Blog

Guides, tutorials, and insights on designing tabletop card games, from first prototype to published product.

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Publishing5 min read

How to Publish a Card Game: Print on Demand, Crowdfunding or a Print Run

How to publish a card game in 2026: the three routes to market, what each costs in fees and minimums, and the barcodes, boxes and steps between a finished deck and your first sale.

A hand tossing playing cards towards the camera, with a three of diamonds, a king and an ace mid-air
Tools6 min read

How to Make Custom Cards for Tabletop Simulator (Deck Sheets, Sizes and Backs)

Step by step: custom cards in Tabletop Simulator. The 10 by 7 deck sheet, card and sheet sizes, backs, image hosting, and the Custom Deck settings that trip everyone up.

Two hands measuring a blank white sheet against a steel ruler on a green cutting mat, with a rotary cutter and pencil beside it
Graphic Design7 min read

Playing Card Sizes and Dimensions: Poker, Trading Cards, Tarot and Pixels at 300 DPI

Every standard playing card and trading card size in inches, millimetres and pixels at 300 DPI, with bleed and safe zones, a calculator for any size, and the exact files Tabletop Simulator and The Game Crafter expect.

A hand spreading orange ink onto the rollers of a small letterpress with an open tin of ink beside it
Tools6 min read

The Best Print-on-Demand Card Game Printers in 2026 (Compared)

Where to print a custom card game in 2026. An honest comparison of print-on-demand card printers, with prices, minimums, card stock and file specs, plus the easiest route to a proof deck.

A deck fanned in a wide arc by candlelight with one illustrated card turned face up
Tools7 min read

The Best AI Tabletop Game Makers in 2026

AI can draft your rules and your art. It still can't playtest your game. What the best AI tabletop tools actually do in 2026, and the disclosure rules before you publish.

A wooden strategy board covered in black and white counters beside a stacked wooden block tower
Tools7 min read

The Best Tabletop Game Makers in 2026 (Components and Rulebooks)

Every tabletop game is two things: a pile of components and a book. An honest comparison of the best tabletop game makers in 2026, covering both halves.

A full set of illustrated cards laid out face up in a grid on a white surface
Card Game Design10 min read

How to Make a Trading Card Game: From Core Rules to Your First Playable Set

How to make a trading card game, step by step: core rules, resources, card types, factions, deckbuilding limits, set size, rarity and your first playable set.

Two neat rows of identical blue wooden meeples casting shadows on a pale blue background
Tools7 min read

The Best AI Board Game Makers in 2026

Most AI board game tools are thin wrappers that write a themed rules blurb. An honest look at what AI actually does well in board game design in 2026, and what designers think of it.

A blue wooden meeple, pawns, cubes and dice standing on an illustrated game board in close-up
Tools8 min read

The Best Board Game Makers in 2026 (Free and Paid, Compared)

An honest comparison of the best board game makers in 2026, covering component design, playtesting and print, so you can pick the right tool for your game.

Illustrated game cards laid out in overlapping rows on a wooden table during a playtest session
Tools6 min read

The Best Card Game Makers for Tabletop Simulator in 2026

Tabletop Simulator wants one big deck sheet, not 60 card files. An honest comparison of the best tools for designing custom cards and getting them onto a TTS table.

Friends playtesting a card game together around a table
Tools7 min read

The Best Card Game Playtesting Software in 2026

Playtesting is where card games get good. An honest comparison of the best card game playtesting software in 2026, from free browser tables to full 3D sandboxes.

A fanned deck with a custom orange illustrated back beside scattered standard playing cards on a wooden table
Tools7 min read

The Best Card Game Template Tools in 2026

Hunting for a card game template in Canva or Photoshop? Here's what a proper template needs, and an honest look at the best template tools for a full deck in 2026.

A hand of custom illustrated game cards fanned out beside scattered game tiles on a wooden table
Tools6 min read

The Best AI Card Game Makers in 2026

Most AI card makers only generate art. An honest look at the best AI card game tools in 2026, from image generators to a full design-to-print pipeline.

A grid of hand-illustrated game cards laid out on a table
Tools6 min read

The Best Card Game Makers in 2026 (Free and Paid, Compared)

An honest comparison of the best card game makers in 2026, from free scripting tools to all-in-one platforms, so you can pick the right one for your deck.

Card game prototype stages from hand-drawn to printed
Card Game Design8 min read

How to Make Your Own Card Game From Scratch

A step-by-step guide to making your own card game from scratch. Three prototyping stages, common mistakes to avoid, and tips to speed up development.

Well-designed card game layout showing visual hierarchy
Graphic Design10 min read

Game Card Graphic Design: 6 Rules for Cards People Can Actually Read

The 6 rules of game card graphic design. From visual hierarchy to iconography, design readable, beautiful cards that elevate your tabletop game.

Spreadsheet showing card game balance calculations
Game Balance10 min read

Balancing a Trading Card Game: 5 Tips That Catch Problems Early

Overpowered cards and broken combos? Learn 5 practical tips to balance your trading card game, avoid game-breaking mistakes, and keep matches fun.

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