Playtesting Box Art: Player Perceptions and Expectations

An essential component of the game is the box it comes in. Though it seems like a small object, it is the first door to the world it encapsulates in itself. Box makes an impression, and perceptions are associated with it. This paper investigates board game's box art and related perceptions. A disappointing box art results in the game being left un-purchased on the store shelves. This is not the only consequence. An undesirable impression from the box art remains with the player, although they enjoy the game. While the games have the potential to convey intended benefits, the box is the only chance for game designers to evoke buyers' attention, if the game has not been advertised by other means. It is significant to understand how players associate with box art, their perceptions, and their desirability. This paper has investigated box art design for its desirability, the first impression it conveys, and perception of it. We present a series of questions that help test the box art of board games. The questions are broken down into categories to investigate different aspects of the box art. The participants have also drawn the box art for a particular game setting that informs about their preferred design.