How does a board game actually get published?
Either by pitching a prototype to a publisher, or by self-publishing — and the two routes involve completely different work, risk and reward.
The traditional route:
Design and prototype, starting rough. Experienced designers emphasise testing the idea before making anything look finished.
Blind playtesting, which is the critical step: people playing from the written rules with the designer absent and silent. This is where designers discover the rules do not say what they thought, and it is the stage most beginners skip.
Pitching, frequently at conventions with scheduled publisher meetings, or by submission. Publishers want a clear one-page overview, a working prototype and a short demonstration — not a finished product.
Signing, typically assigning publishing rights in exchange for royalties on the publisher's revenue, commonly in the low single-digit percentages, sometimes with a small advance.
Development, where the publisher's developers change things — frequently substantially. Art, graphic design, rules editing, manufacturing and distribution are the publisher's, not yours.
Self-publishing, usually via crowdfunding, means you keep control and a far larger share, and you take on: art direction and commissioning, graphic design, rules writing, manufacturing quotes, a crowdfunding campaign that must be marketed before it launches, freight and customs, fulfilment to backers in multiple countries, and customer service. Shipping and fulfilment have sunk many campaigns whose funding looked successful, because they were costed optimistically.
What publishers actually look for: a hook explainable in one sentence; a rules set that teaches quickly; a clear audience and comparable titles; a length that fits their line; and production costs that work at their price point.
Practical realities: most designs are rejected, frequently for portfolio fit rather than quality; themes and mechanisms cannot be copyrighted, though specific rules text, art and names can be protected; and timelines from signing to shelf commonly run 18 months to three years.