Board games are passing go and collecting $200, many times over

Really hoping everyone reading this understands that reference.

It’s an exciting time for board games. Over 3k new ones debut annually, per online forum BoardGameGeek, with the global market estimated between $11B and $13.4B, according to The Washington Post.

The space has seen a boom in recent years. Even before the pandemic, interest in venues like board game cafes was rising. And through it, sales jumped as people looked for ways to connect at home, per WSJ.

• While the old classics still sell, smaller game-makers are having a moment, often leveraging TikTok to market their creations.
• Wingspan, a gorgeous game about bird-watching, was a bestseller on Amazon in 2022.

BTW: Exploding Kittens was originally a Kickstarter project with the goal of raising $10k to make 400 copies. The team ended up crowdfunding $9m, and they’ve since sold 20m+ sets.