Panda’s Mission is to produce
(and play) the best games in the business.
Our Process
Panda offers a full service, end-to-end partnership beginning with understanding your game and your goals. Between your creative passion and our manufacturing and gaming expertise, we’ll help you make the game you’ve always dreamed of.
How do we do this? By guiding you through each step of our proven production process:
Step 1
Request a Quote
Step 2
Design Verification
Step 3
Pre-Production
Step 4
Mass Production
Step 5
Assembly
Step 6
Shipping
Step 1
Request a Quote
Step 2
Design Verification
Step 3
Pre-Production
Step 4
Mass Production
Step 5
Assembly
Step 6
Shipping
Keep scrolling for an overview of Panda’s manufacturing process. We’ve designed each step to eliminate errors, maximize communication and control, and result in the highest quality game to meet our exacting standards and your creative vision.
Step 1
Request a Quote
Getting a quote for your game from Panda is free and easy! Simply register for an account, give us some basic information about your game, and provide us with a list of your game’s components following our specification guidelines Keep in mind that Panda has a 1,500 game minimum order quantity.
As part of the quotation process, you’ll also have the opportunity to request an optional consultation with a Panda Project Manager. They’ll answer your questions, ask a few of their own, and help you refine your specifications for pricing. We can even provide quotes for multiple versions of your game, such as a retail version and a Kickstarter version.
Panda Project Managers handle much more than pricing, too. They can answer questions about every aspect of your game and the manufacturing process. Whether it’s about finding the right component materials or ideas for stretch goals, your Project Manager can help. They’ll stay with your project from beginning to end, so you can be confident they know your game almost as well as you!
Not quite ready for a full quote? Our estimator tool provides basic pricing information while you work to refine your specifications. Choose from a list of pre-defined components, sizes, and materials, and we’ll provide a live, estimated price as you go. Then, once your specifications are more finalized, come back and request a full quote!
Step 2
Design Verification
The foundation of manufacturing a great game rests on properly prepared design files. Our Design Verification process ensures that your files are ready for production. A dedicated Panda prepress specialist will review your print files to ensure they meet our design guidelines and your artistic needs.. You can even begin Design Verification before signing a contract to get your project going as quickly as possible. How can you help? Get familiar with our design guidelines by using our tools and resources and you’ll be uploading trouble-free files in no time!
Does your game have custom plastics? Our plastics engineers can analyze your 3D designs or physical sculpts to suggest tips and minor design tweaks that may save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. And our wood, dice, and metal teams can analyze your component designs and offer solutions to prepare them for manufacturing. Finally, we’ll wrap up Design Verification by creating a full set of online digital proofs for you to review and approve. It’s just one more way we make sure your game is ready to go before we begin the sampling process.
Step 3
Pre-Production
Now that your files and designs are approved, it’s time to make a Pre-Production Copy, or PPC. The PPC is a single, near-final quality prototype version of your game’s printed components (box, rules, cards, punchboards, game boards, etc.). We know you’re eager to see it – we are, too! – so we’ll air-ship your PPC to you at no extra cost. We’ll also provide free samples of the plastic, wood, metal, dice, and other non-printed components of your PPC so you have a complete version of your game to evaluate. Go ahead and play a game, we’ll wait! Then you and your personal Project Manager will review your PPC in a step-by-step video call to identify any changes needed before full-scale mass production. Now you’re ready to start mass production!
Step 4
Mass Production
Once you approve your PPC and component samples, we begin mass production. Now our incredible factory teams will go into action: printing your cards, boards and boxes; engraving your dice; crafting your wood tokens; making your miniatures; and so much more! When mass production is nearly complete, we’ll air-ship you the Mass Production Copy, or MPC. This is the first full, final, and complete mass production version of your game. Shrinkwrap and all! It is also your last checkpoint before we begin assembling the rest of your games. You and your Project Manager will review the MPC on a video call to ensure that your game is ready for final assembly.
Step 5
Assembly
Once you approve the MPC, we assemble your games. Our dedicated quality control team inspects your components to check that everything is complete and correct as your game is assembled into the box. And we mean correct! All of Panda’s games come with a 99% defect-free quality promise. We even include spare components at no extra charge so that you have extras on hand to provide as replacement parts for your backers and customers. Speaking of backers and customers, let’s get those games shipped!
Step 6
Shipping
Once your games are printed and assembled, they have to go somewhere! First, we’ll create customized cartons and carton markings to package and protect your finished games. Next, we palletize and shrink-wrap (or floor load) your game cartons at no extra charge. If you’ve made your own shipping arrangements or have a shipping agent who will arrange to pick up your games, you are welcome to do so with no additional fees. But if you need some shipping assistance, our door-to-door shipping services (not included in the manufacturing price) will make sure your games get from our factory in China to your choice of location(s). We work with a network of experienced global shipping partners and we can ship games by ocean, air, or land, depending on your budget and timing needs. No matter where they are going or how they get there, we’ll ensure that your games arrive safely and on time.
Download Our Making the Game One-Sheet:
