The board game market - Spain (2024)

1.2 The global market

Estimates for the global board game market between **** and **** show different growth prospects depending on the source. Here, we've put together two different estimates that may give some insight into the growth of this global market. According to Statista Market Insights, the market, valued at $* billion in ****, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (***) of *.**%, reaching $*.* billion in ****. Wordsrated, on the other hand, forecasts faster growth, with the market rising from $**.* billion in **** to $**.* billion in ****, corresponding to a CAGR of **.**%. Nevertheless, both projections point to continued expansion of the sector over the next few years.

Estimated global board game market World, ****-****, $ Billions Source: ****

By ****, the top ten exporters of items falling under the United Nations statistical code HS ****** (***) were China with exports amounting to $**** million, the United States with $*** million and Hong Kong with $*** million in exports. Germany and the Netherlands exported $*** and $*** million respectively. The UK, Poland and the Czech Republic posted exports of $***, $*** and $*** million respectively. France and Spain rounded out the list with exports of $*** and $*** million.

Top HS exporting countries World, ****, $ million Source: Un cometrade Conversely, the top ten countries importing HS code ****** items in **** were: United States, with $**** million, Germany with ...

1.3 The domestic market

The development of the board game market in Spain between **** and **** shows significant growth. In ****, the market was valued at ***.* million euros. In ****, it grew by **% to *** million euros. In ****, growth continued, with an increase of *% on the previous year, taking the market to ***.* million euros. This increase underlines the positive momentum and growing interest in board games in Spain during this period. This dynamism is explained in particular by the habits of Spanish consumers, who have reappropriated board games in the wake of the Covid-** pandemic.

Market trends in the board games sector Spain, **-****, millions of euros Source: ****

Between **** and ****, the board games segment's share of sales within the Spanish games and toys sector grew in importance. In ****, the board games sector will account for **.**% of sales in the games and toys manufacturing sector, **.**% of sales in the distribution sector and *.**% of total sales in the toy sector. This increase between **** and **** is explained in particular by stronger growth in the board game segment compared with the sector as a whole.

Trend in the board game segment's share of sales within the Spanish toy and games sector Spain, ****-****, % sales

1.4 Foreign trade

In order to study foreign trade in board games, we will focus on the UN statistical code "HS ******". This code includes all the following products: Games; articles for funfairs, board games, including pinball machines, special tables for casino games, automatic bowling equipment, n.e.s. in heading ****.

Thus between **** and ****, the Spanish trade balance for board games was marked by continued growth in exports, and also a general rise in imports. Exports rose significantly, from $**.** million in **** to $***.** million in ****, representing growth of **.**%. Imports, on the other hand, although fluctuating, rose overall by **.**%, from -**.** million dollars in **** to -***.** million dollars in ****. The trade balance, while remaining in deficit, showed significant variations, reaching a maximum deficit of -**.** million dollars in **** before reducing to -**.** million dollars in ****, an improvement of **.**% on ****. The latest trend points to a faster increase in exports than in imports, with a notable reduction in the trade deficit in ****, suggesting an improvement in the attractiveness of Spanish goods on the world market.

Spanish trade balance of items corresponding to HS code ******. Spain and the World, ****-****, $ million Source: ****

In ****, the main destinations for Spanish exports of board game items were mainly to European countries. France ...

1.5 The impact of covid 19 on the market

The evolution of Google search interest in board games in Spain between **** and **** shows notable peaks at the end of the year, particularly with the festive season, which is a good time to buy board games. Indices regularly peak in December, rising from ** in **** to ** in ****. This shows a certain cyclicality in consumer interest in these games.

However, one anomalous figure stands out in particular in March ****, when the index of the number of Google searches reached **, a level well above the March indices of previous years, which generally hover around ** to **. This anomaly is directly linked to the initial containment measures imposed in response to the Covid-** pandemic, considerably increasing Spaniards' interest in board games.

This trend is also confirmed for the other post-Covid years, with Google Trends indices for each period generally higher than indices for the same corresponding periods before ****.

