With almost 30 years of success in the card printing industry under our belt, we’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the most inventive and talented card game designers in the world. If you’d like to join them, this is what you need to know to get started self-publishing and selling your own custom decks.
In today’s gaming landscape, custom card decks have become increasingly popular. These decks offer a unique and personalized gaming experience, making them highly sought after by both avid gamers, collectors, and aspiring game designers. Whether you’re looking to create a custom deck for your local gaming club or interested in self-publishing a card game for profit, this basic introductory guide will provide you with all the information you need to get started.
The market for custom card decks
Before diving into the world of custom card game design, it’s essential to understand the market and identify potential opportunities if your aim is primarily commercial in scope. Custom card decks have gained significant traction in recent years, thanks to the growing demand for unique and personalized gaming experiences, the burgeoning tarot card industry, and the continued popularity of cardistry and stage magic encouraged by TV shows such as Penn and Teller: Fool Us. However, this also means that the marketplace has become more competitive than ever. Conducting thorough market research is essential to identify popular trends, niche interests, and potential target buyers for your custom decks.
To start, immerse yourself in online forums, gaming communities, and social media platforms favored by people with an active interest in cards. Engage in conversations with other gamers, card users, and game and card designers to gather insights and feedback. Explore popular themes and styles of card games, discover the age groups and range of players for different games, and identify where people buy their card games and how much they will pay. While you’re at it, see if you can pick up on their other interests, hobbies, and activities, and determine where they play and with whom and how else they buy and use their card decks.
By conducting comprehensive market research, you’ll gain valuable insights into what people like and dislike in card decks, the themes that have the strongest appeal, and the mechanics that resonate with players. This information will help you create custom card decks that stand out in a crowded gaming landscape and have a better chance of selling well.
The right game type for your custom deck
Once you clearly understand the market and potential target buyer, you’ll need to choose the game type that best suits the theme, style, and game objectives you have in mind. There are various game types to consider, each offering unique gameplay experiences.
- Traditional playing card games: You can bring your own special “twist” to traditional games like poker, rummy, and bridge. Designing a custom deck for these games allows you to infuse your own style, artistic taste, branding, and thematic preferences into classic gameplay.
- Collectible card games (CCGs): CCGs like Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon have a dedicated fan base. Creating a custom CCG allows you to introduce new mechanics, characters, and strategies to the genre while building on the popularity of these successful predecessors.
- Deck-building games: deck-building games like Dominion and Legendary offer players the opportunity to construct their own decks throughout gameplay and collecting activities. Designing a custom deck for this genre allows for endless possibilities and strategic depth and further marketing and sales opportunities with the graded release of special editions, upgrades, booster decks, and more.
- Party and social deduction games: party and social deduction games like Werewolf and Avalon are perfect for larger groups of players. Designing a custom deck for these games lets you create unique roles, abilities, and narratives tailored to your specific theme and targeted audience.
- Educational and trivia games: custom card decks can also be used effectively for educational purposes. Designing trivia or educational games allows you to impart knowledge while engaging players in a fun and interactive way. These decks can be highly specialized, or more general, for children and families.
By carefully selecting the game type that best fits with your aims and who you think is likely to buy your product, you can create a custom deck that offers a unique and enjoyable gaming experience, a collectable value, and a good return on your investment in design, printing, and distribution.
Principles of card game design
Designing a successful card game requires a solid understanding of the fundamental principles that make a game engaging and enjoyable. Keep these key considerations in mind when designing your custom card game:
- Define the aim and mechanics: every card game needs a clear aim and well-defined mechanics. Work out precisely the goal players need to achieve in order to win your game, also known as the “win condition,” and establish the actions they can and can’t take, known as the rules, to progress towards that goal. Balance luck and strategy and consider the level of complexity you want to incorporate into your game, depending on the age group and other demographic factors.
- Create mechanics: card games offer opportunities for mechanical innovation. Experiment with new ways players can interact with the cards and each other. Whether it’s a drafting mechanic, deck-building, unique card abilities, cooperative gameplay, or an element of randomization, strive to create a memorable and engaging set of mechanics that drives the game forward, makes the win condition possible, but also present challenges to the players to keep it interesting.
