![]() ![]() ‘What we’ve done is join board game Facebook groups and engaged as part of the community, not just pushing our games but speaking to people so they get to know you as a person – then when we do say we have a board game people are more likely to support it. ‘We know we can’t go up against Hasbro and the other big publishers, we don’t have the people power or the finance for it. ‘People come into the hobby initially on the “gateway games” like Pandemic and Ticket to Ride, and if something resonates then people start wanting something a bit more complex. If we went to distributors now with a £10,000 campaign it wouldn’t be enough for them. We’re lucky those costs have dropped back down because it’s much more manageable now.’ĭranda has also had success at board game expos (Picture: Dranda Games)ĭranda also focus their attentions on board game enthusiasts rather than newcomers to the hobby – and they say marketing is everything when it comes to success.Īyden said: ‘In 2012 Kickstarters didn’t need as much money as they do now. ‘The cost of wood and card went up during lockdown. ![]() ‘The market was on the increase before but I do think the pandemic helped the industry boost to a new level. ‘It had a solo mode and it is quite accessible for anybody playing by themselves or with family. ![]() ‘I think Covid helped a lot – we were lucky our first game fulfilled to backers about three months into the first lockdown. ‘It was already increasing – the amount of games launched on Kickstarter every day now, the competition is crazy compared to what there was even four years ago when we launched our first campaign. Ayden explained: ‘From 2018 until Covid the market peaked some more. However, those lockdowns brought their own challenges. Their board games were funded through Kickstarter, an online platform where people pledge cash to fund the project, and receive the finished product if the goal is met.Ĭo-founder Ayden Lowther reckons the increasing interest in indie board games started before Covid, as early as 2012, but saw another peak during the lockdowns. We can take a gamble, we can be much more creative, make a small batch and see if it plays.’ Dranda Gamesĭranda Games was set up in 2017 and they currently have four board games in their repertoire, with themes from repairing a crashing space ship to avoid certain doom, to expanding railroads in the wild west. ‘We can’t go up against somebody like Hasbro, we won’t make games like theirs. ‘If you’re a product manager for Hasbro, you’re looking at data, asking what’s sold in the past and therefore that’s gonna sell in the future. ‘You’ll get those customers where if they like your games they’ll come back and will also be your champions. He explained: ‘We’re so reliant on our customers, we can’t do it without them, there are very dedicated board gamers and they’re very discerning. Rather than trying to go up against the giants of the board game world, he says, instead indie publishers like Blue Donut hope to capture the imagination of board game enthusiasts and keep them coming back and singing their praises. Marcus says some of the bigger board game companies have consolidated in recent years – and he worries this could lead to a ‘consolidation of ideas’ and less choice for consumers. Horror in the Library is a kid-friendly horror game (Picture: Donut Studios Ltd) Managing director Marcus Pullen says the UK board game industry is in a growth phase at the moment, with lots of independent publishers popping up in recent years.īut while the coronavirus lockdown did help the industry in some ways, it hindered in others. The fourth edition of their flagship family horror game, Horror in the Library, is due out in October. ‘I think people will be doing more at-home entertaining, cooking dinner rather than going out, so games will probably have a bit of a role in that as well, especially more light hearted party games a lot of people can get involved with.’ Blue Donut Gamesīlue Donut was set up in 2021 and has created some great family board and card games. She said: ‘In the next year, especially in winter, people will want to spend more time entertaining at home in more cost effective ways. ‘We wanted to make sure everybody is doing something and there’s not a lot of waiting your turn, as that can be where people switch off and start looking at their phones – but if everyone’s doing something at the same time it’s more engaging.’īecky also thinks board games can be a more cost-effective way to entertain – especially during the current cost of living crisis, as prices are rising across the board (pun intended). ![]()
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