Trends in google search interest in board games Spain, ****-****, google trends indices Source: ****

Since the Covid-** pandemic, the proportion of the population claiming to play more board games has increased in several European countries. In Spain, this trend is particularly marked, with **% of people claiming to play more often. France follows with **%, while the UK and Germany ...

1.6 Best-selling board games in 2023

The table below shows the * best-selling board games in Spain in ****:

Source: ****

2.1 Spaniards' leisure spending

In ****, the breakdown of expenditure for the average Spanish household shows a predominance of spending on housing and utilities, accounting for **.**% of the total budget. Spending on food and beverages takes second place at **.**%, followed by transport at **.**%. Restaurants and hotels make up **.**% of expenditure, while other goods and services account for *.**%. Leisure and culture absorb *.**% of the budget, and furniture and home furnishings *.**%. Clothing and footwear account for *.**%, health for *.**%, communications for *.**%, and education closes the list with *.**% of total expenditure.

Breakdown of spending by an average Spanish household Spain, ****, % of total Source: ****

Between **** and ****, average spending per Spanish household on culture and leisure has seen several variations. In ****, this expenditure amounted to *,*** euros. In ****, it fell slightly by *.**% to **** euros. In ****, an increase of *.**% was observed, taking spending to **** euros, an amount that remained stable in ****. In ****, expenditure rose by *.**% to **** euros, then fell slightly by *.**% in **** to **** euros. In ****, they rose slightly by *.**% to **** euros. **** saw a significant drop of **.**%, with expenses falling to **** euros, probably due to restrictions linked to the COVID-** pandemic. In ****, a **.**% increase brought spending to **** euros, followed by a notable **.**% rise in ****, with spending reaching **** euros. In ****, spending rose by a further *.**%, reaching ...

2.2 Three Kings, Christmas and toys

In ****, children's favorite toys in Spain reveal a clear predominance of video games, accounting for **% of choices. Board games take second place with **%, closely followed by construction games at **%. Manual games, arts and music, and stationery each attract *% and *% of children respectively, as do puzzles. Symbolic games, such as dolls and kitchens, and vehicle games each attract *% of children. Wooden toys and masquerade costume are less popular, accounting for *% and *% of preferences respectively. Finally, *% of children don't play at all, and *% opt for other types of toys.

Children's favorite toys Spain, ****, % Source: ****

As a reminder, the Spanish population in **** was made up of different age groups. Those aged ** and over accounted for **.**% of the population, while those aged **-** were the largest group at **.**%. Individuals aged ** to ** made up **.**% of the population. Younger age groups, notably those aged **-**, accounted for **.**%, followed by **-** year-olds with **.**%, **-** year-olds with **.**%, and finally *-* year-olds, who represented *.**% of the Spanish population.

Breakdown of Spanish population by age Spain, ****, % (***) Source: ****

There is also a certain cyclicality in the number of Google searches for "board games". The number of searches is highest in December, stimulated by the festive season and the gifts given to ...

2.3 The sociological profile of consumers

A survey carried out by Un toque de Juegos, a Spanish blog specializing in the analysis of marketing within the board game sector in Spain, reveals several data. Their **** survey shows that the gender breakdown among board game consumers is predominantly male, with **.*% men and **.*% women. Non-binary people account for *.*% of gamers, while *.*% of respondents prefer not to disclose their gender. These data thus indicate that men make up the majority of board game consumers.

Gender of board game consumers Spain, ****, % of total Source: ****

In Spain in ****, the majority of board game buyers were in the ** to ** age bracket,accounting for **.**% of the total. Next came the **-** age group with **.**%, and the **-** age group with **.**%. Young adults aged ** to ** made up *.**% of buyers, while those aged ** to ** and over ** accounted for *.**% and *.**% respectively. Furthermore, **.**% of purchasers were under the age of **.

age of board game buyers Spain, ****, % Source: ****

2.4 Consumer gaming habits

In Spain in ****, board game habits revealed that **.*% of players preferred to play with friends. **.*% usually played with their partner, while **.*% chose to play alone. A minority played with family (***).

