The board game market in Belgium

This study defines the French board games market within physical leisure activities and distinguishes between the statistical scopes used by market participants, between board games stricto sensu and broader groupings including puzzles or collectible card games. It reviews the size of the market, estimated at 624 M€ in 2025 according to Circana, i.e. +4 % year on year, as well as its volumes, with more than 34 million boxes sold in 2024 and around 1 200 new releases launched each year in France. The analysis also looks at usage patterns: frequency of play, the role of sociability, age profiles and the rise of an adult and “kidult” customer base. In France, 68 % of adults play at least once a month in 2026, while 46 % of 13-25-year-olds report monthly play outside the school setting in 2025. The study then follows the full value chain, from designer to player: publishing contract, prototype selection, manufacturing, distribution and shelf placement. It compares the models of publisher-d

The global board game market has been experiencing substantial growth, with an anticipated increase of 13% per year from 2020 to 2026, likely to value it at $30 billion. The sector's acceleration can be credited in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, which drove a surge in consumer interest as people sought out engaging activities during lockdowns, leading to a particularly stark 21% market growth in 2020 for board games and puzzles . During this period, family and adult games saw the most significant spike in demand at 37%, along with notable climbs in children's games at 11% and card games at approximately 17%. Puzzles, especially for adults, also saw tremendous growth of nearly 50%. Moreover, e-commerce has become a dominant distribution channel, capturing 52% of sales by 2018, a figure that's likely inflated further due to pandemic-influenced shopping habits. Despite these trends, Germany's board game market has shown slower growth compared to the global pace , although the pandemic rev

Board games have distinguished themselves by their ability to withstand the test of time, and today they are still at the heart of leisure consumption habits in many countries.