- Test, iterate, and refine: play testing is essential for refining your custom card game. Gather a group of play testers and observe their experiences and feedback. Use this feedback to make iterative improvements, ensuring a balanced and enjoyable experience for players. Play testing is an essential step in creating a professional game that resonates with your target audience, that works well, and is likely to sell and become popular.
- Art and graphic design: the visual appeal of your custom card sets plays a significant role in attracting players. Engage the services of a professional artist and graphic designer to produce high-quality artwork and graphic design that fits with the theme and tone of your game. Each card in your custom set should have several visually appealing components, including, say, background artwork, key illustrations, titles and text, numbers and codes, and even special finishes such as holographic paper or metallic foil stamping.
- Simplicity and accessibility: while unique combinations of mechanics and complex gameplay can be exciting, it’s important to strike a balance and make sure your game remains accessible to your players. Aim for simplicity in rules and mechanics, allowing players to grasp how the game works and start having fun pretty much straight out of the box. Avoid overwhelming players with overly complicated rules or mechanics which leave them bored and frustrated before they even start the game!
By following these principles, you’ll create a custom card game that is engaging, enjoyable, and aesthetically appealing.
Self-publishing your custom card game
Once you’ve designed your custom card deck, you’ll need to explore the process of self-publishing. This combines completing the digital files you’ll need to send to the printer, packaging, distribution and sales. Self-publishing offers game designers the freedom and control to bring a unique project to the market, but it can be a steep learning curve, so be prepared to take each step with care and engage professional help whenever you need it. Here are the key steps involved in self-publishing a card game:
- Create a prototype: start by creating a functional prototype of your custom card deck. Hand-make prototypes in the early stages and play test extensively to refine gameplay mechanics. Once everything is in place, design the final versions of your cards and prepare your printing files.
- Find a manufacturer: choose an experienced offset printer with specialized knowledge in card, game, and packaging printing. Ahem, that’s us, by the way! Selecting the right manufacturer is so important for achieving high-quality results. Work with professionals who can offer personalized customer support, unrivaled pricing, the latest technology, and an environmental commitment. Namely, QinPrinting!
- Define your production plan: develop a production plan that details the number of decks you want to produce, printing specifications, and additional components like rulebooks, counters, or dice if your deck is part of a more comprehensive board game or tabletop game design. You’ll need to think about factors such as crowdfunding campaigns, supporter updates, and production schedules. Having a clear production plan ensures a smooth and efficient process. If you use Kickstarter for your funding campaign, we can offer you special services, discounts, and coupons if you print your cards with us.
- Design eye-catching packaging: create visually appealing and informative packaging for your custom card set. Engage professional graphic designers to design packaging that showcases the uniqueness of your game. Consider the structure, materials, and printing techniques you’ll use. If you choose to design your own packaging, we have specialist structural packaging engineers and artwork designers who can advise you and check your files if you print with us.
- Distribution, sales, and promotion: once your custom card sets are printed and packaged, it’s time to distribute, sell, and promote your game. Explore various distribution channels, including online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy, local game stores, social media, your website or blog, and meetups and conventions. If you include a rule book with your card deck, then you can also add an ISBN and barcode to sell it through booksellers, catalogs and bookstores. Develop marketing strategies to raise awareness of your game, including social media promotion, influencer collaborations, and getting reviews on blogs and websites.
By following these steps, you can design, print, and self-publish your custom card game. While we can’t guarantee your sales numbers, we know that the more professional and high-quality your custom card deck is, the better chance you have of people buying it.
Talk to us!
Creating a unique custom card deck is an exciting endeavor that offers endless possibilities for game designers. By understanding the market, choosing the right game type, following game design principles, printing a high-quality deck, and self-publishing your game, you can create a custom card game that resonates with players and may sell well if your marketing and distributions strategies are sound. Remember to conduct thorough market research, play test extensively, and engage professionals where needed to make sure you have high-quality artwork, graphic design, and printing. With passion, dedication, and creativity, you can bring your custom card game to life and have the satisfaction of seeing other people enjoying what you’ve created. Get in touch as soon as you’re ready. We’d love to help you realize a fine quality custom card deck.