Who do you usually play with? Spain, ****, % Source: ****

We also note that the majority of board game players prefer to play at home, accounting for **.*% of responses. Associations and clubs were the second most common place to play, at *.*%, followed by stores at *.*%. Playing in bars (***) was much less frequent.

Where do you usually play? Spain, ****, % Source: ****

2.5 Types of consumer

In Spain in ****,the majority of board game consumers spent less than €** per month, accounting for **% of the total. **% of buyers spent between €** and €*** per month on this activity. A smaller proportion spent higher amounts, with *% allocating between €*** and €***, *% between €*** and €***, and only *% spending more than €*** monthly.

Average monthly spending on board games Spain, ****, % Source: ****

In terms of time spent playing, the weekly time spent on board games varied considerably among players in ****. *.*% of consumers spent less than an hour a week, while **.*% played between * and * hours. The largest proportion, **.*%, spent between * and * hours playing each week. Those who spent between * and ** hours represented **.*%, while **.*% spent between ** and ** hours. Finally, *.*% of gamers spent more than ** hours a week playing board games. Time spent playing board games per week Spain, ****, % Source: Un toque de juguetes The three consumer profiles : Antonio Catalán, in his research paper "Cultura y juegos de mesa analógicos", echoes the conclusions of Eric Fernández, who characterizes the typical profiles of board game consumers. These three types of user are described in the table below. It should also be noted that, according to Fernández, "medium users" are the most numerous and typical profile among board game ...

2.6 Relations between Spaniards and publishing houses

The two graphs below are based on a survey of *** people, with multiple answers possible, so the following data is expressed in number of mentions. In ****, consumers' favorite board game publishers were Devir, with *** points, and Maldito Games with *** points. asmodee ranked *rd with ** points, and Arrakis and Tranjis, each with ** points, occupied intermediate positions. Fantasy Flight Games (***) rounded out the list of Spain's ** favorite publishing houses.

What is your favorite board game publisher? Spain, ****, points Source: Un toque de juguete Conversely, in ****, the least favorite board game publishers, receiving negative mentions without any positive ones, were Venatus with * negative mentions, followed by Diset with * mentions. eclipses, El Troquel, Enpeudejoc Editions and Tetrakis each had * negative mentions. The publishing houses least liked by Spaniards Spain, ****, number of negative mentions without having received positive mentions Source: Un toque de juguete How do Spaniards find out about new releases? In ****, the main sources of information about new releases in board games were social networks, used by **.*% of those surveyed, followed by specialized media at **.*%. publishing houses came third at **.*%, while friends' opinions accounted for **.*%. In-store salespeople, influencers and the BoardGameGeek (***) website were much less involved, with rates of *.*%, *.*% and *.*% respectively. How do you ...

3.1 Value chain

The various players in the board game market are :

Publishing houses and toy stores, which publish their own board games. Distributors, made up of supermarkets and hypermarkets, specialist stores and the publishers themselves.

The diagram below shows the board game manufacturing value chain:

Research and Design: This stage includes game creation, prototyping and testing. During this stage, game illustrations are also chosen, sometimes in collaboration with professional illustrators and artists. Materials procurement: The various materials needed to create the board game are purchased from suppliers, such as corrugated cardboard. Manufacture: The factories assemble the various parts to make the board games. Distribution: At this stage, board games are returned to supermarkets, specialist retailers and sometimes the publishers themselves. After-sales service: The publishing houses provide their customers with customer support and service in the event of exchange or return. Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Feedback from players is collected to continuously improve the publishing house's board games and drive the innovation of new products for the market.

