The box for Hasbro’s Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Dice Set has kicked off a conversation about excessive packaging for small products; but the pack’s size, decoration, and interactive elements may serve another purpose in a crowded market.
In April 2025, Reddit user u/frustratedfren shared a photo of the Legend of Drizzt edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Dice Set. The pack appears to constitute a paperboard frame with a plastic window to contain the dice, although the product page does not specify the exact materials used.
“This is just so much packaging for seven little dice, and it made me kind of sad,” said u/frustratedfren.
Commenters supported this stance, with fellow user u/_x-51 calling for “some public condemnation of Hasbro for all the material waste they create, by design” – arguing that “filling landfills is their business model.”
In response, u/frustratedfren speculated that “those who are into this kind of stuff generally aren’t thinking about packaging or environmental factors, and those who are more concerned about that stuff tend to not be thinking about these kinds of games. Not to stereotype, but they feel like such separate worlds almost.”
Hasbro’s approach to improving the sustainability of its packaging has been altered over time. Back in 2012, it announced that it would rethink its product-to-packaging ratios for several of its global brands, redesigning disposable boxes and utilizing blister packs to eliminate unnecessary packaging.
While it also sought to remove ‘virtually all plastic’ from its new game and toy packaging by 2022, it went on to announce via Bantha Skull, a fan site for Star Wars-themed toys, that it would respond to consumer feedback by reintroducing rPET and bio-PET windows and blisters for its six-inch figurine packaging.
Where tabletop games are concerned, its Monopoly Goes Green board game already utilizes recycled paper in its box, board, guide, cards, and fake money, as well as providing wooden dice and tokens made from a plant-based bioplastic derived from sugar cane.
Credit: u/frustratedfren, Reddit
The Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Dice Set packaging may not be minimalist, but the extra packaging could serve another purpose. As a roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons does not distribute a standardized board or components – only handbooks, character sheets, and polyhedral dice.
The basic shapes of these dice cannot be copyrighted, meaning other companies can sell very similar products; and, according to AsiaPack, the packaging for tabletop games is an ‘essential marketing tool’ that can ‘significantly influence a customer’s decision to purchase’.
Specifically, on-shelf visibility, consumer appeal, and a memorable unboxing experience are highlighted as appealing factors. This is likely why the brightly coloured Legend of Drizzt dice pack features a fold-out panel depicting the eponymous character Drizzt Do’Urden, enabling consumers to view the dice without opening the box.
On the other hand, a striking packaging design does not inherently translate to extra waste. In the same month as u/frustratedfren’s photo was posted, Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast division sought to commemorate Earth Day 2025 by distributing an FSC-certified wooden dice vault – designed to transport Dungeons & Dragons dice, but also to double as a rolling tray and phone or tablet stand – in partnership with Sirius Dice.
It was claimed that Sirius Dice would donate $10 to One Street Planted for every purchase in a bid to aid in reforestation efforts. However, details about the material constitution and recyclability of the box’s outer sleeve are not provided in the press release or on the product page.
As AsiaPack also points out, factoring sustainability into packaging designs can benefit a brand’s image among environmentally conscious consumers. An article by The Cool Down emphasizes that extra packaging can be frustrating to open, sometimes requiring extra tools such as scissors, and may trickle down into higher product prices for consumers.
Conversely, smaller sellers are beginning to package dice in fabric pouches, with Reddit user u/MamaMindful suggesting on u/frustratedfren’s post that “a small velvet bag would have suited better, and felt fancier.”
Some game shops are even foregoing packaging altogether, instead selling dice loose in ‘bulk bins’ for consumers to dig through.
Another discussion about packaging design has arisen in the world of video gaming. The reveal of the box design for the new Nintendo Switch 2 has caused controversy, with some consumers arguing that its similarities to the previous model’s packaging, as well as its ‘boring’ design, could spell trouble for the console’s commercial success.
A previous article from McKinsey also sought to advise packaging designers on the balance between size and configuration for specific consumer segments and channels; the value of consumer insights in redesigning packaging for an optimal unboxing experience; and the impacts overpackaging can have on the cost of the overall product.
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