The board game market - Italy

1.2 The Global Market for Board Games

A **** study by Arizton estimated the value of the global board game market at approx *.* billion in **** and that this market is expected to reach a value of ** billion by ****.

Global board game market value World, ****-****, in billions of dollars Source: ****

The major players in the global board game market, publishers, authors, manufacturers meet every year in Germany at the Internationale Spieltage. In ****, more than *,*** exhibitors from ** nations met and participation reached ***,*** people. 

There are several reasons for the health of the board game. This type of game has the ability to gather the players around a storyline that plunges the protagonists into a universe where they form bonds. Thus, among the *,*** new games presented at the event, a significant proportion is represented by the cooperative games where players develop relatively advanced interactions. Within the board game, a trend is emerging: the "Unique Games". These are games that, although similar, each have unique pieces, giving consumers a sense of exclusivity.

1.3 The Incredible Performance of the Italian Market

Looking only at Italy, the trend is equally positive. The market of board games in our country, in fact, has an estimated value of *** million euros and is constantly growing with a proposal of *** new titles per year, a symptom of a great liveliness of the sector. "The depersonalization of relationships, the distance imposed, has increased the need to recreate social mechanics at home. And the board game lends itself perfectly," says Stefano De Carolis, head of Giochi Uniti, an Italian publisher and distributor of board games. "This type of entertainment stimulates a series of behaviors that we find in everyday life” [***].

Value of the Board Games Market Italy, ****/****, in million euros Source: ****

Although, as it is visible from the graph, the Italian market has recorded a massive increase in demand for this type of entertainment and thus in its value, during the period of the tightest lockdown it has suffered from the closure of retail stores. "In Italy we are not yet totally accustomed, as happens in other European countries and in the USA, to purchases on e-commerce sites. We still have the need to choose games, especially the less known ones or the novelties, directly in stationery stores or ...

1.4 COVID-19 Impact

In ****, especially during the lockdown months, interest in board games increased dramatically compared to the previous year, with +**.*% in terms of purchase intentions on idealo's Italian portal (***). In ****, the long time spent indoors due to the Covid-** pandemic and necessary restrictions thus led to a huge boom in demand for board games.

In the months in which the first lockdown was implemented, i.e. March and April ****, this growth was even higher: +***.*% and +***.*%, respectively, if we compare the data with the same months in ****. Just during the first lockdown, the board game "Pandemie" quickly became part of the ten most popular games on idealo. In Z-Man's cooperative game, different viruses are spread around the world. Players step into the roles of crisis manager, quarantine specialist or paramedic and try together to contain the pandemic and find antidotes.

The following graph shows the interest for board games on the online platform idealo (***).

Board Games, the online interest Italy, ****-****, score from * to *** Source: ****

NPD Group data show that, in Italy alone, the closure of toy stores during the spring lockdown caused a loss of at least ** million euros (***), partially recovered in the early summer months with the reopening of stores.

The months ...

2.1 Characteristics of the Demand for Board Games

According to data collected by Asmodee Italia, a publishing house that localizes, publishes and distributes board games and role-playing games, the interest of Italians towards board games has increased between **% and **% only in the last year, probably as a reaction to too many hours spent online between smart working, social and distance learning.

In addition, a series of basic analysis of the target of board games confirms that the vast majority of buyers today are aged between ** and ** years, then the generation of Millennials, i.e. those born between **** and ****.

Another important characteristic to highlight for what concerns the demand for board games is the seasonality of the latter. To have an idea, we will consider the Google Trends Index which represents the proportion of searches for a given term (***). Thus, a value of ** means that the keyword has been used less often in the region concerned, and a value of * means that there is insufficient data for this keyword. 

Google Trends Index for the google search "Giochi da tavolo" Italy, ****-****, score from * to *** Source: ****

As it appears evident from the graph, we observe that demand has been strongly cyclical, with a peak in interest during Christmas and New Year’s ...

2.2 Top Games Sold Online in 2020

What games did Italians spend their time with during ****? Based on purchase intentions on its Italian portal, idealo determined the top ** in the Board Games category:

Monopoly Classic: This board game from Hasbro is aimed at a wide audience and is suitable for both children and adults. This makes it an ideal game for families. It is, in fact, one of the most famous bargaining games in the world. Monopoly is a strategy game that requires some commitment and a lot of time because players stay at the table for an average of ** minutes. The game ends when one player sends all the others into bankruptcy. Occhio al Fantasma: a board game that requires quick action and reflexes. The aim of the game is to shoot ghosts that are no longer scary but become enemies to be neutralized. Suitable for children aged * and up, it is a great family game. Playing is very simple since there are no rules to follow. To play just be ready and keep your eyes open to see the ghosts appearing on the wall and shoot as fast as you can. Taboo: From the Hasbro game company, this is a game recommended for older kids. To ...

2.3 Italian Families Expenditure on Games and Hobbies

One of the most important demand drivers for board games is the expenditure of Italian families on games and hobbies. 

Using the data provided by the Italian Statistics Institute, ISTAT, we can have a look at the evolution of the average monthly expenditure of Italian families on games and hobbies between **** and ****.

