Custom Game Boxes
A game box is not disposable packaging. It is storage, it is the thing on the shelf between plays, and it will be opened and closed for years. Almost every design decision here follows from that, and almost none of them apply to any other category on this site.
Get a price for Game Boxes
Send the size and quantity — we reply the same working day with a price, a dieline and a date. Artwork optional at this stage.
- 4styles in this range, each with its own page and price
- 100unit minimum on every style, printed or plain
- 4markets quoted in the delivery currency
- ±1mmcutting tolerance on folding board, checked on a sample
4 styles in this range
Styles we make in this range
Every one below is written up, priced and dielined. Tap a style to see how it is built.
01See the build →Board Game Boxes
Custom board game boxes
02See the build →Paperboard Tube Packaging Puzzle
Custom puzzle tubes
03See the build →Playing Card Boxes
A tuck box is the tightest tolerance we work to.
04See the build →Tuck Boxes for Playing Cards
A deck is a solid rectangle, which sounds like the easiest thing in the world to make a box for.
Side by side
Which game boxes style fits
| Style | Board | Build | Minimum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board Game Boxes | Wrapped grayboard 1.5–2 mm two-piece; E flute white-lined two-piece | Two-piece lift-off; tuck box for card games | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Paperboard Tube Packaging Puzzle | Spiral-wound kraft 1.5–2 mm; printed paper wrap | Tube with fixed base and lift-off or plug lid; wrap and lid matched | 100 tubes | Open → |
| Playing Card Boxes | 18–20pt; heavier board takes internal space at this size | Tuck box with thumb notch, slit lock, or full seal | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Tuck Boxes for Playing Cards | 18–20pt; wall thickness counts against internal space at this size | Tuck box with thumb notch and slit lock; seal and tear-tab options | 100 boxes | Open → |
The lid has to survive being lifted a thousand times
A two-piece lid and base is the standard game box for a reason: there is no hinge to fail and no closure to wear out. What does wear is the fit — a lid that is tight when new loosens as the corners compress, and a lid that starts loose falls off within a year.
Wrapped rigid board with reinforced corners holds its tolerance far longer than a folding carton, which is why almost all published games use it despite the cost.
Air is a factor at this size. A large tight-fitting lid on a full box is a piston — allow a little tolerance or it will be genuinely hard to close.
The insert is doing three separate jobs
The third is the one that gets forgotten. A half-empty game box lets the lid sag in the middle and lets everything migrate to one end, and it makes a game feel cheaper than it is.
- Holding components apart in transit, so nothing is crushed or scratched.
- Making setup and pack-down fast, which is what players actually notice.
- Filling the box, so the contents do not slide around and the lid stays supported.
- Presenting the components at the moment of first opening.
Card boxes are their own problem
A deck of cards is a dense, precise block, and a tuck box for it has to be within about a millimeter. Too tight and the cards scuff going in and out; too loose and the box wears at the corners and the deck rattles.
Card thickness varies between stocks, and a deck of 52 in a linen-finish stock is noticeably thicker than the same count in a thin one. Send us the actual deck rather than the count.
Board weight against shelf presence
Weight is a signal in this category in a way it is not elsewhere. Players judge a game partly by how substantial the box feels, and a light box on a shop shelf reads as a light game.
| Card game tuck box | 18–24pt folding; light, cheap, replaceable |
|---|---|
| Small box game | Rigid or heavy folding; ships flat only if folding |
| Standard board game | Wrapped rigid, 2 mm grayboard; the category default |
| Large or deluxe | 2.5–3 mm grayboard, reinforced corners, heavier insert |
Printing the inside of the lid and the base
Both are visible every single time the game is played, which is more exposure than any retail packaging gets. A printed base under the insert, or artwork inside the lid, costs a second pass and is seen for years.
It is also useful rather than decorative: a setup diagram or a component list printed inside the lid is where players will actually look for it.
Shrink wrap, and what it demands of the box
Retail games are usually shrink wrapped, which needs a box that is square, flat-faced and free of anything standing proud. It also holds the lid on in transit, which a game box does not do by itself.
If you are selling direct rather than through retail, consider whether you need it at all — an unwrapped box in a corrugated outer arrives just as safely, with the construction described in our shipping box notes.
Across the range
What every game boxes job runs on
Boards
- Natural kraft
- White SBS
- E and B flute
- Wrapped grayboard
- Food-grade board
- Recycled content
Chosen from what goes in the box and how far it travels. Our notes on recyclable and compostable stocks say which claims each board can carry.
Finishes
- Matte
- Gloss
- Soft-touch
- Foil
- Emboss
- Spot UV
- Kraft
- Textured
Each one is a decision about light on a shelf — the specialty finishes range shows them on real boxes.
Artwork
- Vector PDF or AI, fonts outlined
- 3 mm bleed, 4 mm safe area
- CMYK; a spot color where a match must hold
- Proof on the dieline before press
Files not set up that way are fine — see the guide to preparing print files.
Interactive · five steps · no sign-up
Build your Game Boxes in 3D
Pick a shape, type a size, choose a board and a finish. The preview on the left redraws as you go, and the spec lands with us exactly as you set it.
Frequently asked questions
Got a question about game boxes? The answers below cover what we get asked most. If yours is not here, send it with a brief, message us on WhatsApp, or call +1 503-461-4788 — we reply the same working day.
Why does my game box lid get loose over time?
The corners compress with repeated opening. Wrapped rigid board with reinforced corners holds its tolerance far longer.
What size tuck box for a 52 card deck?
It depends on the card stock, not the count. A linen-finish deck is noticeably thicker — send the actual deck.
Do I need an insert if the components fit?
Yes. An insert stops migration, supports the lid and makes setup fast. A half-empty box feels cheap however good the game is.
Is shrink wrap necessary?
For retail, usually. For direct sales, a corrugated outer does the same job without the plastic.
What is the minimum order?
100 boxes, any build.
Should I print inside the lid?
Yes — it is visible every single time the game is played, and a setup diagram there is where players actually look.
Why does my game box lid get loose over time?
The corners compress with repeated opening. Wrapped rigid board with reinforced corners holds its tolerance far longer than folding board.
What size tuck box for a 52 card deck?
It depends on the card stock, not the count. A linen-finish deck is noticeably thicker — send us the actual deck.
Do I need an insert if the components fit?
Yes. An insert stops migration, supports the lid and makes setup fast. A half-empty box feels cheap however good the game is.
Is shrink wrap necessary?
For retail, usually. For direct sales, a corrugated outer does the same job without the plastic.
Keep browsing