3.2 Structure of the toys and games sector

In order to study the structure of the games and toys market in Spain, we will use the following CNAE CODES defined by theINE:

****: Manufacture of games and toys. **** : Distribution of games and toys through specialized outlets.

Change in sales:

Between **** and ****, sales in the games sector in Spain experienced notable fluctuations. In ****, total sales reached €*,*** million, remaining at the same level in ****. In ****, the Covid-** pandemic led to a significant decline, with total sales falling to *,*** million euros. In ****, a recovery began, with an increase to *,*** million euros. This positive trend continued in ****, reaching a new peak of *,*** million euros, meaning that by **** the sector had fully rebounded from the covid-** pandemic, with sales in **** higher than in ****.

Game manufacturing rose from *** million euros in **** to *** million euros in ****, recording an increase of *.**%. Game distribution followed a similar trajectory, rising from *,*** million euros in **** to *,*** million euros in ****, marking an increase of *.**%. Overall, gaming sector sales grew by *.**% between **** and ****, illustrating continued recovery and growth after the impacts of the pandemic.

Sales trends in the Spanish gaming sector Spain, ****-****, millions of euros Source: ****

Change in number of companies:

In the games manufacturing segment, the number of companies rose ...

3.3 Production of board games

In Spain in ****, there were *** board game manufacturers, and *** stores specializing in the distribution of these games.

Board games market Spain, ****, number Source: ****

we can also see that board game production is largely dominated by publishing houses, which account for **% of all players. In contrast, toy stores, which also play a role in board game production, account for just **% of the market. This breakdown highlights the pre-eminence of publishing houses in the creation and distribution of board games over specialized retailers.

Board game production: Publishing houses vs. toy stores Spain, ****, % Source: ****

In terms of company size, the majority of companies in **** are small. Indeed, **% of companies have between * and * employees. Companies with * to ** employees account for **% of the total, while those with ** to ** employees make up *%. Finally, **% of companies have more than ** employees.

Share of companies manufacturing board games by number of employees Spain, ****, % Source: ****

A market made up of small players and large international players:

The board game market in Spain is made up of large historical players, often with an international presence, such as Mattel. The market is also made up of numerous small players specializing in the board game market. These pure players therefore find themselves in competition ...

3.4 Distribution of board games

There are * main types of distribution channels for board games. Supermarkets: Alcampo, Carrefour, Mercadona... These chains tend to focus on games with the widest possible target audience : games aimed at children, games with simple rules that can be implemented quickly, and games that are often already well-known. Their aim is simple: to convince as many consumers as possible. Specialized superstores: Toys Planet, Don Dino... These toy specialists have board game departments in every season, giving them a more complete and richer offer than superstores. Specialized stores or pure players : Whether online or brick-and-mortar, this is where you'll find the most comprehensive range,often run by board game enthusiasts. These stores are often ahead of the trend, compared with the big-box stores. Among these players are ¿ Jugamos Una? and Zacatrus.

By ****, a study by ALDI indicates that */* of Spanish families will rank supermarkets among their three preferred distribution channels for buying gifts related to the Three Wise Men.

In ****, companies producing board games in Spain favored various forms of marketing. Direct sales to stores was the most popular method, used by **.*% of companies. Direct sales via distribution networks followed closely at **.*%. Direct sales to end customers were adopted by **.*% of producers, while ...

3.5 Crowdfunding and board games

What is crowdfunding in board games?

Crowdfunding, or participatory financing, is a financing model in which a person or group of people raise funds from a multitude of individuals to carry out a project or initiative. This is mainly done via online platforms. Instead of relying on a single investor, creators can raise funds from a variety of sources, including friends, family, followers on social networks and strangers interested in the project. In addition, the emergence of crowdfunding within the board game sector has enabled the creation and appearance of games in non-traditional ways relying on the ideation of its creator and the funds raised via these platforms.

Types of crowdfunding :

Reward-based: contributors receive rewards in exchange for their financial support, such as physical products, discounts or exclusive experiences. Loan-based: Investors lend money to creators and then receive repayment with interest. Equity: Investors buy shares or a stake in the project or company.

Crowdfunding within board games:

The importance of Kickstarter:

Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform that enables individuals and organizations to raise funds for creative and innovative projects. It has become one of the most popular ways to finance board games. Kickstarter has been crucial to the development and launch ...

