How to Frame Video Games in 2026: DIY vs a Purpose-Built Display

More of what we play now lives on a hard drive. That makes the physical copies you still own feel a little more special. Maybe it's a sealed special edition, or maybe it's the scuffed PS2 case you've carried through four house moves. Either way, it deserves better than the back of a drawer.

Putting your favourite game in a frame is one of the simplest ways to give it a place on your wall. You can do it yourself or use a frame built for the job. This guide walks through both, so you can decide what suits you and your collection.

Why put a game on the wall?

A game on the shelf is a spine. A game on the wall is a story. It's the first thing you played with your dad, or the one you stayed up all night to finish. Framing it turns something you own into something you see every day.

It doesn't have to be rare or valuable either. The battered copy with the cracked hinge often means more than anything in mint condition. That's the one worth putting up first.

One frame for every game

Cheevo uses a single frame size across every video game format. A PS1 jewel case and a PC big box sit in exactly the same frame, so your wall looks uniform however mixed your collection is. Hang a row of them and they line up like they were made to go together, because they were.

The bit that really matters is depth. Most box frames you'll find are around 3cm deep, and once a game case is inside, that leaves very little space between it and the front panel. With no real air gap, moisture can build up inside the frame, and over time that can damage the case and the artwork you were trying to protect. Cheevo frames are 6cm deep, double the usual depth, which gives your game room to breathe.

How to frame your game yourself

If you enjoy a project, doing it yourself can be satisfying. Here's roughly how it goes.

Step by step

Find a deep box frame

Look for a shadow box with plenty of internal depth. A standard picture frame won't fit a game case, and the common 3cm box frame will leave the case sitting almost against the front.

Measure your case

Game cases vary by format, so check the size and thickness before you buy and leave a little room around the edges.

Choose your backing

Acid-free mount board is worth the small extra cost. Cheaper card can yellow over time and affect whatever sits against it.

Decide how to hold the game

This is where most DIY frames run into trouble. Adhesive pads and tape are easy but can mark the case. Pins and brackets avoid glue but take more care to fit neatly.

Think about the front panel

Standard glass or basic acrylic won't stop sunlight fading your cover art. UV-filtering acrylic will, though it costs more and often needs cutting to size.

Add a plaque if you want one

Engraved plaques are available online. You'll need to fix it to the mount so it sits straight.

What DIY typically costs

That's before your time, a few trips to measure and re-measure, and the odd wonky first attempt.

Common mistakes to avoid

The one we see most often is going too shallow. A 3cm frame looks like it should be plenty, but a game case takes up a good chunk of that, and what's left isn't enough of an air gap. Without that space, moisture has nowhere to go. It can sit against the case for months before you notice the damage, by which point the sleeve has started to cockle or the artwork has marked.

Sticking the case down is the other big one. Adhesive pads feel secure when you put them in, but they tend to leave residue behind or pull at the printed sleeve when you try to take the game out. And most people do want it out eventually. You put a game you love on the wall, and a year later you fancy playing it again. If getting to it means prising the back off and peeling tape away, it usually just stays where it is.

It's also easy to overlook the light. A frame opposite a window will slowly fade cover art, and once the colour has gone there's no getting it back. The same goes for what sits behind the game. Cheaper card can discolour with age and leave its mark on whatever is resting against it, so it pays to check the backing is acid-free before you start.

The Cheevo approach

We built our frames around those exact problems, so you don't have to work through them yourself.

Your game is held in place with either a magnetic fixing or our slipcase design, and neither one puts glue anywhere near your case. When you want to play it, you lift it out. When you're done, it goes back in. The frame is 6cm deep, twice the depth of most box frames, which leaves a proper air gap between the case and the front panel so your game can breathe.

Behind it sits an acid-free backboard, and a front mount comes included at no extra cost. Clear acrylic comes fitted as standard, but if your frame is going somewhere that catches the sun, you can upgrade to 99% UV acrylic to keep the artwork looking the way it did on day one.

If you'd like a plaque, ours are made with traditional engraving and come in gold as standard. Drop us an email if you had another colour in mind. Before anything is made, we'll send you a free design preview so you can see exactly how it will look on your wall.

Every frame is gift wrapped as standard and packed in a double-walled box for the journey, and 99% of orders arrive within 7 days. It's all made by hand, with no AI imagery and no retouched photos, so what you see on the site is what turns up at your door.

DIY vs Cheevo at a glance

Doing it yourself rarely works out cheaper once you've bought everything separately. The real difference is the evening spent measuring and re-fitting, and the worry about whether that tape will mark your case. A Cheevo frame turns up ready to hang, and your game goes in whenever you're ready.

Displaying more than one game?

If you've got a series you'd rather keep together, the Snaplate™ might suit you better than separate frames. The Two Item Snaplate™ starts at £50.99 and the Three Item version at £65.99, which works well for a trilogy. There are also themed Snaplates™ with hand-drawn artwork from £45.99.

For steelbooks, the Steelbook Wall Display holds them on the wall magnetically from £9.99.

Planning a whole wall? Our Frame Wall Planner ↗ lets you lay out frames, Snaplates™ and more before you buy anything.

FAQs

Can I still play my game once it's framed?

Yes. Nothing is glued down, so you can lift the game out whenever you fancy a replay.

Will framing damage my case?

Not with a Cheevo frame. There's no adhesive on your case, and the 6cm depth leaves an air gap so moisture doesn't build up.

Why does frame depth matter?

Most box frames are around 3cm deep, which leaves little room once a game case is inside. A deeper frame gives the case an air gap so moisture can't settle against it.

Should I choose standard acrylic or 99% UV acrylic?

If your frame will get direct sunlight, UV acrylic is worth it to stop the cover art fading. For a darker hallway or a games room with blinds, standard acrylic is usually fine.

Do you frame Switch games and Game Boy carts?

Yes. The Nintendo frame covers Switch, GameCube, Wii U and Game Boy, and the same frame size is used across every format.

How long does delivery take?

99% of orders arrive within 7 days.

Can I see my frame before ordering?

Yes, we'll send you a free design preview first.

Ready to put yours on the wall?

Pick the game that means the most to you, then find its frame: