- Benefits ●
- Best Practices ●
- Use Cases ●
- FAQ ●
Welcome to your next QR Code adventure. Do you want to expand your game world without breaking the bank? Great, we have just the thing for you. We will be your eyes and hands throughout this exploration, your gamemaster, if you will, as we explore QR Code possibilities.
The benefits of applying QR Codes on tabletop games
If you’re looking for a way to provide players with access to all your information and game expansions, QR Code technology simplifies this process entirely. Simple, tactful, and creative, there are endless possibilities with QR Codes, so you’ll definitely want to check out what they have to offer.
1. Easy links for players on all devices
We’ve come a long way from sharing information on 360 KB floppy disks. And, honestly, it can be daunting for novice players to undertake a new game. Video demonstrations are a much more engaging medium when it comes to explaining rules and sharing knowledge, as opposed to lengthy texts. This is why with the Video QR Code printed either on the packaging or the introduction brochure, you can offer players a bounty of treasures like useful guides on worldbuilding, gameplay videos, or advice on how to create a character. You can add one or multiple videos to a mobile-friendly landing page, where players can watch them directly with no extra apps or clicks.
2. Interactive storytelling
Building on innovative technologies can enrich storytelling in adventure board games, tabletop role-playing games, or strategy games. You can awaken people’s curiosity and take their imagination to new places. QR Code solutions invite players into a new world to either help tell an interactive story or continue the adventure through a new platform. How? Through a variety of QR Code types. The App Store QR Code helps you promote easy access to any new mobile game extension by connecting players with one scan to the app store that fits their operating system. Or, if you want to connect players to a PC version of a tabletop RPG, the Dynamic URL QR Code is the perfect gateway. It connects directly to any landing page, like a download page.
3. Editable and updatable anytime
Made a mistake? One of the best reasons to use Dynamic QR Codes is the information linked to them can always be edited and updated. If you need to swap out a link or even change your type of QR Code, you can do it whenever you want, like turning an MP3 QR Code into a Coupon QR Code. Did you make a typo or add the wrong link? All of this can be edited without ever changing the QR Code’s original appearance.
4. Optimized for mobile devices
Who says you need a website in order to create mobile-friendly content? One of the best ways to open up your company to the mobile market is through QR Codes. Think of them as portals that transport scanners from the physical world to the vast expanse of the digital world. Basically, you are turning a game board, a playing card, or the packaging itself into a jumping-off point to your online platforms, very much like hyperlinking everyday objects.
5. Customizable for every design
QR Code Generator PRO gives you a fantastic spectrum when it comes to artistic flexibility while generating your own Codes. You can add individual brand colors with custom frames and edges, put a logo or image in the middle, and include a unique CTA (call to action). You can even add your brand name directly in the link to increase brand awareness, allowing your audience to recognize it with ease. QR Codes are also adjustable in size and image file type, so they can be made to fit any medium you use.
6. Real-time QR Code tracking
When you use a Dynamic QR Code instead of a Static one, you can view real-time tracking data for any print medium. Metrics such as location by city and country, time scanned, operating device used, and unique vs. total scans enable you to monitor how well your QR Codes are working and how you can improve them for the future, so you can really oversee every detail of your creative output.
How to create a QR Code on tabletop games?
- Go to QR Code Generator and select the type of QR Code you’d like for your tabletop game. We recommend starting with the URL QR Code.*
- Type in the website in the required field to link with your QR Code.
- Your QR Code will be generated automatically.
- Now, customize the design of your QR Code by adding a frame and a “Scan Me” logo.*
- Select colors to match your style or company brand identity.
- Select ‘Download’ to receive your QR Code file in .jpg format.
- Integrate your newly-created QR Code to your tabletop game design.
*Sign up to create a Dynamic URL QR Code, where you have the option of adding more information, more visuals, and edit or replace information without reprinting a new QR Code, even after print. You can also choose from a variety of frames and upload your own logo for further branding.
