What develops the board game business. Business idea: release of board games. What documents will need to be collected

Until recently, it was difficult for us to imagine that board games s - familiar and even, as it seemed a few years ago, entertainment beginning to become obsolete - can be a profitable investment.

The difficulty in predicting the development of the board game industry is that the market for "board games" (as fans of this way of spending time call them) includes too many different products - from the simplest "walkers" (roll the dice and move the chips) to complex thematic and strategic games where you need to calculate options several moves ahead. According to preliminary estimates, the annual sales of board games is $ 100 million.

There is no single definition of board games yet. Usually, board games are understood as games that can be played indoors using specially designed equipment - a playing field, chips, cubes, cards, tokens, etc.

As a rule, a small amount of items needed for the game allows them to be placed on the same table and / or in the hands of the players. The number of participants starts from two or more players. In some cases, there may even be one player, but such games are in the minority.

Board Game Manufacturing Process

The production of a board game consists of several stages. The first - one of the most important - is thinking through and developing the idea of the game, determining its type, storyline, goals and degree of entertainment, creation of a preliminary sample ("draft" version) and testing.

At the second stage, the final external design of all game elements is designed - cards, fields, chips, etc., up to packaging. Then an estimate is drawn up for launching the set into production, the circulation is calculated, at which the release of the game becomes profitable (the smaller the circulation, the more "golden" your game sets will turn out to be), contractors are selected to perform all the work.

The average circulation of one board game released in our country is 5-6 thousand copies. If you have a rather complex game that requires the use of additional inventory (for example, a cube, chips, tokens, etc.), then sometimes it turns out to be advisable to split production, up to the search for partners abroad.

Pay attention to the quality of your products. For example, if your board game involves the use of cards and / or the playing field, you should not skimp on printing.

At the stage of launching the serial production of the board game, it's time to start organizing the sale of your products.

Usually, new games are offered to small stores (general stores, bookshops, toy stores, gift stores, etc., depending on the topic and target audience of your product).

Supermarkets make rather high demands, which may not be up to a young company. Another common and effective option is to create your own online store, where anyone can read the description of the game and the rules, see photos and place an order directly, bypassing intermediaries.

The board game industry is attracting more and more attention from both developers and investors. In fact, the development of a board game takes dozens of times less money than to create a computer. The profitability of some projects reaches 300-350%.

Even during the economic crisis, when sales computer games in our country decreased by $ 150 million, the demand for "board games" continued to grow steadily.

However, in practice, most likely, it turns out that the prospects for such a business are not as rosy and optimistic as we would like. The competition in this segment is already quite high. And this despite the fact that despite all the efforts of the sellers of board games, who do not just offer their goods, but try to create demand for it, this type of entertainment in our country is not yet as popular as in the West.

For example, in Russia, board games aimed at children of low and medium price categories (from 100 to 500 rubles) are in the greatest demand. Games for older players costing from 500 to 3500 rubles are not being sold so actively.

The development costs of one board game range, depending on the idea and complexity, from several tens of thousands of rubles to hundreds. However, the main problem is not in creating a board game, but in selling it.

Nowadays, when there are too many players (including Western ones) on the domestic market of board games, new companies are trying to occupy their own narrow niche, offering inexpensive, but themed games, which, as a rule, have additional functions in addition to entertainment (for example, games on development of imagination, strategic thinking, for study foreign languages or even teaching some skills).

Lilia Sysoeva

Surprising as it may sound, the board game business is a very promising line of work in the entertainment industry. The fashion of spending time at the classic "Monopoly" or the more modern "Munchkin" captivated children and adults. Such a pastime allows you to combine leisure time with the development of analytical thinking and creativity. Selling ready-made and producing your own board games can be a source of stable profit, provided that the organizer approaches it wisely.

Making board games is a very creative and analytical process at the same time. Each classic game has its own history of creation. For example, classic "Monopoly" invented by one man Charles Darrow in the USA during the Great Depression. He personally made and sold 5,000 sets of new entertainment kits, the goal of which is to create his own business empire and the survival of other players from the market.

Another legendary game with a more intricate plot and more probabilities - Dungeons & Dragons or "Dungeons of Dragons". It was created in the 1970s by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The authors were inspired by another board game, adding fantastic creatures and magic. A younger, but no less famous detective story with quests and battles with monsters Arkham Horror created by Richard Launis, based on the worlds from the stories of the mystical Howard Lovecraft.

Board games are interesting for adults and children, they develop analytical thinking and creativity

From these examples, it follows that plot development can be inspired by reality, fiction, and even another game. The author creates a virtual world with his own laws, sets the rules and invites others to dive into it. Of course, this is a creative process, but it can still be distinguished characteristic stages:

plot development and rules;
creation of a material base (cards, cards, schemes, cubes, tokens);
testing;
revision;
mass circulation.

Game development as a business

It is safe to say that the production of board games is far from being for everyone. But if you feel in yourself the potential to perform such a complex of work, proceed with confidence - there will be connoisseurs and demand. When designing a script and a set of cards, don't expect to get rich instantly. The creators did not become very rich people in a short time, even if their work met with a massive response (as was the case with "Monopoly").