3.6 Marketing and communications

In ****, board game publishers in Spain mainly used three social networks for their marketing: X (***) with **.*% use, Facebook with **.*%, and Instagram with **.*%. LinkedIn was used by **.*% of publishers, while TikTok attracted just *.*%.

Publishers' preferred social networks for marketing Spain, ****, % Source: ****

As for games festivals, Ludo Ergo Sum (***) was the most popular in ****, attracting **.*% of Spanish publishers, closely followed by the Córdoba games festival with **.*%. Essen Spiel, a major event in the world of board games, attracted **.*% of Spanish publishers. FreakWars was also well received, with **.*% participation. GenCon captured the attention of *.*% of publishers, while **.*% participated in other events.

preferred events for Spanish board game publishers Spain, ****, % of publishers Source: ****

4.1 Types of board games

The table below shows the different types of board games available:

Source: ****

Types of games most produced:

In Spain in ****, publishing houses focused mainly on board games, which accounted for **.*% of their output. War games, miniatures and role-playing games had much smaller shares, with **.*%, **.*% and **.*% respectively. This breakdown shows the predominance of classic board games in the publishing offer, compared with other game types.

Types of games most produced by publishing houses Spain, ****, % (***) Source: ****

in the same year, distributors mainly sold family board games, accounting for **% of sales. Card games followed closely at **%. Children's games and party games each accounted for **% of the market. Euro games were also popular at **%, while Filer and Ameritrash games accounted for **% and **% respectively.

Top game types sold by board game distributors Spain, ****, % Source: ****

4.2 Prices

In Spain between **** and ****, the average price of board games rose slightly, from €**.** to €**. This increase corresponds to a +*% inflation rate in the sector, reflecting the impact of raw material inflation on board game costs during this period. The rise in the cost of paper and cardboard following the economic recovery after the covid-** pandemic is notably responsible for the increase in these costs.

Trend in the average price of board games Spain, ****-****, € Source: ****

Most board games are priced between €** and €**. However, luxury, special or collector's editions may justify a higher price.

4.3 Spain's favorite games

The table below lists the most popular board games of all time in Spain:

Source: ****

4.4 Supply trends

Current trends :

Cooperative games: cooperative games continue to grow in popularity, encouraging collaboration rather than competition. Players work together to achieve a common goal, attracting a diverse audience, including families and groups of friends. These games offer social and rewarding experiences, fostering team spirit and cooperation.

Thematic and Narrative Games: board games are increasingly focusing on immersive, narrative experiences. Players are transported into imaginary worlds with detailed and captivating themes, ranging from epic adventures to detective investigations or survival in space. Games such as "Scythe" and "Root" are appreciated for their originality and ability to immerse players in unique universes thanks to high-quality mechanics and components.

Impact of Technology and Digital Board Games: the integration of technology is revolutionizing the gaming experience. Digital board games use mobile applications, augmented reality (***) to enhance interaction and offer interactive elements as well as single-player and online multiplayer modes. Hybrid games, combining physical and digital elements, such as "Mansions of Madness" or "XCOM: The Board Game", offer novel experiences.

Educational games: board games are increasingly recognized as effective educational tools. Many designers are creating games that combine fun and learning, covering subjects such as math, science, history and cognitive skills. These games are popular with ...

5.1 Protecting children

The Real Decreto ****/**** on the safety of toys, and therefore board games, regulates important aspects of child protection in relation to board games. Here are the key points:

Safety Requirements: Toys must be safe under normal or foreseeable conditions of use, avoiding risks of asphyxiation, strangulation, ingestion and other hazards. labeling and Warnings : Clear instructions and specific warnings on appropriate use and recommended age must be present. Substances and Materials: Prohibition ofhazardous substances and use of non-toxic materials. conformity Assessment: Manufacturers must ensure and document that toys comply with safety standards.

6.1 Segmentation

• Hasbro
• Hasbro
• Asmodee Group
• Smart Games
• Simba Dickie Group
• Zacatrus
• ¿ Jugamos Una ?