Board Game Industry Statistics: What Will Happen Next?

The board game industry has undergone a major shift in recent years. The options for game enthusiasts and designers are virtually limitless. In fact, some of the most popular games today are indie board games - something that certainly would not have been possible a decade ago. Poker and board game supplier HOPES shows you.

More and more creatives are taking up indie game design and self-publishing, which makes us wonder: what's next for board games? How likely is it that indie designers will have support in developing new games?

While there are more games to choose from than ever before, consumers still want more. They wholeheartedly embrace the constant influx of indie games, and the truth is, they don't have enough. The future is good for indie game makers - perhaps even better than ever.

Game board

Whether you're an avid collector of board games who has always dreamed of developing your own game, or you've already created a game and are looking for ways to expand your reach, we invite you to take a look at some of the major trends shaping the image in the board game industry.

How many board games do people own?

While the basic tools of today's board games - cards, pieces and boards - may be roughly similar to elements of the classic game, many modern games are a far cry from Monopoly. Today's gamers have also changed. While the average household may have owned a handful of games in decades past, you're more likely to find dozens of games in the homes of today's gamers.

Where do they buy boards?

There are more places to buy games and poker cards now than ever before. Online shopping shows no signs of slowing down, and while our survey participants do shop online, you might be surprised to learn that it's not the place they go most often for card or board games. People are getting games through Amazon, local game stores, Kickstarter , mega stores, Indiegogo or through deals on BoardGameGeek.

When it comes to what drives support, there are a number of qualities that gamers look for most. Clear explanations of the gameplay were crucial to winning their support, and well-written campaigns were important to inform their decision to support the campaign.

A bright future

For today's indie creators, the prospects for success in the tabletop gaming industry with an indie game are vast. The availability of resources - social media and crowdfunding outlets, supportive communities and affordable print services - can help developers form a quality product and market it successfully. That said, gamers still expect developers to invest time and effort to earn their support.

For many gamers, the fun of playing board and card games with friends, family and other enthusiasts is priceless. They are willing to pay for that experience.

If game designers should take anything away from this white paper, it's that there is an eager audience waiting for new board and card games. Moreover, these loyal people don't just want to take advice from other gamers; they want to be the ones who refer their friends to the best new games on the market. They are actively seeking to discover this up-and-coming game and are willing to offer support to help it come to fruition, even in its earliest stages. What more could an indie game creator ask for?

HOPES has 15 years’ experience in production of board game, card game, puzzles with excellent quality. We specialize in printing and packaging, up to now, produce  more than 500 games, and establish friendly long-term relationship with our customers, please feel free to contact us if you need to customize your board, we welcome your enquiry.