QR Codes on tabletop games best practices
What’s next? When designing your QR Code on tabletop games, there are a few valuable details to keep in mind so that your efforts get the best results. For more detailed instructions, visit our QR Code design guide or our PRO features to bring your QR Codes to life.
1. Customize your design
It’s highly recommended to customize your QR Code with all of the styling options available. This helps QR Codes match your aesthetic.
2. Use the appropriate size
Using the right size for your QR Code ensures that there are no problems scanning your Code and that users can read it. QR Codes should be no smaller than 2 x 2 cm (around 0.8 x 0.8 in) because they can always be scaled up—even to the size of a billboard ad!
3. Add a CTA
One big mistake QR Code users have made in the past is printing them without a short written explanation of what someone would gain or learn from scanning one. Make sure to incentivize viewers to scan your Code, or else all your efforts will be for naught.
See QR Codes on tabletop games in action
Do you like to get swept away by fiction? Brilliant. With the following five use cases, we will showcase different real-life QR Code ideas to add new dimensions to your tabletop games.
Promote new games
Keeping players engaged in your brand means giving them something to come back for. The Coupon QR Code helps you convert the sale of one game into more profit by offering customers discounts and bargains on new games or expansions. What makes this QR Code great is how convenient it is. You can display a text code for online store check-out or barcode to be redeemed and scanned in-store. And, any time a promotion ends, you can just update the QR Code without ever having to reprint a new one.
Engage players on a whole new level
Who says the adventures have to be the same each time you unfold the board game? Customize on a bi-weekly, monthly, or yearly basis with a video playlist that guides players through new quests or mysteries using the same old board game with innovative technology. The Video QR Code connects players to your own curated library of videos, without the hassle of search bars and clicking. One scan and they’re ready to go.
Advertise your physical shops
If you have a franchise, use the Dynamic URL QR Code to direct players to the nearest tabletop game store by linking them to an interactive map on a landing page. Or if you’re more of the local tavern type, the Business Page QR Code might be a better fit. Like this, you can offer players important info such as operating hours, contact details, and location on a map without the need for a website. And you have the option to reach a wider audience by adding your social media channels.
Link to PC versions of your tabletop game
You can also use the Dynamic URL QR Code to connect players instantly to any PC version of your game. Or if your company has developed a gaming app, print an App Store QR Code to your tabletop game packaging to boost downloads.
Share bonus content
Got a soundtrack for that game? Help players set the right mood by promoting it with our MP3 QR Code. As long as it’s in MP3 format, you can add a song, podcast, voice recording, and just about any sound. Plus, it’s playable directly on the page without a third-party audio player needed.
FAQ
We have seen our fair share of comedy worthy QR Codes. Did we laugh? Yes. But we also want people to learn from those mistakes. And believe us, they are super easy to fix. Sometimes companies just forgot to add a call to action, which means the public was faced with a square matrix and no explanation. That’s too much mystery. You want to entice audiences, not mystify or confuse them. Equally important is context. Are you offering people to scan a QR Code for a PDF excerpt of a story on the same printed excerpt of the same story? No one wants to partake in a strange QR Code loop paradox. Offer scanners something new, exciting, relevant. A coupon for a discount on the book would be a good incentive for people to scan. An MP3 of the author reading said excerpt is another good idea. And please, do be mindful of distances and movement. Ask yourself: Can this be scanned realistically, or will people have to hang off a ledge for their phone cameras to reach it? The secret is always to test extensively before launching a QR Code campaign. It also doesn’t hurt to follow some essential printing tips.
They are the best solution if you want to engage audiences and create new, interactive board game experiences. With more and more people using smartphones, it is crucial to cater to the digital market through print mediums. We love to keep track and report on new and innovative ways in which companies and people are putting QR Codes to good use, so if you want to find out whether it’s the right solution for you, we have a blog to inspire you and a 14-day free trial for you to put that creativity to good use.
Have more questions?
Visit our help center
