Board games had yet another blockbuster year in 2020!
Some of the statistics to come out of last year are incredibly telling. According to noted marketing research firm, Arizton Advisory & Intelligence, board games are expected to see an annual growth of 13% every year from 2020 to 2026.
For comparison, the US economy grew about 2-3% every year during the 2010s. The board game industry is growing at a blistering pace compared to other industries.
The story gets more extreme from there, too. If you zero in on Kickstarter campaigns, you’ll find that in the year 2020, board games raised $234 million. Even amid a once-in-a-century pandemic and a steep economic recession, board game Kickstarters raised 33% more than in 2019 ($176 million).
The general growth of board games during the COVID-19 pandemic makes sense – they can be played at home in lieu of activities outside the home. In fact, DW cites a 20% growth in the board game market in 2020 because people needed “a break from tumultuous times.”
What’s particularly interesting is that Kickstarter campaigns did well. Kickstarters, famously, do not deliver for months. While it’s tempting to contribute board game sales to the boredom and confinement of their buyers, that’s clearly not the whole story. Board gamers simply love board games, in sickness and in health. That’s why the industry has been booming for over a decade.
Overwhelmed with your Kickstarter? Check out our free Kickstarter checklist. It lists everything you need to know to get your Kickstarter campaign shipped.
Types of Games
It’s important to note that Kickstarter uses the category “tabletop games” to describe products that comprise the $234 million figure cited above.
It should be noted, however, that Kickstarter supports gaming projects beyond just tabletop games, including:
Suffice to say that with all these subcategories of gaming, Kickstarter’s overall gaming space is even bigger than $234 million!
Top 10 Tabletop Game Kickstarters in 2020
One of the most insightful ways we can analyze the board game industry is by looking at the top projects on Kickstarter last year. The top 10 board game Kickstarters in 2020 collectively raised almost $57 million, which is almost 25% of all funds raised.
These are staggering numbers, and just go to show just how seriously board game Kickstarters should be taken as viable businesses!
10. Full Color Custom Miniatures
Create Unique Tabletop Miniatures in Vivid Color with New Design Tools and Cutting-Edge 3D-Printing Technology.
Funds Raised: $3,106,449
Goal: $42,000
Backers: 39,165
Take the role of Egyptian gods fighting to become the one true god in an epic board game from the creators of Blood Rage and Rising Sun
Funds Raised: $3,320,197
Goal: $300,000
Backers: 23,386
8. Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape
Fight the source of evil in this long-awaited sequel to Massive Darkness, with new art, incredible minis, and revamped gameplay.
Funds Raised: $3,812,409
Goal: $300,000
Backers: 21,760
7. 7th Citadel
After The 7th Continent, explore the world of the Collapsing Lands!
Funds Raised: €3,289,291 ($3,898,961)
Goal: €300,000 ($355,605)
Backers: 33,347
Amazing Wilderness terrain, sculpted by hand, cast in Dwarvenite®, available fully hand painted. Your games won’t be the same again.
Funds Raised: $4,005,163
Goal: $100,000
Backers: 3,525
An epic fantasy game pitting 1-4 heroes against an intelligent, malevolent tower.
Funds Raised: $4,054,495
Goal: $850,000
Backers: 23,659
4. Darkest Dungeon the Board Game
Gather heroes, brave the darkness and face the lurking abominations in this cooperative 1-4 player rogue-like RPG dungeon crawler!
Funds Raised: $5,657,229
Goal: $300,000
Backers: 28,840
Stand alone expansion to one of the biggest Board Game hit of recent years, Nemesis.
Funds Raised: £5,173,473 ($7,116,112)
Goal: £40,000 ($55,020)
Backers: 41,903
A revolutionary table that evolves over a lifetime. Innovative, yet affordable, with magnetic accessories. Crafted without compromise.
Funds Raised: $8,808,136
Goal: $1,000,000
Backers: 7,713
1. Frosthaven
Euro-inspired dungeon crawling sequel to the 2017 smash-hit Gloomhaven.
Funds Raised: $12,969,061
Goal: $500,000
Backers: 83,186
The Debut of Gamefound
Another new development in the board game crowdfunding world is the debut of Gamefound. The basic idea is simple: Gamefound is a crowdfunding platform made exclusively for games. It boasts features that board gamers have wanted from Kickstarter for a long time, including:
- Native support for add-ons
- Native support for stretch goals
- Easy transitioning from crowdfunding to pledge management
Only time will tell whether Gamefound will succeed in the long run. The one thing that’s for sure is that you can’t ignore it. Major IP such as Kingdom Rush and Robinson Crusoe have found a home on Gamefound, with the former closing in on a million dollars raised.
Outlook for 2021
Overall, if you’re looking for a way to start a business, launching a board game on Kickstarter might be a good option. The industry is growing, and crowdfunding provides an accessible way to raise funds for some of the more expensive parts of the business, such as printing games.
There’s no sign that board game crowdfunding is going to slow down anytime soon. If anything, the twin channels of Kickstarter and Gamefound will give gamers even more ways to back projects they love and give creators a chance to shine.
Overwhelmed with your Kickstarter? Check out our free Kickstarter checklist. It lists everything you need to know to get your Kickstarter campaign shipped.
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Brandon Rollins is a Marketing Consultant at Fulfillrite. His main areas of expertise are online marketing and supply chain management. He also runs Pangea Marketing Agency and writes for Marketing is the Product.
