the board game market | Belgium

1.1 Definition and scope of the study

Board games are generally characterized by :

• A regulation - the rules of the game - more or less complex
• A minimum of 2 participants as opposed to solitary games or puzzles, played alone
• The need for one or more physical supports (game board, counters, pen, dice, cards)

The world market for board games is puzzle 10 - 12 billion in 2019 with a growth of 2 to 3% per year on average in recent years . The market is divided between authors, publishers, distributors and manufacturers Some players are playing on several levels. Among the main global players, we can mention the giants Hasbro , Ravensburger , Asmodeus or even Mattel . The board game market is driven by the innovations with more than 4,000 new games launched each year. However, the best-selling games are still the "classic" games such as Monopoly, Cluedo or Trivial Pursuit, which are often renewed via modernized editions

Belgium is a dynamic market in the board game sector, both at the publisher level ( Art of Games, Pearl Games or Repos Production for example), manufacturers ( Cartamundi ) as well as consumers who increasingly appreciate board games The success of the Brussels Games Festival since its launch in 2013 underlines the dynamism of the sector on both the supply and demand sides In a decade, the turnover of the the Belgian market has doubled It is a very attractive market. It is therefore a very competitive The market is as global as it is small, with many local players, of varying degrees of importance, alongside the market giants

Actors must to differentiate oneself in a market where the offer is abundant and respond to trends in the digital and eco-responsibility to remain competitive and appreciated by consumers