Average monthly family expenditure on games and hobbies Italy, ****-****, in euros Source: ****

From the graph, it can be seen that, up to **** the average monthly expenditure of Italian families on games and hobbies has been decreasing, to recover only in ****. However, this category is quite broad, and these statistics do not include ****, which, as already mentioned has been the year in which board games have grown the most. 

2.4 Consumer Profile

As already mentioned, a series of basic analysis of the target of board games confirms that the vast majority of buyers today are aged between ** and ** years, then the generation of Millennials, i.e. those born between **** and ****. 

To have an idea of the potential demand for board games, it is thus useful to have a look at the distribution of the different age groups in Italy, to assess the percentage that Millennials represent over the whole population.

Evolution of the percentage of millennials (***) in the Italian population Italy, ****-****, in % Source: ****

The percentage of the Italian population represented by Millennials, the main target of board games companies, has been on a decreasing trend for a while. This mainly has to do with the aging population and the lower fertility rate which has been registered in Italy in the pat ** to ** years. 

Geographic Distribution of Millennials, by macro region

Italy, ****, in %

Source: ****

Macro Region % of Millennials over the whole Italian population Northwest *.** South *.** Center *.** Northeast *.** Islands *.**

2.5 Key Success Factors of a Board Game

What characteristics must a boxed game have to keep youngsters glued to it? Forget endless games of Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit: now the secret is speed.

The most popular games are structured in such a way as to accommodate quick games of ** or ** minutes maximum.

Space is also given to simplicity: no one feels like spending hours reading instructions. [***].

Overall, to be successful in Italy, board games have to have the following characteristics:

Simplicity: the rules must be easily and quickly assimilated. The comprehensibility of the game has a clear impact on the emotional experience of the players and is directly related to their level of enjoyment of the game. Fun: the emotional experience will influence the overall perception of the players, i.e. their feeling of having "had a good time". A "unique" experience: this need for a unique and original experience is also related to the immersive aspect of the proposed experience, and explains the importance given to theming. Each game played must bring a feeling of novelty and be different from the previous ones in order to encourage "replay". A game should provide a sense of competence: the feeling of competence depends directly on the player's game experience ...

3.1 Value Chain and Dynamism of the Market

To have an idea of the dynamism of the board games sector in Italy, it is useful to mention a small but important fair on a national level, held in April every year in Modena. It's called Play - Festival del Gioco and the first edition took place in ****, growing continuously in the following years: last year it beat its record by exceeding ** thousand visitors, a figure ** percent higher than in ****. In the **** edition, the festival recorder more than **.*** participants.

3.2 Distribution Channels

The sale of board games, which are aimed at different types of consumers, passes through various channels: supermarkets, specialized stores, small retailers. Sales data from large retailers, i.e., supermarket chains and large toy retailers, are in the possession of the NPD research group, which does not make them public, but even if they were, they would not be able to provide a complete view, since they lack an essential factor: online sales, particularly those on Amazon [***].

However, to understand the significance that these products gained in the past years, especially considering the lockdown period, some insights from the platform of Amazon itself can be found.

The most famous board games, from Monopoly to Allegro Chirurgo, were in fact included in the offers of Prime Day, the annual discount event that Amazon does for "prime" customers and that this year took place on October **. In Italy, during this day, more than ** million euros were saved and ** percent of purchases were represented by books, dvds and board games [***].

The only data available on distribution channels have to do with the breakdown of the type of purchases that specialty stores allow. 

Breakdown of purchase method allowed by specialty board games stores, by type ...

3.3 Revenues of the Main Players

The growth of the board game market, in Italy, can be observed through the sales figures of individual companies: DV Giochi, for example, is an Italian company that exports to ** countries around the world, founded in ****. Contacted by Il Post, the company's head of marketing, Barbara Rol, said that turnover has quadrupled since ****, that domestic sales in **** grew ** percent compared to the previous year, while exports grew ** percent. DV Giochi has gained notoriety among fans thanks to Bang!, a game released in **** that has sold * million copies worldwide (***), but in the company's catalog there are ** other games.

To give a broader idea of the potential of the boeard gming sector, it is sufficient to cite Asmodee, French publisher and distributor (***) of board, card and role-playing games, which capitalized for * billion *** million euros in ****. But that's not all. Estimates say that about *,*** new board games are put on the market every year [***].

Overall, the largest players in Italy are:

Hasbro (***) Asmodee (***) Rocco Giocattoli (***) Mattel (***) Grandi Giochi (***)

Revenues of the main players of the board games market Italy, ****, in million euros Source: ****

4.1 Typology of the Offer

Given up for dead a few years ago because of the video games that would have phagocytized them, board games are enjoying an unexpected springtime.

Even in Italy. The market is growing, players are growing, associations are growing and creativity is growing too: there is a ferment of authors and publishers. The evolution of techniques has made it easier to produce games: thus, the minimum print runs necessary to lower costs have decreased and the number of entrepreneurs who, often driven by passion rather than by a desire to make money, have launched into publishing has increased.

In the **** edition of the Archimedes Prize for unpublished games, for example, *** prototypes participated, not only from Italy but also from various European and non-European countries [***].

