State of the Tabletop Industry – Spring 2016

All the industry distributors have released this quarter’s gaming winners and losers. Come see who’s King of the Kill!

via icv2

ICV2 recently released thier quarterly distributor & retailer sales reports on the tabeltop industry. The information they report is from distros and retailers across the United States.  Here’s the basics on the report:

ICv2 has announced the release of ICv2’s Internal Correspondence #90, which is distributed to the trade by Alliance Game Distributors, Diamond Comic Distributors, ACD Distribution, GTS Distribution, Southern Hobby Supply, AAA Anime, Bookazine, Esdevium, other distributors, and is also available directly from ICv2.

Internal Correspondence #90 covers the hobby game and comics and graphic novel (including manga) markets.

Now let’s dive into Spring 2016 with the following segments:

Miniatures Wargames

RPGs

Board Games

Industry Size and Growth Trends:

“The largest category, collectible games, grew 14% from $550 million to $625 million, the lowest percentage growth of any category, but the second largest dollar growth.

Hobby board games, now firmly established as the second largest hobby game category, grew 56%, from $160 million in 2014 to $250 million in 2015.

Non-collectible miniature games grew 40%, from $125 million in 2014 to $175 million in 2015.

The fastest growth rate was for hobby card and dice games, which added a digit and grew 75% to $105 million in 2015, up from $60 million in 2014.

And the smallest category, roleplaying games, grew 40%, from $25 million in 2014 to $35 million in 2015.”

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In the wargames market, X-wing has clawed it’s way to the top, with a #1 spot, up from it’s #2 spot last year (see chart below) Warhammer 40K has slipped to #2 perhaps for the first time ever. FFG (with Armada), Privateer and Wizkids round out the top 5.

In RPGs, the regulars have found stability with Green Ronin making it into the top 5.

In the highly competitive BoardGame again we see Asmodee North America dominating with three spots in the top 5, with recent distribution acquisition of Catan, Ticktet to Ride and smash hit Star Wars Rebellion.

Taking a look at last year’s numbers what we are seeing here is a expansion of Asmodee North America into leading positions in almost every market.  They hold leading or multiple spots in all segments and are expanding into even more. It’s not all on the backs of Star Wars, as shrewd moves to acquire distribution rights for favorites such as Catan further increase their reach.  If I had to pick the companies in the industry to consider the three big players at this time it would be Asmodee North America, Games Workshop, Hasbro.

Miniatures Wargames Spring 2015 (last year)

~What non-wargames do you play with your buddies? Have at it!

Author: Larry Vela

Dad, Gamer, Publisher, Pilot, Texan. All games all the time since junior-high. I started BoLS Interactive in 2006. I’m a lifelong tabletop & RPG gaming enthusiast, and internet publisher working to entertain and inform my readers every day. I've been playing RPGs and Tabletop Games since the 1970s. I'm been playing and covering Warhammer and Warhammer 40K for over 35 years.