Learning how to pitch a board game is a different skill from designing one, and plenty of good designs never reach a shelf because their designers never learned it. The good news is that the process is well understood, publishers are more open to submissions than most newcomers expect, and the materials you need fit on one page and in one short video.
This article covers when a game is ready, how to find the right publisher, what to send, what happens in a pitch meeting, and what a deal typically looks like afterward.
When is a game ready to pitch?
Earlier than you think in some ways, and later in others.
Publishers do not want finished art, a final box, or a professional rulebook. They have art directors and editors. What they want is a game that works, and the evidence that it does.
A game is ready to pitch when:
- It has been played by many groups the designer does not know, from the rulebook alone.
- Those groups asked to play again.
- The rules have been stable for a while. Not perfect, but no longer changing every week.
- The designer can state what it is, who it is for, and why it is different in two sentences.
- The prototype is clean enough to play without apology. Printed cards, legible icons, a board that lies flat.
If you cannot tick the first two, the fix is more testing, not better pitch materials. Our guide to how to playtest a board game covers the process.
How do you find the right publisher?
Not every publisher wants every game, and a pitch sent to the wrong company is a wasted month. Do the matching first.
Look at their catalog. A publisher of heavy economic games does not want your party game, and a family publisher does not want your eighteen-hour campaign. Find three to five whose recent releases sit next to yours on a shelf.
Check their submission policy. Most publishers post one. Some accept open submissions year-round. Some take pitches only at conventions. Some are closed. Respect the policy; ignoring it marks you as someone who did not read.
Match the size. A large publisher offers reach and a long production pipeline. A small one offers attention and a faster answer. A first-time designer often does better with a mid-size company that releases a handful of games a year and needs each one to land.
Ask other designers. Design communities, online and at conventions, share which publishers respond quickly, which pay fairly, and which have shelves of unreleased signed games. That knowledge is worth more than any directory.
What goes in a sell sheet?
The sell sheet is a one-page document that does for a publisher what a book jacket does for a reader. It is the single most important pitch material and most first drafts are too long.
| Element | What it should contain |
|---|---|
| Title and tagline | The name and one line that says what the game is |
| Hook | Two or three sentences on what makes it different |
| Vital statistics | Player count, play time, age range, main mechanisms |
| Image | One photo of the prototype in play, or a clean mockup |
| How it plays | Four to six short bullets on the core loop |
| Testing evidence | How many plays, how many blind groups, any contest results |
| Designer contact | Name, email, and a link to a video |
Keep it to one page with generous white space. The publisher will spend thirty seconds on it. If those thirty seconds raise a question, they will watch the video. If the video holds them, they will ask for the prototype.
A common mistake is to lead with theme. “A game about Victorian beekeepers” tells a publisher nothing about why it will sell. “A twenty-minute tile-laying game where every hive you build changes what your neighbors can grow” tells them everything.
What should the pitch video show?
Three to five minutes, no more. Phone footage is fine if the sound is clear and the camera is steady.
- Open with the hook: what the game is, in one sentence.
- Show the components laid out as they would be in play.
- Walk through one full turn, showing the decision the player faces.
- Show the end of a game and how it scores.
- Close with the stats, the testing history, and your contact details.
Do not explain every rule. The video is not a tutorial. It is a demonstration that the game is real, the loop is clear, and you can communicate. Publishers watch dozens of these; the ones that get a reply are short and specific.
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What happens in a pitch meeting?
Convention pitches and video calls follow a similar shape. You will usually have fifteen to thirty minutes.
The first two minutes are the whole pitch. State the hook, the stats, and the one thing that makes it different. Then stop and let them ask questions. Designers who talk for ten minutes uninterrupted lose the room.
They may want to play a turn or two, not a game. Have the prototype set up to a mid-game state where the interesting decisions are visible. Starting from setup wastes the time you have.
Expect blunt questions. How is this different from a named game in their catalog? Why this player count? What did blind testers dislike? Answer plainly. A designer who has tested enough has heard every question before.
