Along with scrunchies, jelly shoes, and tie-dye, being a kid in the 90s meant board games. Sorry!, Clue and Snakes and Ladders were just a few of the go-to titles in our overflowing games cupboard
Not to sound clichéd, but kids these days just aren’t seeking out the next best board game. Computer games, video games and increasingly iPhones and tablets have replaced traditional games and toys, even among very young children. So much so that the Global Toys and Games Market is only expecting a CAGR of 4.17 percent from 2013-2018.
But while children might come to mind as the traditional consumers of toys and games, maybe it’s time for vendors to reconsider their target demographic.
Board Games Gaining Popularity in Older Demographics
Gaming is changing, and an increasing number of adults are getting in on the craze. Board game cafés are popping up all over the place, and game nights are a common pastime among the 20- and 30- something crowd.
But these aren’t your grandma’s games. Yes, popular board games like Risk, Monopoly (in its many, many, many iterations), and other traditional offerings are definitely on the docket, but a huge number of new, carefully designed and developed games have been entering the market lately.
Consider the immensely popular Settlers of Catan, a resource based strategy game where players build settlements and try to gain control of land, or King of Tokyo, a dice rolling game and battle royal between mega monsters in the city of Tokyo.
Game publishers are looking far and wide for inspiration, hitting on everything from classic literature to modern franchises for characters, designs and game play ideas.
Such a wide selection means there’s basically something for every player, and if you can’t find a game that appeals, you just aren’t looking hard enough.
The prose-inclined might gravitate towards Arkham Horror, a coop adventure game that centers on Cthulu and the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. Those with more of an interest in the undead could enjoy Last Night on Earth, a horror game that divides players into zombie movie archetypes and the undead hoard, in an all-out scramble for survival. Fans of the cult TV show Firefly can explore the Verse in the hugely detailed tabletop game that sees players in the captain’s seat, buying ships, hiring crew and running missions. Even the popular Hitman video game has been reincarnated as a board game.
Such a huge range of products and more and more market penetration from indie game publishers (along with established companies like Hasbro) certainly makes the market one to watch over the projected period.
For more market insights view our Global Toys and Games Market 2014-2018 report.
