Four Ways Mayday Games Helps Board Game Publishers Grow Their Business

Launching a board game has never been easier—or more challenging.

Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Gamefound have made it possible for independent designers and publishers to bring incredible games to life. At the same time, manufacturing costs, freight rates, fulfillment logistics, convention planning, and inventory management have become increasingly complex.

At Mayday Games, we've spent over 15 years working with publishers of every size. As both a publisher ourselves and a supplier to hundreds of companies throughout the hobby game industry, we've experienced many of the same challenges that today's publishers face.

Over the years, we've developed several programs specifically designed to help publishers reduce risk, improve cash flow, increase customer value, and make their games more successful.

Whether you're launching your first Kickstarter, preparing a major Gamefound campaign, debuting your newest title at GenCon or SPIEL Essen, or simply trying to clear warehouse space, we may be able to help.

Here are four ways Mayday Games works alongside publishers to make projects more successful.

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1. Crowdfunding Small Print Run Support

One of the biggest challenges for independent publishers is manufacturing quantities.

Printing only a few hundred copies often results in a very high cost per game. Printing significantly more copies reduces manufacturing costs dramatically—but leaves publishers wondering what to do with hundreds of extra games sitting in a warehouse.

Many publishers ask themselves:

"Should I print 500 copies... or 1,000?"

The answer is often simple:

Print more.

The challenge is what happens afterward.

That's where our Crowdfunding Small Print Run Support Program comes in.

Instead of limiting your print run to the exact number of backers, Mayday Games can purchase a portion of your additional production directly from the factory at your manufacturing cost.

That means:

• You can print a larger quantity.
• Your manufacturing cost per game drops.
• Your crowdfunding margins improve.
• You receive payment for those additional copies immediately.
• Those games gain continued exposure through the Mayday Games store and convention network.

Even better, we can also import your U.S. fulfillment inventory in the same ocean container as the copies we purchase.

Rather than shipping your games twice, we consolidate everything into one shipment, reducing logistics costs and simplifying the process.

When the shipment arrives in our Indianapolis warehouse, we can fulfill your U.S. Kickstarter or Gamefound rewards at our actual direct fulfillment cost.

Since we're already shipping thousands of packages ourselves, publishers benefit from our negotiated shipping rates and existing warehouse infrastructure.

For many publishers, this creates savings in several different areas:

• Lower manufacturing costs
• Lower freight costs
• Lower fulfillment costs
• Reduced warehouse needs
• Improved cash flow
• Less financial risk

If you're planning a crowdfunding campaign with a relatively small production run, this program may allow you to manufacture more copies while actually improving your profitability.

Learn more about our Crowdfunding Small Print Run Support program HERE.

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2. Increase Crowdfunding Value with Card Sleeve Bundles

Card sleeves have become one of the most requested accessories in modern board gaming.

Players want to protect their investment.

Publishers want to increase pledge values without significantly increasing production complexity.

Our Kickstarter and Gamefound Card Sleeve Program helps accomplish both.

Instead of asking backers to purchase sleeves months later, publishers can include professionally designed sleeve bundles during their crowdfunding campaign.

This creates several advantages.

Higher Average Pledge Values

Adding optional sleeve bundles increases average pledge size while providing something many backers already intend to purchase.

Rather than buying sleeves elsewhere after receiving the game, backers can receive everything together.

Better Customer Experience

Sleeves arriving with the game means players can protect their cards immediately.

Many gamers sleeve every game they own, making this one of the most appreciated add-ons available.

No Additional Manufacturing Complexity

Mayday Games manufactures and delivers sleeves directly to your game factory in China.

Your factory simply packs the sleeves with the game during fulfillment.

No extra freight.

No additional international shipping.

No secondary warehouse.

No complicated logistics.

Everything arrives together.

Better Margins

Because sleeves are manufactured separately from the game itself, publishers often find that sleeve bundles provide attractive profit margins while increasing perceived value for backers.  Best of all, we bring OUR volume of card sleeves produced at our factories to YOUR smaller order, ensuring you have the best negociated rates.  We have much more volume with our factory that your game factory will!

Publishers can:

• Sell sleeves separately
• Bundle sleeves with deluxe editions
• Include sleeves as stretch goals
• Offer promotional discounts
• Create premium pledge tiers

Many campaigns also discover that sleeves become one of their highest-converting optional add-ons.  We have done this for dozens of campaigns over the years and bringing either the Mayday or Sleeve Kings brand of sleeves to your campaign also ensures your customers trust in the quality of the sleeves, and that they can get identical sleeves for future editions/expansions.

