What We Do

Our goal is to deliver to our customers a higher quality game for their investment of time and money. That’s why BoardGamesNow is a MODERATED print-n-play site for all types of boardgames. By moderated, we mean that we look at what you submit before we put it out there.

You send your game design to us. We have a team of diehard gamers who, between them, have played more games in more genres than we ever thought existed. These highly compensated (notice we did not say highly-paid) folks will look at your game – from several viewpoints:

Is it complete?
Does it look like reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that everything needed to play the game (except common items like dice, paper, pencil, etc) is in the package.

Are the game rules and assembly instructions clear?
Could you reasonably expect someone to download the game and start using it without scratching their head too many times?

Are the graphics acceptable?
We don’t require games with graphics that could hang on a museum wall or be featured in a movie, but they must be serviceable, easy to see and understand. Your graphics can be color or black and white only.

Are the graphics objectionable?
If BGNow were a movie theater we’d be into G, PG and PG-13 graphics, with the occasional R rating. This is not the place for X or M rated material.

Does it look like it’s been playtested?
After a significant portion of one’s waking hours have been spent playing board games, one can almost feel if a game’s been playtested. Playtest it a bit before you send it in.

Does it look too much like something already out there?
Variants on classic games, such as Chess are fine. Variants on games that are currently in production are not a good idea. For example, we will reject “my really cool addition to Heroscape ™ that adds two pieces and requires an original set of the game to play”. If you have an idea for a variant on an existing game currently out there, you should probably contact the publisher directly. Similarly if you are just changing the name of an existing system and putting some of your own graphics on there, you should not be sending that to us either. For example, if your game is set around 1942 and happens to be called “Axis and Alliances”, with lots and lots of plastic army pieces on a world map, it’s probably too close to something already out there.

What language can I use?
Right now BGNow is an English language-only site. Since the best boardgame designs are not limited to English, we don’t plan to be either. We are actively seeking partners so that we can present your games in multiple languages. For now, though, English it is.

File Format Guidelines

By far the most common format is Adobe PDF. You can also submit your game designs in Word. In order to make shorter download times for our customers, you can also create “compressed file folders” or a “zip file” or “archive” in Windows or a utility like Winzip. Regardless of the format you choose, your files should be set to “printable” but not “editable”. The files in your archive should all be PDF or DOC format. Run your files through a virus checker such as Norton Antivirus before submitting them to us.

Legal / Licensing of Downloadable Media

For every downloadable media, the licensing arrangement is the same. It is a “non-exclusive” license. For a period of three years we will list your design on Board Games Now. You can also list it anywhere else you want. As a downloadable media “publisher” you will get your own “storefront” on Board Games Now as well where you can manage your inventory of game designs. The royalty will be 65% of your listed download price. This royalty will be paid monthly if sales are above a certain amount, quarterly if not. Your games will automatically go on the “Top 10 Downloads / Top 10 Wishlist” and if orders reach a certain amount, Board Games Now will publish it. For details on publication, see the next section.

Legal / Licensing of Published Games (Tangible Products)

If your title is chosen for publication, you must have an exclusive license with Board Games Now. That is, we will be the only place people can order the actual tangible game from, globally, for a period of three years. You must also be the copyright holder. If your game design is chosen to be published, Board Games Now will pay you at a different royalty rate, typically 7-8% of the sell price of each copy of the game. Note that customers who downloaded the print-n-play version of your game will receive the cost of that download as a discount on the published version of the game. You have already received a royalty for their download, so your royalty for the published will be on the discounted price. Example, someone downloads your game for $5. Later we publish it for $30 and the same person buys a copy. You will receive two royalties at different rates – the first for the $5 download (65% of $5 download price , the second for the difference in price (7-8% of $25, not $30).

Can I Market My Game to Another Publisher While It’s on Board Games Now?

Yes. We want you to be successful. We want Board Games Now to be THE place that people come for the best independent game designs, and next year’s hottest games. And what better way to generate interest in your game if it’s sold some copies on Board Games Now already? If you have a non-exclusive license, there is no issue. If you sign with another tangible game publisher, we will remove your game from the site. If you have an exclusive license with Board Games Now (that is – we’ve already started publishing and selling your tangible board game) and another publisher wants to publish your game, congratulations - we’re OK with that. Your contract with us has specific provisions for this event. We will be flexible, but you will have to pay something to terminate your contract early.

Where do I send my game?

Submissions can be sent to: submissions@boardgamesnow.com



What are you waiting for? Send us your design so we can turn Board Games Now into the best indie P-N-P site in the world!!!