Never has such a relatively innocent question created so much frustration and debate - at least in our house anyway.
I mostly play against my wife, who thankfully loves gaming and the hobby, the convention trips the people and she is competitive. She likes more real world relatable games so World Order, Ark Nova, Distilled yes, LCGs and Wizards and spells…probably not. So my wife loves most things in the hobby. What she does not like is card sleeves.
This has provoked and prompted a truly disproportionate amount of discussion between us over the years - I am very much FOR sleeving cards, she is almost always categorically against it. It made me think….what are the fors and againsts for sleeving cards, an oft discussed topic.
Lets take a look….at the case for.
1. It extends the life of the card components in the game. These games often are not cheap. You want to make sure that in 5 years or after 50 plays the cards are fresh and protected from greasy fingers, a damp glass circle on the table and general wear and tear, and nosy cats that just like to do what cats do and knock your cards off the table.
2. Some non gamers don’t respect the components as much as you do and sleeves just give you that extra bit of anxiety relief - how many of us have had that “inward” moment when someone over bends a card and you’re thinking, shall I say something - you are dying inside. Sleeving can save you here from that awkward conversation..Friendships can truly teeter on the edge of an over physical card placement...
3. Sleeves are essential if you have light card stock - Earthborne Rangers anyone?
Sometimes the card weight demands sleeving to protect and effectively extend the lifespan of the card and the game.
4. Protect my kickstarter exclusive promo thank you. 'Nuff said.
5. Cards are tactile but nothing worse than the risk of having a card marked like a scuffed corner or a crease, that game is ruined I tell ya, ruined!
Look, I know this might come across as slightly obsessive or over the top and I don’t mind a game that has been played a good few times looking like it has been played a good few times, we’re not playing with surgical instruments - but our first copy of Settlers wasn’t sleeved and the cards now look and feel like they were the only thing Papillon had to pass the time of his incarceration. There is a lovely satisfying flick of the allied country cards in World Order in their mini sleeves - it feels tactile and flicky.
The Case against….
1. Cost and time. After you spend 50+ quid on a game you then need another 10-15 on sleeves. It can take multiple hours to sleeve some games - in the example above I think World Order took me three hours….wife refused to help being in total disagreement with the process.
2. Environment - more plastic. (I think this is getting better but can’t be ignored in a sometimes plastic happy hobby).
3. Handling and stacking sleeved cards is more difficult - I will concede stacked sleeved cards fall off stacks constantly. The corners of the sleeves stick into your palms - it can be a bit uncomfortable (my wife likens this to being stabbed by her DND campaign character, a half-ling rogue). Shuffling sleeved cards is harder than unsleeved. The sleeves do eventually split - testimony to this is our Ark Nova game. Cards are sleeved but after 150+ games the sleeves need replacing - I think I will have a battle on with that one.
4. A perfections paranoia. How many new games are announced on BGG and within ten minutes someone is asking about sleeves. Not about the game mechanics, or theme. No. They ask about the sleeves. Admittedly, the questions about sleeves usually arrive about 33 seconds after some asks how big the box is, sleeve and kallax paranoia is real.
5. Sleeved cards don’t fit back in the box. Now, I do agree on this one. Could manufacturers add a few mm in the trays to accommodate sleeves? Well, a few mm here, and a few there and you’re adding extra material, slightly bigger box size, packing and distribution considerations, more cost and not everyone will then sleeves, so the cards will jumble about.
6. Light reflection means you can’t read the cards due to glare. Anti glare sleeves are even more expensive.
So, no easy answers, I’m clearly right (obviously). Sleeving is the only way to go, but do it economically and sensibly, don’t spend 25 quid sleeving a 30 quid game, that’s just silly. It extends the life of your game and lets face it we all want to play these game for years, they were crated with love, care and attention - lets preserve that creativity and sleeve at will.
/Wife edit: my hubby is clearly wrong. Games are meant to be played and taken care of played and loved and treated with the respect they deserve. However, they should look like they have been played and enjoyed not like some look but don’t touch exhibition or the Mona Lisa.