Expect no answer in the room. A good meeting ends with “send us the prototype.” A great one ends with a date to follow up. Almost none end with a yes.
Afterward, send a short thank-you with the sell sheet and video link attached. Then wait. Publishers evaluate in batches, and three to six months of silence is normal rather than a rejection.
What does a publishing deal look like?
Terms vary and this is not legal advice, but the common shape is a license. You keep the copyright. The publisher gets the exclusive right to produce and sell the game for a defined period and territory, and pays you a royalty.
Typical features of a first contract:
- A royalty expressed as a percentage of the publisher’s net sales, often in the mid single digits.
- A modest advance against royalties, or none at all for a first-time designer.
- A term of several years with renewal conditions.
- A reversion clause: if the publisher does not release the game within a set period, or stops selling it, rights return to you.
- Approval or consultation rights over major changes to the design.
- Designer credit on the box.
The reversion clause is the one to read closely. Publishers sign more games than they release, and a game stuck in a drawer with no reversion date is a game you cannot take elsewhere. Ask for a clear deadline. Reasonable publishers expect the question.
If the deal involves significant money, have a lawyer read it. Many design communities can recommend one who knows the hobby.
How do you handle rejection?
You will get a lot of it, and most of it will not be about quality. The publisher has a similar game in development. The theme does not fit their line. Their schedule is full for two years. The game is good and the answer is still no.
Three habits help.
- Pitch to several publishers in sequence, not one at a time. If one asks for exclusivity while they evaluate, agree to a time limit.
- Ask for one sentence of feedback when declined. Many publishers will give it, and patterns across rejections are useful data.
- Keep designing. A designer with a second and third game in testing is in a far better position than one waiting on a single answer. Publishers also notice designers who keep showing up with new work.
If you have pitched widely and the game keeps getting the same note, listen to the note. If the note is “we love it but it is not for us,” keep going. If, after all of that, you still believe in it and want to make it yourself, our article on whether to Kickstart your board game lays out that path with the costs attached.
Why does pitching well matter?
Because the alternative is a game that lives in your closet. Designers often treat pitching as a necessary evil, something separate from the real work. It is not. The pitch is the moment a game stops being a private project and starts the journey to a stranger’s table.
That is the whole purpose of designing one: a group of people you will never meet, somewhere, on an ordinary evening, choosing to spend an hour together because of something you made. The game is the reason. The people are the point.
FAQ
How do I submit a board game to a publisher?
Find publishers whose catalog matches your game, follow their posted submission process, and send a one-page sell sheet with a short video. If they are interested, they will request the prototype.
What is a board game sell sheet?
A one-page summary of a game with its hook, player count, play time, main mechanisms, a photo, testing evidence, and contact details. It is the first thing a publisher reads.
How much do board game designers get paid?
Most published designers earn a royalty on net or wholesale sales, typically 5 to 8 percent for a newer designer, sometimes with a small advance. Few earn a living from it; most treat it as a serious hobby with income.
Do I need to protect my idea before pitching?
Game mechanics cannot be copyrighted, and reputable publishers do not steal designs; their business depends on designers trusting them. Keep records of your work, pitch to established companies, and skip the NDA.
Get the evidence first
Publishers want proof that strangers enjoyed your game, and the best way to get it is to put the game in front of strangers. The Ludarium plans open playtest nights for designers once its Indianapolis lounge opens. For new articles on design, play, and the people around the table, subscribe to the newsletter. Subscribers see new pieces before anyone else.
Sources
- Legal Moves, Board Game Licensing: https://legalmoveslawfirm.com/board-game-licensing/
- BoardGameWire, TTGDA benchmark (2026): https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2026/08/11/who-has-the-fairest-contracts-in-board-games-ttgda-launches-publisher-benchmark-to-improve-treatment-of-designers/
- Stonemaier Games, Designer Contracts: https://stonemaiergames.com/?p=12382
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