Learn more about our Card Sleeve Program for Kickstarter and Gamefound here.

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3. Help New Releases Succeed at GenCon or SPIEL Essen

Launching a new game at a convention creates incredible excitement.

It also creates unique opportunities.

Thousands of enthusiastic gamers are ready to purchase brand-new releases—but they're also looking for extra value.

That's why Mayday Games created our Publisher New Release Support Program.

We create professionally assembled card sleeve bundles specifically designed for your new game.

These bundles can be:

• Sold alongside your game
• Bundled together at a discount
• Included free with early purchases
• Used as convention-only promotions
• Offered as retailer incentives

Because our booth is already operating at major conventions like Gen Con and SPIEL Essen, logistics become remarkably easy.

We simply deliver the sleeve bundles directly to your booth before the show.

Even better...

If you have unsold sleeve bundles after the convention ends, you don't have to pack them, ship them home, or find warehouse space.

We simply take them back to our own booth.

That means:

• No return freight
• No leftover inventory headaches
• No warehouse costs
• No wasted product

Publishers can confidently offer sleeve promotions knowing they won't be stuck with excess inventory afterward.

It's one of the easiest ways to increase customer value during a convention launch.

Learn more about our Publisher New Release Support Program here.

 

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4. Turn Overstock Into Opportunity

Every publisher eventually ends up with inventory they'd rather not store.

Sometimes a game simply printed more copies than expected demand.

Sometimes warehouse costs become expensive.

Sometimes a title has slowed down after several years.

That doesn't mean the game has no value.

Mayday Games regularly purchases limited quantities of publisher overstock for inclusion in our popular Mystery Boxes.

Typically we're looking for approximately 100–200 copies, although larger opportunities are occasionally possible.

For publishers, this creates several benefits:

• Immediate cash flow
• Reduced warehouse storage
• Lower carrying costs
• Additional exposure for the game
• More room for new releases

Many Mystery Box customers discover publishers they have never played before.

That means these games often reach entirely new audiences.

Rather than sitting on warehouse shelves, overstock inventory becomes a marketing opportunity while helping recover manufacturing investment.

If you have quality games looking for a new audience, we'd be happy to discuss whether they may be a good fit.  Learn more HERE.

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Why Publishers Choose Mayday Games

The biggest advantage of working with Mayday Games is simple:

We've been in your shoes. We have more than 60 successful Crowdfunding Campaigns and have launched dozens of games and hundreds of product since 2008.

We've managed international manufacturing, infact our owner speaks Mandarin and has lived in China off and on for nearly 10 years!

We've handled freight delays.

We've fulfilled hundreds of thousands of orders, over 100,000 just on our shopify store and over 70,000 crowdfunding backers.

We've exhibited at conventions around the world since 2010.

We own our own warehouse and 26-foot box truck and have a low cost advantage! 

We make our main profit through our own products and sales and helping other pubishers succeed is a project of passion.  Check out our extensive catalog.

Because we already have these systems in place, many publishers can leverage our existing infrastructure instead of building everything themselves.

Whether that's:

• importing  pallets or containers,
• fulfilling rewards,
• supplying sleeves,
• supporting convention launches,
• or purchasing excess inventory,

our goal is always the same:

Help publishers succeed while allowing them to focus on creating great games.

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Let's Work Together

Every publisher's situation is different.

Some are preparing their very first Kickstarter.

Others are releasing their tenth Gamefound campaign.

Some need help reducing manufacturing costs.

Others want to increase average pledge values or simplify convention logistics.

Whatever stage you're in, we'd be happy to discuss whether one of our publisher support programs is a good fit.

Learn more about each program:

Crowdfunding Small Print Run Support

https://www.maydaygames.com/pages/crowdfunding-small-print-run-support

Kickstarter & Gamefound Card Sleeve Program

https://www.maydaygames.com/pages/kickstarter-gamefound-card-sleeves

Publisher New Release Support

https://www.maydaygames.com/pages/publisher-new-release-support

Board Game Publisher Overstock Program

https://www.maydaygames.com/pages/board-game-publisher-overstock-program

If you'd like to discuss your upcoming project, feel free to reach out. We'd love to explore ways we can help make your next game launch even more successful.  Just drop us an email to emma@maydaygames.com.