How to Make a Board Game: Prototyping, Playtesting, & Publishing

Do you have an idea for the next big tabletop game and want to bring it to life? Making a board game can be a lot of fun, and it’s pretty easy to get started with your design. We’ll cover everything you need to know about writing rules, making and testing early versions of your game, and creating a final product that’s ready to publish. Just keep reading to get started on your game design journey!

How can I make a board game?

Choose a theme and game mechanics to include.
Write out a basic version of game’s instructions.
Make a simple prototype of the game board and pieces.
Play the game alone and with others to test the gameplay.
Tweak the rules based on player feedback.
Print out a final copy with finished art and design.

Section 1 of 5:

Designing the Gameplay

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1
Choose a theme for your game. The theme is like the “genre” of your board game, and it usually helps you decide on the setting and art for your game. You can make a game themed just around any subject, so brainstorm some different ideas to try out.
- Example: In the game Ticket to Ride , the theme is building railroad routes to transport passengers.
- Example: In the game Wingspan , the theme is bird watching and attracting birds to your habitat.
- Let your favorite novel, comic book, or TV series be inspiration for your game’s theme. If you like Sherlock Holmes, you could make a mystery game set in Victorian London.
- Mythology and legends are great themes, so some common elements you could include are vampires, witches, wizards, dragons, and other fantasy creatures.
2
Decide on the game mechanics to include. Mechanics are the different ways players interact with the game and each other while they play. For example, the mechanics in Monopoly center around rolling dice, buying and selling property, and making money. Some common mechanics include:
- Controlling areas on a map
- Buying and upgrading cards in a deck
- Rolling dice to move on a board
- Negotiating deals between players
- Placing cards or tiles in specific patterns
- Assigning pieces as “workers” for specific actions
- Some people come up with a mechanic first and then create a theme around it, while others come up with a great theme and then tailor the mechanics to match that theme. Experiment to find what works best for you.
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3
Write the basic rules of your game. When you write your rules, start with what you have to do to set up the game. Even if you aren’t set on the final rules, jot down a few ideas of how a turn plays out. ^{[1]
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Research source} Be sure to include the following information:
- Number of players: How many people can play your game at the same time? How old do the players need to be?
- Starting players: How will you decide who starts the game? Many games choose the first player by having players roll dice or draw cards to decide.
- Player actions: What can players do during their turn? To balance turn time, most games only allow 1 or 2 player actions per turn.
- Player interaction: How will player actions influence each other? For example, players on the same square might “duel” by rolling for the highest number.
- Board effects: If there are enemies or effect spaces, when will those occur during a round?
- Resolving outcomes: How will players resolve conflicts, battles, or effects? You could roll a dice, draw a card, or spend points.
4
Set the win conditions for the game. Once you have the basic ideas behind your game written down, think about the different ways that the player could win. It could be getting to the last space on the board, collecting more victory points than another player, or working together to complete a common goal.
- Example: In Azul , you win if you earn more points from playing tiles than the other players.
- Example: In Battleship , you win if you’re the first player to sink all of your opponent’s ships.

Section 2 of 5:

Making a Prototype of Your Board Game

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1
Sketch or mock-up the game board. If your game has a central board, draw it out on a piece of posterboard or on some pieces of paper. Label different areas of the board, like spaces where players can move, locations with player actions, and areas where players can place cards.
- You may also buy blank game boards that you can draw on to make your prototype feel more real.
- It’s okay if your game board doesn’t have a lot of art or only has writing on it. The goal of a rough prototype is to test the game’s basic rules to see if they’re fun before you put a lot of effort into the artistic side. ^{[2]
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2
Use small objects as tokens in your prototype. Buttons, checkers, poker chips, chess pieces, and any other knick knacks work well as prototype game pieces. If you want specific tokens, check other board games you own and borrow a few pieces while you’re testing out your prototype.
- Keep your prototype game pieces simple so you don’t invest a lot of time designing something that ends up getting changed.
3
Make your own playing cards to add variation to the game. If you want to add some randomness to your game, use index cards for your ideas. Cards can be characters, special abilities, new rules, items, or anything else you can imagine. Be sure to write down all of the card effects you want to include and don’t be afraid to test out different ideas.
- Alternatively, make the cards on your computer so you can easily print and cut them out.
- Put your cards into sleeves so they’re easier to shuffle and play with while you’re testing.
- Don’t worry about putting any art on your cards just yet when you’re making a prototype. Just try to get the basic ideas down so you can hop into testing as soon as possible.

Section 3 of 5:

Testing Your Board Game Prototype

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1
Play your prototype by yourself. Before you show other people your game, sit in as each player and try out different strategies. Test the basic rules of your game as you’ve written them, and see if you’re having any fun while you’re trying them out. Write down any positive or negative feedback you have on the game so you can tweak the rules and play with friends. ^{[3]
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- Try to test for different strategies that “break” the game, such card combos that earn way more points than usual or actions that create an unfair advantage. When you revisit the rules, address the issues that broke the game.
2
Ask friends and family to play your game. Reach out to people that you know who love to play board games and ask them to try out the one you’ve created. Explain the rules to them and explain that it’s a work in progress. While you’re playing, ask them what they like about the game and where they think there’s room for improvement.
- During some of the games, let your friends and family play while you observe them. That way, you can watch what strategies other people try and note how they affect the gameplay.
- Pay attention to players’ end score. If one player is consistently ahead of the other players, there's probably an unfair advantage.
3
Find new players to get different perspectives on your game. Most local board game stores have community nights where you can test homemade board games with other players. Try to have a variety of people play your game so you can see how different players interact with it. The more players that try out your game, the more you’ll be able to weed out potential problems or weak areas that are easy to fix.
- Try having players read the rulebook without having you explain the game to them. See what rules players forget or get wrong most often so you can tweak them.
- A player’s age impacts how they approach your game. Try out the game with younger siblings and grandparents to test what ages it works best for.
4
Tweak the rules of your prototype throughout testing. As you finish each playtest, make any changes or adjustments to your game board, rules, or other components based on the players’ feedback. As you continue to test, keep track of the features that you’ve changed so you can go back to old version if you need to.
- It may help to keep 2 separate rules documents: one master document listing all the ideas and changes you’ve gone through while designing, and one simple rules sheet that players can read through to learn your game.

