how much does it cost to make a board game? The short answer is: it depends. A simple prototype may cost under $300, while a professional board game release can cost anywhere from $5,000 to over $40,000 depending on design, materials, and production scale.
At first glance, board games seem like a fairly harmless hobby. Buy a box for 3,000–5,000 rubles, invite your friends, lay out the components on the table, and you’re already spending an evening playing a captivating game. No subscriptions, donations, monthly payments, or the need to upgrade your graphics card. But there’s one problem: board games are a hobby where purchasing the game itself can be the least expensive part of the experience.
First, you buy a couple of sleeves to protect the cards. Then you discover that storing the components in the original organizer is inconvenient. Then you buy extra dice, fancy tokens, boxes, and special inserts. And after a few years, you suddenly realize you have more boxes of board games at home than you have room for the players themselves.
First board game: how much money do you need to start?
Let’s start with the most obvious—buying your first box. And here I want to point out right away that the price of your first board game can be completely unpredictable. Prices vary depending on the complexity, manufacturer, number of components, and popularity of the specific game. A small card game can be found for 500–1500 rubles, family board games typically cost 2000–4000 rubles, and large strategy games often cost 5000–10,000 rubles or more.
If you’ve never played board games before, I wouldn’t recommend buying a massive strategy game with dozens of miniatures, hundreds of tokens, and a novel-sized instruction manual. It’s better to start with something more accessible to see if you enjoy this format of entertainment. However, if you’ve already got your eye on a 10,000-ruble box and are confident in your choice, who am I to stop a would-be collector?
Approximate budget for the first game:
- A small card game costs $6.06 to $18.18 USD
- Family board game —$24.24 to $48.48
- Average strategy: $48.48 to $84.85 USD
- Large complex game – $84.85 to $181.81
For a first encounter, $36.36 to $60.61 is quite enough. No additional purchases are required at this stage. But this is where the first temptations begin.
Small expenses that add up to big ones
Let’s imagine you’ve bought a board game, unpacked it, and played your first game. Everything’s great, but now you’re noticing that the cards are quickly wearing out when shuffling, the tokens are all mixed up, and setting up the next game takes forever. Time to buy some accessories!
Card protectors
These are special transparent pockets that hold playing cards. They protect the components from scuffs, dirt, moisture, and damage during shuffling. Protectors are relatively inexpensive: standard packs of 50-100 cards can be found for around 100-300 rubles. More expensive options cost 400-700 rubles and up.
However, there’s a catch: a single board game can contain several hundred cards of varying sizes. And if you decide to protect absolutely everything, you’ll have to buy several packs. For example, for a large card game, the cost of protectors can range from 1,000 to 2,500 rubles. Sometimes even more.
Personally, I don’t think every board game needs sleeves. If a game only has a few dozen cards that are rarely shuffled, you can easily get by without them. I’ve never bought sleeves myself, and all the cards in all my board games are in perfect condition.
Organizers
Some board games come with components organized into convenient bags or plastic trays. In others, the manufacturer seems to challenge you to complete an additional quest called “Find the right token among 150 others.” Organizers solve this problem: they allow you to organize components into separate compartments, speed up game preparation, and help keep the box organized.
Simple organizers can be found for around 500-1,500 rubles. More complex plywood or plastic inserts will cost 1,500-3,500 rubles. You can also order an organizer from a professional through, say, Avito, but that’ll cost 4,000-6,000 rubles or more. I haven’t purchased any organizers yet, but I’m considering it, especially in the context of Everdell, since textured berries, logs, rocks, and resin chunks tend to roll off the playing field.
Additional cubes
It might seem like there’s no point in buying dice if they’re already in the box. Because standard dice can be awkward, unsightly, or simply unattractive. Standard six-sided dice cost literally a few dozen rubles each, while small sets can be found for 100–500 rubles.
But if you’re into role-playing games or love beautiful themed accessories, the cost of one set can easily exceed $24.24 to $36.37 USD . Metal and collectible versions can cost even more.
Painting Miniatures: A Hobby Within a Hobby
Some boxes contain dozens of plastic figures, all initially a single color. This doesn’t affect gameplay, but a colored army or set of characters looks more impressive, and that’s where the temptation to paint them comes in.
