Fake Codenames Infiltrate the Market

Czech Games Edition released a statement today informing customers that counterfeit copies of Codenames have become an issue on reseller websites.

These counterfeit copies often include lower quality components, misprints, and can be missing pieces which can detract from CGE’s brand if the buyer believes their copy was official. As these fake games are not their product, CGE cannot offer replacement parts.

CGE recommends these points to keep in mind when purchasing to help prevent getting a dubious copy.

  • First of all, try to avoid buying Codenames via eBay, Alibaba, and other similar huge selling portals. The majority of cases of counterfeit copies are from eBay sales.
  • Be wary of extremely low or “too good to be true” prices.
  • CGE manufactures Codenames in the Czech Republic, so if anyone says to you they don’t have any in stock and it would take some time to arrive from China, it’s suspicious.
  • Ideally, buy your games from a local or online game store. If in doubt, ask them who their distributor is.
  • Please note that sample photos of the game could be fake as well. If you have a chance to check the copy before buying, compare the components with the following pictures.
Counterfeit copy has a red sand timer instead of the black one, a white card stand instead of the clear plastic, and misspelled words.
The cards are blurred on the counterfeit box.

Counterfeit games have become a real problem in the board game community as of late. While focused on Codenames, the above ideas are great to be mindful of for buying any game online.

Do you have any tips to share about avoiding fake copies? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter!

Image Credits: Czech Games Edition

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