DeckSmith Connect: the connected deckbox that lives with your decks

Your deckbox is about to light up

From day one, a DeckSmith deckbox has been an object that lives on the table: 3D printed, hand finished, different from every other box out there. We wanted to push that idea one step further. What if the box itself took part in the game?

That is exactly what DeckSmith Connect does. Our latest creation, still being forged, is a connected module built around a round AMOLED screen. It animates your collection, counts your life totals, rolls your dice and even hosts a little forge companion to raise between games.

A magnetic module, not another box

First things first: Connect is not yet another deckbox to buy alongside the ones you own. It is a module that attaches to the box magnetically and detaches whenever you want. Pull it off in one motion to set it next to you during the game, then snap it back onto the box when you pack up.

Compatible with your classic deckbox

The module is compatible with our classic deckbox, the one that holds up to 125 standard double-sleeved cards. If you already own a DeckSmith box, your current piece is ready to welcome Connect. And our house philosophy stays the same: magnets are for removable parts, never for the closure. Your box still closes with a mechanical snap fit, so there is no accidental opening in your bag.

Showcase: your collection in motion

The first module turns the screen into an animated showcase. Import a GIF or a video from your phone: the app automatically prepares it for the screen format, round, 466 pixels, up to 24 frames per second, and sends it over direct Wi-Fi. On the game table, the slideshow loops. Your deck has a theme, colors, a mood; now they show up in motion.

Counters: count lives, not distractions

No more phone lying on the playmat with its endless notifications. The Counters module offers per-game profiles with the trackers you actually need: life points, poison, energy and more. Duel mode displays both totals face to face, mirrored, so your opponent reads their numbers from the right side of the table. The full game history then lands in the app.

The counters are deliberately game agnostic: create one profile for your Magic: The Gathering cards, another for Pokémon, Lorcana or One Piece, each with its own gauges.

Dice: a roll with real impact

One tap on the touchscreen and the die takes off: golden roulette, a result that lands with a snap, a burst of forge sparks. The presets cover every game's needs, from a coin flip to a d20, including d4, d6, d8, d10 and d12. Switch dice with a swipe on the module, or from the app.

Forgix: a forge golem in your deckbox

This is the most unexpected module, and our favorite. Forgix is a little forge golem living inside your deckbox: he hatches, eats, sleeps, sulks and evolves, from ore egg to Master Blacksmith. Feed him with the embers you earn by playing, and he remembers your victories. Everything is mirrored in the app, so you can keep an eye on his gauges between sessions.

And if virtual companions are not your thing, no worries: everything is modular, and Forgix can be switched off like any other module. You can live with just the counters and the showcase.

Stats: every win leaves a mark

The Stats module displays a victory ring right on the module. The details, games, wins and streaks, are waiting in the app. A nice way to give your game store nights a little extra weight.

Under the hood

On the technical side, the module runs on an ESP32-S3 with a round 1.43 inch touch AMOLED display at 466 by 466 pixels. It communicates over Bluetooth Low Energy and direct Wi-Fi, updates over the air from the app, and its battery with built-in gauge is designed to last a full game session. Smart standby turns the screen off when you are not playing and protects the AMOLED from burn-in, with full power-off and button wake-up.

Be the first to know

DeckSmith Connect is still being forged and will soon be available for preorder. To be notified at launch, leave your email on the DeckSmith Connect page: it will be used for that and nothing else, promised.

In the meantime, build the box that will welcome it in the Forge, with a live preview of the result. To go further: discover our custom deck box, the modular Proteus, our collections and the community reviews.