It will take months or even years to create a complex game. The author needs not only to come up with a plot, but also to work out the maximum number of possible scenarios so that the action does not come to a standstill. Creative thought alone is not enough. It is necessary to predict in what ways events may develop, how players can act, how the plot ends, is there a winner, etc.

What can be the source of board game development:

Existing board game. For example, the classic "Monopoly" is transferred to new countries, cities, even to a new reality, or the rules are completely reversed ("Antimonopoly"). This option is attractive because the most difficult part of the work has already been done by the creators, and the developer only has to change the design, entourage and material base.
Popular books and films. Simple "adventure games" and quests in the worlds of famous universes will meet with a response from their fans.
Imitation of phenomena and situations from real life... Quests for survival in extreme conditions, solving practical problems can perform both cognitive and entertaining functions.

If you are planning to make money, it is better to create a board game on a computer by contacting an artist or designer. With its help, it will turn out to create beautiful cards, tokens and other inventory. The author's memorable design will become a component of success, because it will give players aesthetic pleasure.

Home Game Development

It is quite difficult to make money in this way. It is quite possible that you will be interested in how to create a board game at home for personal use without commercial plans. The rules are about the same: come up with a plot, prepare inventory and try to play. The easiest way is to draw classic "adventure games" at home: the player rolls a dice and makes moves according to the dropped number. At each stop, he must perform some action: buy something, sell something, defeat someone.

Such quests can be informative and educational for children. For example, at each stop, the child learns new fact or trying a new action. The plot is limited only by the imagination of the creators. You can make a card, tokens together with your children - this will bring no less joy than the process itself.

The production of board games includes not only script development, but also colorful printing of cards, tokens, booklets

Board games store opening

Consider drawing up a rough business plan for a board games store. This is another faster and more reliable way to make money from this hobby. It can take years to create your own game, and tens of thousands of rubles to develop and print the material base. Making a profit by selling other people's works will be much faster.

It is more profitable to open an online store. The demand for this category of product is not so high as to cover the rental of even a small space on a monthly basis.

This is a special product that is of interest to a very limited number of customers. Stimulating demand through advertising will only work marginally.

From this point of view, investing 15–20 thousand rubles at a time in an online store is safer than renting a retail outlet for a month for the same money. You can do the maintenance of the site yourself, and store the boxes with games for sale at home. This approach is perfect for the first months of work. Selling via the Internet does not limit the number of buyers to residents of one city, but brings the entrepreneur immediately to the all-Russian level of trade.

Costs for opening an online store:

website creation - from 15 thousand rubles;
purchase of several categories of goods in several copies - from 30 thousand rubles.
professional photo session for the assortment - 5 thousand rubles;
promotion of the site and accounts in social networks- at the request of the entrepreneur.

An alternative to selling board games is opening a club for players

Another option to make money without independent development and sales is to create your own club. This is a place where people come to play their favorite nut games with like-minded people or to get acquainted with new leisure options. The demand for this format of recreation also cannot be called massive, so the business is very risky.

Club opening costs:

rental of premises - from 20 thousand rubles per month;
repair, interior decoration, furniture - from 10 thousand rubles;
purchase of games - from 15 thousand rubles;
advertising - at the request of the entrepreneur.

It is advisable to combine this type of work with a traditional and online store: the total revenue will be higher. However, the costs will rise to 200-300 thousand rubles. The business is not very profitable, therefore good result will recoup the investment in 1.5–2 years of work.

Conclusion

The creation and sale of board games is a specific business with a small target audience. Buyers are not limited to families with children. Many adults are discovering this kind of leisure time. But there are not so many of them to make this business sector profitable. Get started with an online store and resell popular games, because it will take at least a year to develop your own work.

The sale of board games in Russia increased by 3 billion rubles in 2017. When the market is covered by supply for 25-30%, this option of activity allows you to make good money. Business payback can be achieved within 3-6 months. You can write games yourself, conclude contracts with authors, and adapt Western counterparts. The option of purchasing a franchise is relevant. When investing from 300 thousand rubles. you can count on a profitability of up to 200%. Hobby World and Igroved are vivid examples of organizing a similar business in Russia, which managed to reach multimillion-dollar turnover and conquer the Western market.

Board games - a lucrative business niche?

IN last years in Russia, board games are actively gaining popularity. In 2016 alone, the turnover of this market amounted to 10 billion rubles. How is this possible in the age of information technology, saturated with mobile applications and computer programs for gamers?

The reasons for the active spread of desktop entertainment are most often cited as:

the desire of people to take a break from gadgets, which have become an integral part of modern life;
the possibility of live communication with loved ones in the bosom of family or friends.

Reference! To date, more than 50 thousand varieties of board games have been created and distributed in the world.
Source: RBK

In Russia 10 years ago on the market one could find only children's games with chips and cubes from the Soviet past, checkers, chess, loto, dominoes and several world bestsellers - "Monopoly", "Carcassonne" and "Scrabble".

