The hobby games channel continued its unprecedented growth in 2019, up at least 5% from 2018, behind double digit growth in collectible games and RPGs and solid years in other categories. This is the 11th consecutive year of growth for sales in hobby game stores in the U.S. and Canada, a string that began in 2009.
Retailer health improved in 2019, as retailers took a more cautious mode when buying new products and curbed the extensive inventory overstocks and markdowns that had marred margins in 2018. Those changes improved gross and net margins for game retailers, leading to a lot less angst as we did our post-year-end interviews this year vs. last.
While more careful buying was positive for retailers, it made it a tough year for publishers, especially mid-sized publishers that continued to produce games of similar quality but found sell-ins plummeting. And with continued growth in the number of game Kickstarters and of products flowing to trade, the number of games being produced means that sales are continually divided between more and more products.
For charts of the top games in five categories, see:
Top Collectible Games – Fall 2019
Top Hobby Channel Board Games – Fall 2019
Top Hobby Channel Card and Dice Games – Fall 2019
Top Non-Collectible Miniature Games – Fall 2019
Top Roleplaying Games – Fall 2019
The full-length version of this article appeared in Internal Correspondence. For the full-length version of this article on the ICv2 Pro site, click here.
ICv2 Pro subscribers have early and complete access to Internal Correspondence content. To sign up for a free trial, click here.
Digital copies (PDFs) are available instantly from your favorite DriveThru store. To order a digital copy of ICv2's Internal Correspondence #97, click here.
For librarians and educators interested in subscribing to ICv2's Internal Correspondence, order from EBSCO (title #408-601-128) or WT Cox (title #128411).
If you are a U.S. retailer, e-mail Dennis Viau at DViau@ICv2.com to ask to be put on our mailing list.
Up at Least 5% in Tough Year for Publishers
Posted by Milton Griepp on March 9, 2020 @ 1:39 pm CT
MORE GAMES
For Retailers
November 5, 2024
WizKids offered up a DC HeroClix: Wild West OP Kit , to support in-store events.
Wave 5 Showcases Three Color Wedge Commanders' Artwork
November 5, 2024
Ultra PRO will release Magic: The Gathering Commander Series - Release 5 - Three Color Wedge Playmats into retail.
MORE MARKETS
In Pro Article, with Audio
October 29, 2024
We have updated our recently published "ICv2 White Paper: Comic Store Sales Up in 2024, with Audio and Deck" Pro article with the correct deck presentation.
From the ICv2 Insider Talks at NYCC
October 25, 2024
ICv2's Milton Griepp kicked off the ICv2 Insider Talks at New York Comic Con with a White Paper detailing comics sales and trends.