Board games · 2026
Lost board game pieces: how to replace them with 3D printing
Can you 3D print a missing board game piece?
Yes, especially a simple one: a pawn, a cube, a token, a meeple or a disc. Ask the shop or the publisher first, as they sometimes replace it. If the game is out of print or they no longer send single pieces, a maker can print it from a file or by measuring a matching piece you still have. A single FDM piece costs about €10, and 5 at once about €24 in total. On Fabrishare, a network of makers, you post your project for free and get offers within 24–48 hours.
Who should you ask for the missing piece?
Printing it isn't always the first step. These are your options, in the order worth trying them:
| Option | When it works | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| The shop you bought it from | A new game missing something from the factory | The receipt: they'll usually swap it for another copy |
| The publisher's customer service | A game that's still on sale | The game's name, the barcode and which piece is missing, marked in the rules |
| Second hand | Pieces from classic or best-selling games | Patience: sometimes you have to buy a whole used copy for one piece |
| 3D print it | Out-of-print games, publishers that no longer send pieces, or pieces lost through use | A file, or the matching piece and its measurements |
What publishers do about lost pieces
Every publisher handles it differently, and in each country the local distributor decides. Ravensburger, for example, has a spare parts form for its games: it asks for the product name, the barcode and an image from the rules with the missing piece marked.
Others have stopped sending single pieces. Asmodee in the United States sends you back to the shop where you bought the game; Lookout closed its replacement service outside Germany in 2024 and refers customers to the publisher in each country; and the official Catan site points you to its parts shop or to used copies for pieces lost through play.
It's worth asking first: a piece from the publisher is sure to fit and match the colour. If the answer is no, or the game has been out of print for years, 3D printing is the way out.
Where does the file for the piece come from?
Printing it needs a 3D model. Depending on the piece, there are several ways to get one:
Find it in a repository
Printables, Thingiverse and Cults3D have replacement pieces for many classic games, uploaded by people who had the same problem. Search for the game's name plus “replacement” and check the file's licence: some don't allow someone else to print it for a fee.
Licences explained in our board game inserts guideMeasure the matching piece
If the missing piece is the same as one you still have (the pawn in another colour, the cube of another resource), a maker who models can recreate it from its measurements. Send photos next to a ruler and calliper measurements. The design is quoted separately; simple shapes are quick to model.
I don't have an STL fileA stand-in for figures
If the piece was a sculpted figure and you can't get it, the answer is another figure that does the same job: a licensed miniature of the same size, in the player's colour.
Miniature printingFigures for a role-playing game
If what's missing is a figure for an RPG session, it doesn't have to be the original: there are thousands of licensed miniatures to print, and your character can be made to order.
RPG miniatures
Which material for each piece?
| Piece | How it's printed | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Cubes, discs, tokens and markers | FDM, in filament of that colour | Smooth; layers show up close |
| Wooden pawns and meeples | FDM, in coloured PLA or wood-fill PLA | Can be sanded and painted to match the shade |
| Figures and miniatures | Resin | Fine detail; unpainted or painted, as you prefer |
| Pieces that turn or fit together (spinners, axles, stands) | FDM, in PLA or PETG | With measured clearance so they fit |
| Cards, money and boards | Not a job for 3D printing | Better the publisher or a print shop |
Will it match the others?
Colour: close, but not always exact
Filament comes in a huge range of colours, but the exact shade of a factory piece doesn't always exist. Send a daylight photo next to the matching piece and the maker will tell you the closest colour they have.
If it must be identical, it gets painted
The other option is to print it in grey or white and paint it, yourself or the maker if they paint too. That's normal for a resin figure; for a cube or a pawn it's rarely needed.
Size matters more than colour
A piece one millimetre bigger shows in your hand and in the box. Give calliper measurements if you can, and say whether it has to fit a slot in the board or the insert.
How much does a replacement piece cost?
Estimates from the Fabrishare calculator for small parts, and what the network's makers charge for a miniature; excluding VAT and shipping.
| Piece | Technology | Ballpark price |
|---|---|---|
| A single piece (pawn or token, about 16 mm) | FDM | €6–€16 |
| 5 small pieces at once | FDM | €14–€38 (about €4.71 each) |
| A 28 mm game figure | Resin | €8–€23 |
| Modelling the piece from measurements | — | Separate, depending on the piece |
Almost all of a single piece's price is the work of preparing and printing the order, not the plastic. So if you're missing more than one, order them together: 5 pieces come to about €4.71 each.
Replacing your piece isn't making the game
Printing the pawn or cube you lost, so you can keep playing your copy, is replacing a piece. Making pieces or whole games to sell is something else, and that's where the publisher's and designers' rights come in.
A cube or a disc is a generic shape. A sculpted figure, a component with a game's distinctive shape, or its artwork is someone's work: for those, go to the publisher, use a file whose licence allows it, or print a stand-in.
This isn't legal advice; if you're unsure about a specific case, ask the publisher. When you post a project you confirm you have the right to order the print, and the maker can turn down a file if it isn't clear.
How to order your missing piece
- 1Post your project for free with the file, or with photos of the matching piece next to a ruler, its measurements, the colour and how many you need.
- 2Makers in the network send you their offer with price, material and lead time within 24–48 hours.
- 3You compare, choose, and the maker prints it and ships it to you.
Questions about replacement board game pieces
Can you 3D print a missing board game token?
Yes. Pawns, cubes, discs, tokens and meeples print well in FDM, and small figures in resin. You need a file or the matching piece to measure. Ask the shop or the publisher first: if they replace it, it's sure to fit.
How much does it cost to print a game piece?
A single FDM piece, about €10 (between €6 and €16); 5 pieces at once, about €24 in total, roughly €4.71 each. A 28 mm resin figure, €8–€23. Excluding VAT and shipping; if it needs modelling, the design is extra.
Do publishers send replacement pieces?
Some do: Ravensburger has a spare parts form and asks for the game's name, the barcode and the piece marked in the rules. Others send you back to the shop where you bought it, as Asmodee does in the United States. Ask first; if they won't, it can be printed.
I don't have a file for the piece. What should I send?
Photos of the matching piece next to a ruler, from above and from the side, plus calliper measurements if you can. A maker who models can recreate it; the design is quoted separately and simple shapes are quick.
Can I print a missing miniature from a game?
If it's a sculpted figure from the game, ask the publisher or look second hand: it's someone else's design and isn't copied. What you can do is print a licensed stand-in of the same size, or a figure from a file you already have with a licence that allows it.
Will it be the same colour as the others?
Very close, not always identical: the maker picks the filament nearest to your photo. If it has to be exact, it's printed in grey or white and painted.
How long does it take?
Offers arrive within 24–48 hours. A small piece takes about 20 minutes of machine time, so the lead time depends mostly on shipping and on whether it needs modelling.
Can I order pieces for several games at once?
Yes, and it's cheaper per piece: the work of preparing the order is shared. Put them all in the same project, with photos and measurements for each.