It’s a Saturday evening and my apartment is filled with bouts of laughter, shouting, and moments of concentration. Deep concentration.
It’s board game night, something that’s become a bit of a regular weekend ritual with my friends. And we’re not alone. Global market research firm Euromonitor reveals that board games are growing at their fastest rate since 2002. They’re not just for lounging around at home anymore, either. 2016 saw over 5000 board game cafes opened in in the US alone. That’s more than the total number of American Walmarts!
Looking ahead, the industry is expected to grow anywhere from 9% to 17% through 2023, reaching annual sales of $12 to $18.5 Billion. For reference, the global music industry was worth $19.1 Billion in 2018.
What’s driving the growth in gaming?
“Isn’t it obvious? Board games are fun,” says Moustafa, a 31 year old entrepreneur in London. “By the way, when are we having another game night? I want to catch up with everyone.”
The phrase ‘catch up’ hints at one of the reasons for the rise in board game popularity: board games are an activity that make…
