Board games are an extremely popular hobby for young and old people alike. Traditionally, we play these games to pass the time and come together as friends or family. Despite the boom in technology and video games, these classic options are still going strong and have developed their gameplay through time.
Today, we bring some intriguing board game statistics that may astound you. If this is all new to you, prepare to be amazed and, hopefully, to join the amazing world of board games!
Fascinating Board Game Statistics
Here are the most impressive board game statistics we discovered during our research:
- The global board game market was worth around $7.2 billion in 2017.
- In 2023, the board game market is anticipated to reach $12 billion.
- The board game industry is predicted to reach $3.63 billion in revenue in 2023, up from $3.13 billion in 2022.
- There are over 140,000 board games on the BoardGameGeek website.
- 57% of gamers in one survey admitted to owning between 1 and 25 board or card games.
- A sizeable 22% of board gamers are willing to spend more than $1,000 on new games yearly.
- Tabletop games held the highest market share of board games in 2020.
- Chess is the best-selling board game of all time in the US.
- Board games are especially popular amongst adults aged between 25 and 54.
How Many Board Games Are There?
Most of us may just be familiar with the usual household board games: chess, checkers, snakes and ladders, and Monopoly, to name a few.
The first board games can be traced back 5,000 years, but the actual number of all board games of all time is quite tricky to find.
However, there is a way to make a good estimate.
1. Over 140,000 board games are available on the BoardGameGeek.
BoardGameGeek is a website dedicated to board games and board game-related content. However, there is no exact count of board games, as new games are constantly being invented and produced.
(BoardGameGeek)
General Board Game Facts
The board game industry has resurged remarkably thanks to new technologies, ingenious game designs, and the passionate community of enthusiasts contributing to their development.
| 🎉 Fun Fact Board games are not just played on tabletops anymore; you can also play them online! Technology made it happen that our favorite board and card games can also be played on our desktops, laptops, and mobile phones. You can even play on your Apple watch. |
This first statistics section will showcase general trends within the board game industry.
Let’s check them out.
2. The board games market will grow by $4 billion in the next four years.
(PR Newswire)
Board games continue to be extremely popular in homes across the country. This fact showcases how many of them are sold yearly and how big the industry is!
3. The average gamer owns between 1 and 25 board games.
(PrintNinja)
One survey of numerous gamers discovered that 57% own between 1 and 25 board or card games in their homes, 22% have between 26 and 50, and 10.9% own over 100!
4. The pandemic increased the popularity of board games.
(Deutsche Welle)
Deutsche Welle reported that the global board games market grew by 20% in 2020. The pandemic restrictions are cited as a key factor behind this popularity increase. People had to buy something to keep themselves entertained.
I bought a few card and board games during the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/9emr9lxJav
— Justin Colón (@JustinRColon) July 29, 2022
Board Game Industry Statistics
Now, we look deeper at the board game industry statistics, especially about money.
The board game sector is a lot bigger than you might think, and these stats tell a lot:
5. Board game industry revenue will reach $4.67 billion by 2026, up from $3.13 billion in 2022.
(Statista)
The total revenue in the board game industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.81% from 2022 to 2026. Board gaming revenue is estimated at $2.86 billion in 2021, up from $2.15 billion in 2020.
| Year | Revenue, in $US billions |
| 2017 | 1.16 |
| 2018 | 1.39 |
| 2019 | 1.57 |
| 2020 | 2.15 |
| 2021 | 2.86 |
| 2022* | 3.13 |
| 2023* | 3.63 |
| 2024* | 4.07 |
| 2025* | 4.40 |
| 2026* | 4.67 |
6. In 2023, the market for board games is predicted to reach $12 billion, up from $11 billion in 2022.
(Statista)
The global board game market was valued at $10.1 billion in 2021, up 19% from $8.5 billion in 2019. In 2018 and 2017, the market value was $7.8 and $7.16 billion, respectively.
7. The global board game market is expected to reach $37.82 billion by 2030.
(Verified Market Research)
The board game market size was $13.33 billion in 2021. It’s expected to grow with a CAGR of 12.29% from 2021 to 2030.
Board Game Demographics
As we see with their projected market growth, the board game industry is serious. While board games are often associated with nerd culture, current numbers show that board game demographics are more varied than what we may expect.
Here are some demographic statistics that tell us more about the market and who’s most likely to purchase these games repeatedly.
8. 38% of female respondents found board games enjoyable.
(Statista)
Regarding board game popularity statistics, Statista found that nearly 40% of female respondents think board games are enjoyable. By comparison, only 29% of male respondents said the same.
Ironically, the same survey discovered that more men than women found board games “somewhat enjoyable.”
9. Gen Z finds board games more enjoyable than other generations.
(Statista)
Perhaps one of the most telling board game stats regarding demographics, research has found that 38% of Gen Z find board games enjoyable to play – by far and away the most significant percentage of any generation surveyed.
10. Board games are most popular amongst people aged 25 and 54.
(Meeple Mountain)
Despite Gen Z finding them more enjoyable than most, board games are still mainly played by people aged between 25 and 54. This could mean one of two things. Either a) they play them and don’t enjoy them, or b) the younger generation plays less frequently.
Board Game Sales Statistics
Now that we know the patrons of these board games, let’s see how that reflects sales-wise. Seeing some sales figures is always interesting when looking at board game facts.
We’ve picked out some of the key findings:
11. 22% of gamers spend over $1,000 on board games per year.
(PrintNinja)
This shocking statistic tells us a lot about board game industry trends: people are willing to spend a lot of money on high-quality games if it makes them happy.
12. Chess is the best-selling board game of all time.
(The Richest)
Commanding over 3 million sales every year in the US, chess is easily the best-selling board game of all time. The success of the popular Netflix show The Queen’s Gambit further helped these sales!
Been trying to get better at chess by playing daily but now I’m getting the Queen’s Gambit thing where I can’t sleep cos I’m seeing chess stuff in my head (and I am still bad at chess) 😫
— Queer Wrath Felix (@FelixirofLife28) August 27, 2023
13. Gamers purchase five to ten new games per year.
(PrintNinja)
One of the most interesting tabletop gaming statistics indicated that 41% of gamers purchased five to ten new games or expansion packs yearly. Even more surprising, 27% of respondents purchased over 30!
14. Tabletop games held the highest market share of 67% in 2020.
(Pipe Candy)
Tabletop games command the highest market share in sales of all the games within the board games market. Over two-thirds of games in the board game industry fall under this category.
Wrap Up
Generally speaking, the above figures showcase significant growth in the board game market, with more and more people buying and playing these games than ever before.
Sales are up, and forecasts show that they’ll keep on rising.
FAQs
How big is the board game industry?
Current estimates peg the board game industry to be nearing $12 billion.
How many board games are produced each year?
Around 3,500 board games are produced yearly by companies around the world.
How many board games does the average person own?
The majority of gamers own between 1 to 25 board games.
What age group plays the most board games?
People aged between 25 and 44 are the most avid board game players.
What country buys the most board games?
Board game statistics show that the US market is the largest in the world, valued at $4.4 billion.
Sources
Timeline Of The Article
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Deyan is an avid enthusiast and self-proclaimed fan of the Windows operating system. His passion for discovering new functionalities and hidden gems within Windows drives his insatiable curiosity and fuels his desire to share his findings with others. As an avid writer, Deyan frequently shares his expertise through articles that provide tips and tricks to optimize the Windows experience.