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How are board game sales overall with the economy?

11 replies [Last post]
Sat, 02/28/2009 - 21:17
Bigins
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Joined: 11/11/2008

Is this the right place to ask?

I'm asking because I'm not sure. On one hand, nobody is spending money carelessly. On the other hand people are still buying $60 video games that usually last for only a month or so. So a board game might be a very good buy with the entertainment value. And people looking for something to do inside without going out and spending money on dinner, a movie, or other forms of entertainment.

Does anyone know how board game sales are with the economy? I'm asking in this case for a very sellable board game(without giving details).

Thanks!

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Sat, 02/28/2009 - 22:31
#1
The Magician
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Joined: 12/23/2008
swimingly!

lol! I splurge a lot on board games I want and I'm not a board game geek, but I have always like them. I'm sure others buy way more board games. Does that say something. If I wanted a board game and didn't have the money, I'd trade a cow or a some fire wood for that hot game. Well, maybe not go that far but you get the point.

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Mon, 03/02/2009 - 19:12
#2
Darkehorse
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Joined: 07/21/2008
The Dice Tower

Check out episodes 138-140 of the Dice Tower podcast (www.thedicetower.com) . Tom interviews a lot of the major publishers and asks them how the downturn in the economy has affected their sales. Interestingly, most said that their sales are still growing despite the downturn.

-Darke

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Mon, 03/02/2009 - 20:22
#3
MatthewF
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Joined: 07/22/2008
Boardgame sales were up 6% in

Boardgame sales were up 6% in 2008, despite overall toy sales going down 3%.

However, they were down in 2007, and up sharply (13%) the year before that in 2006, so it's not a clear trend.

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Tue, 03/03/2009 - 02:40
#4
The Magician
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Joined: 12/23/2008
Darkehorse wrote:Check out

Darkehorse wrote:
Check out episodes 138-140 of the Dice Tower podcast (www.thedicetower.com) . Tom interviews a lot of the major publishers and asks them how the downturn in the economy has affected their sales. Interestingly, most said that their sales are still growing despite the downturn.

-Darke


Dark, I am enjoying these interviews vary much. I'll have to put the link on the make-shift "links" how-to.

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Tue, 03/03/2009 - 11:57
#5
gameprinter
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Boardgame sales

Board game sales should be a decent bet for 2009. I wouldn't call it a banner year for anyone, but I expect them to do better than other toy/leisure categories. At NY Toy Fair, although people were talking about drops in floor traffic, I did not talk to anyone in games who reported having a bad show. Most said that they had fewer buyers, but not fewer units sold. Rich Gottlieb mentions something similar in one of his blog reports on Playthings.

I've also talked with people who's games sold well after 9/11, when most other spending dropped dramatically. Part of it, I think is psychological. Memories of sitting around the kitchen table playing a game with the family are comforting in tough times. The other aspect is simple economics. If you aren't buying a flat screen TV, $20 for a DVD that you'll watch once or twice in the next year isn't a great deal. $30 for a board game that you'll play 5 - 10 times is a bargain, comparatively.

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Tue, 03/03/2009 - 21:12
#6
FunkyBlue
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Joined: 08/11/2008
Personally, I've already

Personally, I've already bought about $280.00 in games this year. And it's only March. I'm going in with friends this week and 5 of us are buying about $260.00 worth of games to hop on the free shipping. There may be another $130.00 on that order form the high school game club as we're looking to replace some of our personal games with new copies the kids keep requesting to play (Kill Dr, Lucky, Manila, TTR, etc.) and will always be available.

After that, I'll probably wait until Origins and then I'll end up buying another $300.00 worth of games at the show.

So even with the downturn, I'm not slowing down.

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Wed, 03/04/2009 - 00:29
#7
Bigins
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Joined: 11/11/2008
Good deal, that's good to

Good deal, that's good to hear. I'll watch that podcast.

Thanks!

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Sun, 04/19/2009 - 22:19
#8
zombo09 (not verified)
I am glad that the current

I am glad that the current generation of toys and video games have not killed off board games

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Thu, 07/15/2010 - 06:52
#9
JamaicaD (not verified)
In my own observation, gaming

In my own observation, gaming industry isn't affected too much by the current economic status. We may say that people are very careful when it comes to spending but there are circumstances that they can't easily get away from their leisure especially the kids. Well, we can't blame them because no matter what they do, they can't do anything about the economy.

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Thu, 07/15/2010 - 10:58
#10
Redcap
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Joined: 07/26/2008
This is a year old post, but

This is a year old post, but since it has already been ressurected I will add my two cents. Monopoly was designed and sold during the great depression, and that is why it did so well. People wanted a relatively cheap escape from reality for a while. They wanted to feel like they were millionaires despite the economical situation. So monopoly sold very well despite the financial situation.

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Thu, 07/15/2010 - 10:58
#11
Redcap
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This is a year old post, but

Sorry it double posted... :(

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