On Boxes and Materials

Why are so many little games in big boxes?

Even cards games with <50 cards. I can imagine a few reasons; better shelf presence, more imposing feel, to fit a rule/scoresheet or tokens. But the more I think on it, the less I understand. A big box does not make a big game. Is it compensating for something? If the rulebook is the size-limiter, then the gameplay isn't rich enough. Many arbitrary rules do not make up for low playability. Think about a deck of 52 playing cards—there is possibly more gameplay in a Bicycle tuck box than any game ever sold.

It is not so ostentatious, but a great many benefits come from a small box like that. Portability, convenience, and perhaps most importantly, cost. We've done a ton of work to make Keeps something that is accessible to everyone. I thought it might throw off some people ("tiny box game??"), but it just makes so much sense. I like to think of it as shooting for the record of the densest game, measured in playability per cubic centimeter.

We don't call it Keeps: An Elegant Game for nothing. And that it is possible to fit into a normal card deck box speaks to that elegance. There is so much value in just pulling it out of a pocket at the bar or a friend's place. Keeping it in the car, on your desk. My most boardgamer friend Bryan spoke a line I like: "It has the footprint of a filler, but feels like a full course meal".

I guess it's obvious I would want to keep costs low for people. But that doesn't mean I sacrificed any quality. The 36 Keeps cards are printed on Casino-grade linen stock and with an air finish. I tried 13 different sample stocks and finishes for our cards, but I kept coming back to one thought: I want them to feel like playing cards. Cards that have passed through my hands in innumerate rounds of Hold 'em, Omaha, Stud, Hearts, Fish, Cubes, Speed, ERS, Sevens, Golf, Spoons, ...I used to do card magic (and a bit of cardistry), so maybe I am biased, but man does it feel natural this way. Man does it feel right.

When we made the change from our prior stock, most of the players noted how the new linen texture fits the hands and the vibe of the game so well. If you want a feel for the cards themselves, go pick up a new deck of semi-nice playing cards (~$15) and they will feel similar. I think you will like the familiar size and feel of the Keeps cards. Yes, it was somewhat more expensive (about 18%), but I think it does the game justice, and I should just be able to keep the price at my target of $10.

One last note about the box. On the original few iterations that have been played the most, the edges naturally weather over time. This deck below has been through about a hundred rounds of play, dragged around in purses and pockets, thrown around on floors and coffee tables. Notice the whitening edges:

We realized this is why many playing card boxes (that are meant to be played) have white borders: to keep this unnoticeable. Originally we thought to follow suit, but we realized we actually started to like it.

Those (possibly few) of you who are into watchmaking know what a travesty it can be to clean or replace some parts of an old piece. The dial or the crystal often show signs typical of long-aged years of reliable use; erasing that well-earned mark of a good watch is in no way desirable. No, those of you who play enough Keeps with your box to get it looking like this deserve that badge of honor.

For what good is a game? It's not in its condition, not in its packaging.

It is in its playing.

-David