Let me clarify right away: paints, brushes, and other accessories are completely unnecessary for board games. You can spend your whole life playing with regular plastic figures and get just as much fun. For example, I’m absolutely delighted with the gray miniatures from “War of the Black Rose” and don’t even think about repainting them. But if you enjoy miniature painting, you’ll need to set aside a separate budget. To get started, you’ll need:
- Acrylic paints cost approximately 300–700 rubles per jar, depending on the manufacturer and line.
- Brushes – about 200-1000 rubles per piece.
- Primer – approximately 500-1200 rubles.
- Palette – from 100 to 500 rubles.
- Additional materials – from several hundred rubles.
You can start with a minimal set for$24.24 to $48.48. For a more comfortable workflow, you’ll need to spend $60.61 to $121.21 and more. Then it all depends on your ambitions. One day, you buy a few paints to paint your favorite character. A month later, you have a dedicated table, a lamp, an airbrush, and a collection of jars where you can’t find the right shade. Congratulations, you’ve discovered another hobby. Now you have two ways to spend money, and both lead to interesting results.
Board games are starting to take over your apartment.
When you have one or two boxes, storage is practically a non-issue. You can put them on a shelf, put them in a closet, or tuck them under your bed. But over time, your collection grows. Especially if you bought a box with tentacles that whispers to you about expansions. And soon, you’re building a two-meter-tall temple out of those black boxes. And I’m not kidding: some board games are so huge that you have to clear out an entire shelf to store them.
Now imagine you have twenty or thirty of these games. A simple bookcase doesn’t seem like such a bad purchase. Don’t forget about your table, too; it’s important, too. A simple kitchen countertop will suffice for a small card game, but for large-scale strategy games with a huge board, player boards, and dozens of components, you’ll need the space. I’d even say a good table is sometimes more important than the latest expansion. You can love board games as much as you want, but if components are constantly falling on the floor and players are sitting on top of each other, the enjoyment of the game is noticeably diminished.
Add-ons: The Most Dangerous Part of Tabletop Hobbies
What did I say about the box of tentacles? Now we’ve reached a real financial trap. Expansions can increase the cost of a board game by 50%, 50%, or even several times. And the problem isn’t even that they’re expensive. The problem is that after a few games, you start to notice the limitations of the basic box. You want more characters, new mechanics, additional scenarios, factions, cards, and game modes.
Manufacturers understand this psychology perfectly. This is especially evident in collectible and strategy games. A basic box can cost 5,000–10,000 rubles, while a full set of expansions can cost another 10,000–30,000 rubles. Sometimes the cost of an entire collection is comparable to the price of a modern gaming computer.
Take Cthulhu Wars, for example. The core box already contains a complete game, but there are additional factions, neutral Great Old Ones, new maps, and other expansions. So you buy one expansion, then another, then you spot an interesting faction, only to discover you need several more boxes to complete the set. And some expansions can cost almost as much as the core game.
There’s another problem: discontinued extensions. When the box you need disappears from stores, you have to search for it on the used market. There, the price is sometimes determined not by the contents, but solely by the seller’s willingness to part with it for enough money to buy a small car. So you end up hunched over your boxes like Thanos from that very meme.
Delivery, localization and rare editions
If you buy board games from a regular store, you might not incur any additional costs. However, if you order from another city or from a private seller, you’ll need to factor in shipping costs. Depending on the store, region, and shipping method, this can be several hundred rubles, and for heavy and large boxes, it can be significantly more. Much depends on the seller, of course, but I’ve seen people charge up to 18$ for shipping.
The second issue is localization. A board game in Russian can be more expensive than a foreign version sold at a discount. Moreover, not all projects receive an official Russian version. If you’re really interested in a game, you may have to buy the original edition, order a rules translation, or seek out a fan-made localization.
Finally, there are games that become collectibles after production ends. Their value on the secondary market can significantly exceed their original retail price. Sometimes the most valuable purchase isn’t the new box itself, but the chance to find the expansion pack you need.
How much does board game addiction cost at different stages?
Now let’s try to put it all together.
Level 1: “I just want to try”
You buy one or two board games, sometimes invite friends over, spend a few evenings playing, and don’t think about collecting them yet. You don’t need expensive accessories, special tables, or separate cabinets.
Estimated budget:
- One or two games – $36.36 to $96.97
- Protectors – 0-$6.06 USD
- Additional accessories – 0-$6.06
- Storage is free if you have a free shelf at home.
