Tabletop Game Print-Run Cost Calculator

The 5× rule, popularized by Brandon the Game Dev: retail MSRP should be ~5× per-unit landed cost (manufacturing + freight + customs). The rule exists because a tabletop game that goes to traditional 3-tier distribution loses 50–60% of MSRP to the distributor + retailer cut. At a $50 MSRP, the publisher receives ~$22.50. Subtract $10 landed cost and you're left with $12.50 to cover everything else — marketing, art, freelance design, sculpting, customer support, and profit.

Below 5×, the math breaks at distribution. A $50 game with $15 landed cost gives the publisher $7.50/copy to cover overhead, which is unsustainable across a print run. Above 5×, you have margin to absorb the inevitable late-stage costs (reprints, replacement parts, shipping discrepancies, customer-service refunds).

Kickstarter-only publishers who skip distribution can run looser ratios (3×–4× landed cost) because the platform fee, fulfillment, and customer support are the only major variable costs. But every Kickstarter project that succeeds gets asked about retail — and the day you say yes is the day the 5× rule matters.

Manufacturing per-unit costs drop dramatically at scale because plate setup, color separations, and tooling are one-time costs absorbed across the run. A medium-box game might cost $13/unit at 1,000 copies and $7/unit at 5,000. That's a 46% per-unit savings — but it requires committing 5× the capital upfront.

Most first-time publishers print 1,500–2,500 copies. PrintNinja's 500 MOQ is the only low-volume option that still uses offset (not POD) printing; everything else (LongPack, WhatzGames, Panda) starts at 1,000–2,000 MOQ. Below 500 copies, you're forced into print-on-demand or domestic short-run, both of which cost 3–5× more per unit.