Section 4 of 5:

Finalizing Your Board Game Design

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1
Illustrate the game board. The game board is the focal point of your game, so add some custom art to make your game stand out. Make sure the areas of the board and any important written information is clear and legible.
- Ask one of your artistic friends to help illustrate your game. Alternatively, hire an artist or graphic designer to get a professional look.
- Make sure the art and design match the theme of the game. For example, if you made a horror game about vampires, you might use a Gothic art style with black and red as the main colors.
2
Make or buy the game pieces for your game. For the feeling of a classic game, use small wooden tokens or pieces and paint them different colors for the different players. Alternatively, print out the game pieces on cardstock and place them in standees . Get any other dice or pawns you need to complete your game.
- Repurpose pieces from games that you don’t play anymore to save some money.
- You may also 3D print custom pieces if you have experience modeling them, or browse 3D models online. Check your local library to see if they have 3D printing services you can use so you don’t have to purchase your own printer.
3
Create custom cards. Either write and draw your card designs on blank playing cards or print out the custom cards on cardstock. Add graphics and make sure all the important info is easy to read.
- Alternatively, you can order professionally-printed cards with custom designs from sites like Make Playing Cards .
Many services, such as The Game Crafter , allow you to upload files to make custom components. Add all the components and the art files to the game so you can order a professional-looking copy. You can even save your games so you can purchase additional copies or sell them to other people.

Section 5 of 5:

Publishing or Selling Your Game

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1
Submit your games to publishers. Every game publisher accepts pitch submissions differently, so research the requirements for specific companies you’re pitching to. When you pitch your game, highlight the main hooks of your game and what makes it unique from other board games on the market. If a publisher thinks your game is a good fit, they’ll respond with the nest steps. ^{[4]
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- Be sure to post about your game on social media and on sites like BoardGameGeek to get other players excited about it.
- Try to attend board game conventions, like GenCon or PAX Unplugged, to meet with publishers and pitch your game in person.
2
Sell the game files for people to print and play. If you don’t have the time or energy to make copies of your game, let players print their own versions. Save files for all of your games art and rules, and share them online. Then, players can download the files and print them out so they can start playing.
- Make a page for your game on Itch and upload the files to a store page. You can easily set the prices and manage the files online.
- This works best for card games or games with small boards
3
Crowdfund your game to self-publish it. If you want to get direct support from other gamers, then a crowdfunding project can help bring your game to life. Crowdfunding sites let you set funding goals and offer reward tiers, like a copy of your game. Before you start a campaign, be sure to look into all the logistics, like manufacturers, shipping, and production costs so you know how much to raise. ^{[5]
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Research source} Popular board game crowdfunding sites are:
- Kickstarter is one of the largest crowdfunding sites, so your board game campaign will tend to get more traffic than other services.
- Gamefound has crowdfunding specifically for tabletop gaming, and it has a pledge manager built in to the site so it’s easier for users to manage orders.
- Indiegogo allows you to set a funding goal, and you’ll still receive money if you don’t reach it. However, it may not have as large of an audience.

What Are Tips For Designing a Board Game?

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Question

Can I use cardboard for the game board?

Community Answer

Cardboard would be a good choice for your prototype, but because cardboard damages easily, a firmer board would be a better choice for your final product. If cardboard is your only option though, choose cardboard that is more durable or glue two pieces of cardboard together to make your board.

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How can I come up with a good creative name for my board game?

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Write down many words that relate to your game. Pair them together until you find a nice combination. It helps to have others do this exercise with you.

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Would the game still be fun if there is only one challenge or should there be more?

Community Answer

It depends on how long you want your game to go on for. If you want a game to last for hours, then more challenges would be fine. If you want a game to go for 10 minutes or so, then it should be only one challenge.

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When people critique your game, keep an open mind and listen to any feedback to see if there are areas the gameplay could improve.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Research manufacturers rather than self-publishing to gain wider distribution. Publishers have marketing teams to promote games. Seek ones receptive to independent designers through submissions.
Expand your test audience gradually. Start with close friends who will give polite feedback. Slowly incorporate more objective testers who offer candid criticism to improve gameplay.
Record sessions to review player reactions you may have missed. Facial expressions and body language reveal engagement, confusion, excitement. Analyze the footage after.
Print prototype cards and boards at home to save money. Use cardstock sheets for durability during early testing. Don't invest in publishing until the game is refined.
Theme your game around holidays or events for easy marketing hooks. A Thanksgiving food fight game or Halloween haunted house adventure make great seasonal gifts.
Make the most of playtesting. Have testers play in teams and keep opinions anonymous via secret ballot. Players may hold back criticism in group discussions.

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Warnings

While it’s not against the law to copy the rules of another game and call it your own, it’s pretty taboo in the game design community. It’s okay to borrow inspiration and mechanics from other games.

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How to Make a Board Game: Prototyping, Playtesting, & Publishing

How can I make a board game?

Steps

Designing the Gameplay

Making a Prototype of Your Board Game

Testing Your Board Game Prototype

Finalizing Your Board Game Design

Publishing or Selling Your Game

What Are Tips For Designing a Board Game?

Community Q&A

Video

Reader Videos

Tips

Tips from our Readers

Warnings

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