Total: $36.36 to $109.09 This is a very comfortable entry into the hobby. Even without any additional purchases, you’ll get a full gaming experience.
Level 2. “I think I’m hooked.”
You’ve already figured out what genres you like, you’re starting to explore new projects, and you’re gradually building a small collection. Your first protectors, organizers, extra cubes, and maybe an expansion or two are starting to appear.
Estimated budget:
- 4–8 board games – $181.20 to $422.80
- Protectors – $12.12 to $30.30
- Organizers – $12.12 to $48.48
- Cubes and other accessories – $6.06 to $24.24
- First additions – $24.24 to $84.84
Total: $235.95 to $611.05 At this point, you can confidently say you’re into board games. You have favorite projects, your own preferences, and probably a few boxes you haven’t even unpacked yet. Don’t worry, that’s normal. I guess.
Level 3. “I now have a separate closet.”
Congratulations, you’re no longer a beginner. Your collection already includes major strategy games, several expansions, perhaps rare editions, and games that take up half the table. You’re starting to buy accessories not because they’re necessary, but because they’re more convenient. Some components are already in their own boxes, and preparing for a game feels like organizing a small event.
Estimated budget:
- 10–20 board games –$605.00 to $1,210.00
- Add-ons: $181.80 to $484.80.
- Organizers and protectors – $60.60 to $145.44
- Accessories — $24.24 to $60.61
- Wardrobe or shelving unit – $121.00 to $302.50
- Gaming table – $120.80 to $362.40
Total: 92,000–212,000 rubles. And that’s still a pretty modest option for someone who’s seriously into collecting.
Level 4. “I can’t enter the room anymore.”
At this stage, you’re no longer buying board games. You’re investing in a family legacy with elements of economic terrorism. You have several large collections, rare expansions, exclusive editions, separate organizers for almost every box, and perhaps miniature painting kits. You know where to look for discontinued expansions, can distinguish between different print runs, and can spend an evening poring over ads for a specific box.
Estimated budget:
- 20–40 or more board games – $1,208.20 to $3,020.50 US dollars
- Supplements and rare editions – $483.20 to $1,208.00 US dollars
- Accessories and organizers — $121.20 to $303.00 US dollars
- Paints, brushes and accessories – $60.50 to $181.50 US dollars
- Furniture and storage – $362.40 to $724.80
Total: 185,000–450,000 rubles and up. And that’s without taking into account any particularly expensive collectible projects. If you’re into crowdfunded board games or collecting almost every expansion pack for a particular game, the budget could be significantly higher. At this point, the phrase “Let’s buy another game” starts to sound like a threat to the family budget.
Which board games are likely to cost the most?
Finally, it’s worth discussing a separate category of projects that can literally eat up a collector’s budget. These are primarily large-scale strategy games with numerous expansions, miniatures, and exclusive components.
For example, some collectible projects have such a complex expansion system that the base box becomes just a starting point for further purchases.
Examples include:
- Cthulhu Wars is a game with a large number of factions, expansions, and add-ons. Completing the full collection can be quite expensive.
- Kingdom Death: Monster is a large-scale project with miniatures, expansions, and collector’s editions. The costs can extend far beyond the typical board game budget.
- Too Many Bones is a game with numerous additional characters, expansions, and accessories. The full collection costs significantly more than the base game.
- Warhammer 40,000 is a universe unto itself, where buying game sets can be just the beginning of spending on miniatures, paints, brushes, tools, and additional armies.
Moreover, these examples demonstrate how widely expenses can vary within a single hobby. One person is satisfied with the basic box, another wants to collect all the available expansions, and a third begins painting each miniature by hand.
Setting aside collecting, expensive accessories, and the desire to collect absolutely everything, board games remain a very affordable pastime. 3,000–5,000 rubles is enough to get started with the hobby. For that kind of money, you can buy a good game and spend many pleasant evenings. But if you find yourself wanting to explore new mechanics, collect expansions, buy rare editions, and set up a full-fledged gaming space, be prepared for a completely different price.
The cardinal rule of board games is: buy games you want to play, not accessories you want to show off. Although, I admit, sometimes resisting the urge to buy the next expansion can be harder than winning a game against a seasoned opponent. And finally: if you ever find yourself having to clear out some closet space and then figure out the logistics of storing the box to buy a new board game, know that there’s no turning back.