Although it is difficult to classify all board games, as the diversity in terms of rules or ways of playing is great, it is possible to identify large categories of games.

Card games: For a long time they were played with traditional card games (***), but nowadays, they are more and more played with specific cards, like UNO. Strategy games: very often board games, they call upon the deduction and analysis skills of the players, and sometimes even influence ...

4.2 Pricing

To have an idea of the pricing of board games, it might be useful to look at and compare the prices of the most popular games in Italy.

Source: ****

Overall, most of the represented games can be found on very broad price ranges. As a general rule, the lower side of the price range is generally associated with travel size versions of the games. On the other hand, the higher end of the range represents more sophisticated versions or special edition, as it is the case for the most expensive Monopoly version, Monopoly Super Electronic Banking which includes an electronic reader for the fake credit cards used in this version instead of paper money. 

4.3 Hasbro Italia - an Innovation Leader

The Website Ilgiocointavolo.it interviewed Viola Modugno, Brand Manager Hasbro Gaming and Monopoly in Italy. She answered to the website's questions about new initiatives and innovation at Hasbro Italia.

In Modugno's opinion, the year **** has been a bit ''different'' and challenging for everyone, but still full of news and surprises about board games. Hasbro Gaming, leader in the boxed games market, has a strong heritage of board games that have always entertained families and children and that in recent times are experiencing a boom period because the boxed game, especially the great classics, have proved to be an excellent ally of moms and dads during the lockdown, as well as an escape route from the hard daily life.

This is testified by the brand campaign #OraFelice launched by Hasbro Gaming this Christmas: a real invitation for parents to indulge in a moment of play and distraction from everyday life with their children and with Hasbor's games.

Mrs. Modugno also reiterated how, in this market, innovation remains one of the most important aspects.

Precisely for this reason, Hasbro Gaming has launched on Christmas a series of novelties designed both for children and for the family. "Monopoly - Revenge of the Losers" is ...

5.1 Rules and Regulations that Apply to Board Games

For board games there is no specific protection, on the contrary they are apparently devoid of any kind of protection. The copyright law does not include them among the protected works, and the patent law expressly excludes them among the objects that can be protected. In general the manufacturing, import and distribution regulations that apply to other toys also apply to board games.  

The main pieces of legislation which a manufacturer, importer or distributor of board games has to know in Italy are:

DIRECTIVE ****/**/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of ** June **** on the safety of toys. Council DIRECTIVE **/***/EEC of * May **** on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning the safety of toys. DIRECTIVE ****/**/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of * December **** on general product safety. REGULATION (***) No. ****/****, Annex XVII points ** and **, restrictions on the placing on the market and use of certain substances, mixtures and articles phthalates in toys and childcare articles. REGULATION (***) No ***/**** setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance relating to the marketing of products DECISION ***/****/EC on a common framework for the marketing of products. D. Legislative Decree **/*/****, n. ** - Implementation of Directive ****/**/EC on ...

5.2 Manufacturer Obligations

A toys and games manufacturer is defined as a natural or legal person who manufactures a toy or has a toy designed and manufactured and markets it under its own name or trademark. 

The obligations the toys and games manufacturer must comply with are:

Carry out or have carried out the conformity assessment procedure; Draw up the EC declaration of conformity; toys must bear the CE marking, must be accompanied by the prescribed documents and instructions and safety information at least in Italian language, and contain the elements provided for in Art. *, paragraphs *, * and *, and Art. *, paragraphs * and * of the Legislative Decree no. ** of April **, ****. The CE marking shall be affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly to the toy or to an affixed label or to the packaging. In the case of small toys or consisting of small parts, the CE marking may be affixed to a label or an information leaflet. Where this is technically impossible in the case of toys sold in display cases and provided that the display case was initially used as packaging for the toys, the CE marking must be affixed to the display unit itself. Where it is not visible from the outside of the packaging, ...

5.3 Importer and Distributor Obligations

An importer of toys and games is defined as a natural or legal person established in the Community who places a toy from a third country on the Community market.

The obligations the importer must comply with are:

Ensure that the manufacturer has: carried out the appropriate conformity assessment procedure; and conformity assessment procedure; Prepared the technical documentation; Affixed the CE marking on the toy; Affixed on the toy a type number, batch number, serial number, model number, or other element allowing the identification of the toy or any other element allowing the identification of the toy (***); Indicated on the toy, the importer name, its registered trade name or its registered trademark and the k and the address where he can be contacted (***). Ensure that for the duration of the time during which a toy is under your responsibility, the conditions of storage and transport do not jeopardize the conformity of the toy with the essential safety requirements; Keep the EC declaration of conformity for ** years after the toy has been placed on the market; ensure that the technical documentation can be made available on request to the supervisory authority.

A distributor of toys and games is defined as a natural ...

6.1 Segmentation

• Hasbro Italy
• Rocco Giocattoli
• Mattel
• Grandi Giochi
• Asmodee Italia
• Editrice Giochi
• Raven Distribution
• dV Giochi
• Giochi Uniti
• Clementoni
• MacDue
• Asmodee Group