, so your profit margin shrinks fast.

Also keep in mind: the Landed Cost only includes the printing and manufacturing costs.
Expenses for illustrations, marketing, additional services, and of course your own labor as a designer aren't included here.
So, in order to fund a second print run, you first need to sell quite a few copies from the first one.

If you have any questions, feel free to message me or leave a comment.
And if you have specific experience in this area, I’d love to hear about it!

What has changed since the first Kickstarter?
After talking with publishers, a new question came up:
What print run should I base my MSRP calculation on?

It makes a big difference whether you’re producing 1,000, 2,000, or 3,000 units.
The Landed Cost—and therefore the MSRP—can vary significantly.
It’s probably best to base your calculation on the smallest feasible print run.

This approach reduces risk for a Kickstarter and still allows publishers to offer better pricing for larger volume orders.
It’s all about careful planning—if your MSRP ends up too high, the game becomes less attractive to buyers.

Shipping quantities also matter.
Only a few pallets were sent to the US, and shipping cost me about €6 per game.
To Europe, I shipped a full container, which brought the cost down to about €3.50 per game.

Game size plays a huge role too.
A pallet might hold 1,200 small card games but only about 150 copies of Magical Friends.
That needs to be factored into your calculations.

Shipping speed is another consideration.
Shipping by sea from China is the cheapest, followed by rail, while air freight is very expensive.
Speed comes at a high price.

4 - Your Jobs as a Kickstarter Creator

While Kickstarter projects can be small-scale, if you aim to launch a board game that fits the market in terms of price and quality, there’s a lot to do. You can only set a competitive retail price starting at production quantities of 1,000 pieces (in some cases, 500 pieces). Selling that many copies is no easy task.

Many of these tasks can be handled by yourself, with friends, your team, or by hiring someone. The more people you pay, however, the higher the financial risk.

Business Management: If you want to avoid losses and make a profit (even a small one), you’ll need a company. Establishing a company entails several steps. You’ll need legal advice (e.g., for copyrights, trademark laws, taxes) and have to handle bookkeeping, plan income and expenses, and assess risks. In Austria, there is good support available when starting a business.

Game Design: You’re likely handling the game design yourself. What you’ll need, however, are game testers. While friends might be sufficient at first, you’ll soon require external testers and eventually blind testers, who test the game solely using the instructions. Multiple rounds of testing and revisions are necessary, with both voluntary and paid testers available. The tighter your project timeline, the more likely you’ll need to rely on paid testers.

Illustrators and Graphic Designers: Illustrations are crucial to bringing your game to life and creating its atmosphere, as well as attracting potential customers. While simpler art styles can also be effective, the illustrations must look professional. Hiring an experienced artist is a worthwhile investment. Graphic design is equally important. While some stunning artwork may need to be adjusted for clarity, a well-designed game is essential. Illustrations and graphic design represent one of the first significant financial risks before launching your Kickstarter.

Translators and Proofreaders: Spelling errors can appear unprofessional, especially in promotional materials such as newsletters and websites. It’s equally critical to ensure the quality of the game manual. Others should review your materials, and for the final product, a professional should thoroughly examine your game.

Manufacturing and Shipping: You’ll need a manufacturer and will have to gather quotes to find the right one. Collaboration with the manufacturer is key. To transport finished games to your storage or warehouses, you’ll also require a freight company. Your Kickstarter campaign helps cover these initial production costs.

Shipping: While assembling and shipping packages yourself is possible, a successful Kickstarter will demand more space and time. Fulfillment centers can take over storage and shipping, saving you considerable effort. Though this service is pricier, it minimizes logistical challenges.

Marketing: If no one knows about your game, no one will buy it. You’ll need a website or landing page to drive interest in your newsletter. Newsletters are essential for keeping potential customers engaged over time. A well-produced video and advertising campaigns (e.g., on Facebook) are necessary for your Kickstarter launch. Collaborating with bloggers and reviewers and showcasing your game at conventions are also effective strategies. Building interactions with potential fans is vital—they can convert into Kickstarter backers. Professional help can be sought for various tasks, but advertising represents another major expense before launching your Kickstarter.

Distributors/Retail: If your Kickstarter succeeds, you’ll need to navigate the retail market. Negotiations with retailers and distributors will be necessary.

Although you can outsource some tasks, you’ll still need to familiarize yourself with each step to accurately estimate costs.

During the Kickstarter Campaign: Everything comes into play, and the workload can easily become overwhelming. This period often brings a desire for additional support, with numerous offers from others—ranging from scams to genuine assistance. Be cautious, especially with promises of quick advertising results. If you’re exploring advertising support, it may already be too late. Researching reliable help in advance is advisable.

On a positive note, you’ll meet many people who genuinely support you, particularly in the areas of retail and distribution. Prepare for a social experience!

A team is super valuable!

I will get into more details with these jobs in the following Blog Entries

What experiences have you had with these tasks? Do you work in any of these areas? I look forward to your comments!