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Choosing a High-Quality Board Game Manufacturer Part 3: How Sunday Games Ensures Top-Notch Products

For board game designers and publishers, ensuring that every component of the game meets a high standard of quality is critical to the game’s success. Even if the gameplay is exciting and the design is beautiful, poor quality control can lead to defects, damaged components, and a subpar gaming experience. This can result in frustrated … Read more

For board game designers and publishers, ensuring that every component of the game meets a high standard of quality is critical to the game’s success. Even if the gameplay is exciting and the design is beautiful, poor quality control can lead to defects, damaged components, and a subpar gaming experience. This can result in frustrated customers, negative reviews, and ultimately, a loss in sales. In this article, we’ll explore why quality control (QC) is vital in board game manufacturing and how Sunday Games ensures that their products meet the highest standards before reaching your customers.


1. What is Quality Control in Board Game Manufacturing?

Quality control in board game manufacturing involves inspecting each part of the production process to ensure that the game components—such as cards, boards, tokens, and packaging—meet the required specifications. This process helps identify and correct defects before the game reaches the consumer.

Key aspects of quality control include:

  • Visual inspection: Checking the appearance of components for printing errors, discoloration, or misalignment.
  • Dimensional checks: Verifying that the size and shape of each piece match the specifications to ensure they fit together as intended.
  • Durability testing: Ensuring that game components, such as cards and boards, can withstand the stress of frequent use.
  • Functionality checks: Making sure that all pieces function correctly (e.g., cards shuffle easily, tokens stack properly, etc.).

2. Why is Quality Control Critical in Board Game Manufacturing?

Manufacturing defects can severely damage the reputation of a board game. According to the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA), 32% of game publishers reported encountering defective components in their production runs, with 14% of those defects requiring a recall or reprint to resolve.

Poor QC can lead to:

  • Misprinted cards: Text that is hard to read, missing artwork, or incorrect instructions can confuse players.
  • Incorrect sizes or shapes: Pieces that don’t fit together correctly, such as warped boards or tiles, can hinder gameplay.
  • Durability issues: Cards that wear out too quickly, or game boards that warp after a few uses, can frustrate players and lead to complaints.

The importance of QC cannot be overstated. Games that fail quality checks quickly lose the trust of their audience. On the other hand, high-quality components build trust and enhance the player experience, which is crucial for long-term success.


3. How Sunday Games Ensures Top-Quality Products

Sunday Games stands out in the board game manufacturing industry for its commitment to high-quality production standards and meticulous quality control. Here’s how they ensure that every game component is free of defects and meets your expectations:

Pre-Production Samples
Before full-scale production begins, Sunday Games provides pre-production samples for approval. This gives you the chance to check the print quality, component dimensions, and overall feel of the game, ensuring that everything matches your design.

In-Line Inspections
Throughout the manufacturing process, Sunday Games conducts in-line inspections at multiple stages to detect any potential issues. These inspections check for:

  • Color accuracy: Ensuring that all colors match the Pantone specifications.
  • Alignment: Ensuring that images and text are properly aligned on each component.
  • Dimensional accuracy: Verifying that pieces are cut to the correct size and shape.

Random Sampling and Final Inspection
To catch any issues that may have been overlooked during earlier checks, Sunday Games employs random sampling of finished products. Components are selected at random and thoroughly inspected to ensure that they meet the desired standards. They follow the AQL 2.5 standard, which is widely used in manufacturing to ensure that the rate of defective products is kept below 2.5%. This standard is particularly important for ensuring that games are free from significant defects when they are shipped out.


4. Why Quality Control Matters for Your Board Game’s Success

High-quality control practices not only prevent defective games from reaching customers but also improve the overall customer experience, which can translate into better reviews and more word-of-mouth recommendations.

The BoardGameGeek 2022 survey found that 77% of players would be less likely to purchase a game again if they experienced a quality issue, such as defective components. Furthermore, 45% of respondents indicated that they would actively discourage others from buying a game if it had quality issues.

By contrast, 78% of players said that a high-quality game with durable components increases their trust in the publisher and encourages them to buy more games from that brand in the future. Ensuring that your game undergoes thorough quality control will lead to positive reviews, repeat purchases, and loyal customers.


5. Real-World Example: The Role of QC in Game Success

A great example of how QC can make or break a game’s reputation is “Pandemic”, a cooperative strategy game by Matt Leacock and published by Z-Man Games. Since its release in 2008, Pandemic has sold over 6 million copies worldwide. It’s been praised for its engaging gameplay, but it also enjoys a reputation for having high-quality, durable components. The game’s cards, which are frequently shuffled during play, have been made with a high-quality cardstock that resists wear and tear. The game board is sturdy, and the components fit together seamlessly.

Z-Man Games invested heavily in quality control during production, which helped the game’s critical acclaim and massive commercial success. As a result, Pandemic remains one of the best-selling board games of all time. A 2021 study by ICv2 indicated that games like Pandemic had a 27% higher sales rate compared to games with a reputation for poor quality.


6. Why Choose Sunday Games for Your Quality Control Needs?

When it comes to quality control, Sunday Games offers several benefits to ensure your game meets the highest standards:

  • Comprehensive QC Process: From pre-production samples to final inspection, Sunday Games covers all bases to ensure your game is defect-free.
  • Experienced Team: Their team has years of experience working with designers and publishers to ensure top-tier product quality.
  • Global Standards Compliance: Sunday Games adheres to global QC standards such as AQL 2.5, ensuring consistency and reliability in every batch of products.
  • Customer-Centered Approach: They understand the importance of meeting deadlines and the impact of quality issues on your business, and work to ensure that your production runs smoothly from start to finish.

Quality control is a cornerstone of successful board game manufacturing. By ensuring that each component meets high standards, you can avoid defects, build player trust, and enhance your game’s reputation. Whether you are launching a brand-new game or expanding an existing line, partnering with a manufacturer like Sunday Games, who prioritizes rigorous quality control, is key to ensuring that your game stands out for all the right reasons.

By choosing Sunday Games, you’re not just getting a manufacturer—you’re getting a partner who will work with you to ensure your game’s success, both in terms of quality and long-term appeal.


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