The subscription box trend has been around for a while, and now a veteran subscription service is expanding into board games with the Board Game Bento Box.

Blind Ferret Entertainment, makers of Comic Bento and publisher of several board games, are now offering a monthly blind subscription box for game enthusiasts which will contain either three different games from three different publishers, or two games and an expansion for one of the included games. It will also include unique add-ons which tie into the month's theme and game content.  

For example: The October box’s theme is “Spooky Game Knight,” and while Blind Ferret Special Project Coordinator Ryan Costello couldn’t reveal the games included, he did share that the company had originally planned to include a thematic scent from Adventure Scents  to create atmosphere for the game room. “We discussed the option of including their open grave scent in our first box, Spooky Game Knight.  That way, you can play one of the horror games included in the box from the comfort of your game room but with the smell of a graveyard. “

“We went with a different (exclusive) tie-in for our first box, but there will be an Adventures Scent product in an upcoming box,” he told ICv2.

The monthly subscription fee is $50.00, or $45.00 for a six month subscription. “We offer $80 worth of board game products (usually $70-75 of which is the three included games and the last $5-10 is for add-ons),” Costello said. “You don’t know the exact contents, but you know the theme, and the description on BoardGameBento.com will tell you things like whether any of the games are particularly light or heavy, and how many players the games accommodate. “

Costello also shared that they already have orders or terms set up with several prominent manufacturers including: Brotherwise Games, Game Salute, Greater Than Games, Iello, Renegade Game Studio and Twilight Creations. “Expect that list to grow quickly, as we don’t want to use the same manufacturer too often,“ Costello said.  “Ideally, our 6-month subscribers shouldn’t get more than two or three games from the same manufacturer throughout their subscription period.”

Since Loot Crate took the (mostly food and beauty supplies) subscription box world by storm with its geek-themed content (see “ Loot Crate Hits 100,000 Subscribers”), the curated  merch market has exploded to include anime, comics, and pop-culture convention exclusives (see “Wizard World Joins Subscription Box Throng”). The Game Box Monthly service curates its boxes based on the purchaser’s existing game collection, which they enter when they sign up. The Gamerz Box delivers curated Magic: The Gathering  content based on the player’s style and monthly investment in either a Common, Uncommon, Rare or Mythic Box.  Deck maniacs is a U.K. based monthly service that offers both Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon card monthly boxes.