The situation began to change from 2010-2011, when the first companies appeared, which began to produce Western models for a franchise and develop their own versions of this kind of fun.

Currently, only 25-30% of the board games market is covered, which means you can make good money on this. It is important to take into account the specifics of this segment of the Russian economy:

Competition between sellers is active in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In other regions of Russia, it is felt weakly.
Games are most often an unplanned purchase. Therefore, it is important to know how much residents of a particular region are willing to spend on goods outside the list. In Moscow it is 1,000 rubles, in St. Petersburg - 700 rubles, in small towns - 300-500 rubles.
In large cities, such entertainment is sold more efficiently in specialized board game stores, and in medium and small cities - in the departments of toys, leisure goods, and gifts.
The minimum circulation of one game is 500-600 pcs. - it is unprofitable to produce such a product in smaller quantities.

Interesting fact! The segment is characterized by the phenomenon of "chain advertising": out of 10 players who have gone through several rounds in "Scrabble", "Uno" or other board game, 2-3 people will acquire a separate copy for themselves.
Source: Vedomosti

Business model: board games as a way to make money

Why can the idea of producing and selling board games be considered a profitable business option in Russia?

Firstly, according to statistics, even in the crisis years of 2014-2016, sales of computer entertainment fell by $ 150 million, the board game market continued to grow.
Secondly, if you develop them yourself and sell them to a publisher, your profitability can reach 200-300%.
Thirdly, you don't have to wonder where to find start-up capital - you can start with 5-10 thousand rubles.
Fourth, it is important to understand that games with simple rules are in greatest demand.

Reference! Games of medium difficulty for children and adolescents in the price segment of 100-500 rubles are in higher demand on the Russian market. Expensive and complex board games for adults (500-3,000 rubles) are less popular.
Source: RBK

Business organization options

There are several options for organizing a business based on board games:

Buying a franchise. A way for newbies to quickly find their customers and achieve a payback in a few months.
Self-development of games and their sale while maintaining the authorship to a specialized publisher. Initially, the author sends a prototype of the game to the publisher. If the latter is interested, an agreement is concluded. The publication assumes all the costs of making and selling the game and appropriates the proceeds, paying the author 3-10% from each box released.
Independent development, production and sale of desktop entertainment. Such a risky and bold idea can be further diversified by printing from prototypes of third-party authors.

Note! You can open a sales outlet by registering an individual entrepreneur. It is also worth considering the possibility of using the simplified taxation system (STS).

Product characteristics - first steps in business

Before starting a board game business, it is important to work out in detail a number of important nuances:

The target audience. It is important to understand who the product is intended for: boys 15 years old or youth 25 years old.
Subject. Any board game has a different theme - knights, wars, dinosaurs, movies, etc. It depends on which shelf in the store it will end up on.

An important point! The topic and target audience should be in strict accordance with each other. Any buyer, considering a game, will always ask himself the question: "Is it for me?" and "Why should I buy it?"

Before you start selling your game or franchised product, it is important to do a “cognitive resistance” test. To do this, you need to collect one or several groups of 6-8 people and, based on the results of the game, answer the following questions:

Are the rules of the game clear?
Is the plot interesting?
Are there any shortcomings and mistakes?

If the test results turn out to be disappointing, then it makes no sense to build a business on the basis of the chosen version of the game.

An important point! Technical issues matter. You should control the print quality of images, the presence of constituent elements in packs (chips, card cubes, etc.). A box with a board game should be smart, neat, stable and have a bright and memorable design.

The technical side

The purchase of equipment for printing, laminating, and packaging games requires colossal costs. That is why you can use the services of third parties.

Source: Habrahabr website

How to organize sales?

When opening a board games store, you can choose one of 3 options:

Combined a store... Along with the main product, toys, goods for recreation, hobbies and leisure are sold here.
Leisure club with a point of sale. In this case, the fee is charged for the game in the game. In addition, players can buy desktop entertainment at home, place bets, get a prize, buy a hamburger and cola, and more.
Online store. The most reliable option to reduce the investment risk. You can start selling with running games, and then expand the assortment.

Advice! The first batches of games can also be sold on the basis of agreements with the toy and leisure goods departments in large supermarkets.

Advertising is a sales engine

Advertising plays an important role in sales, based on word of mouth and social media. Flyers (POS materials) are best distributed in shopping and entertainment areas. Advertising partners, consisting in the exchange of Lithuanians with shops of toys and leisure goods, is also effective. A less effective option is advertising on a billboard, transport, as well as advertisements on the network.

The main segment of buyers is young people aged 25-35. In this regard, it seems effective advertising near cafes, educational institutions, fitness clubs.

Staff matters

The sales assistant at the desk of a specific product must meet a number of requirements:

know in detail not only the composition of the boxes and the prescribed rules of the game, but also understand it from the player's position;
understand what can be advised to the buyer based on his age and interests;
be able to interest in the game, explain its essence and order.

How Much Can You Make Selling Board Games?

If the author transfers the game to the publisher and expects to receive the royalties, then his costs will be about 5-10 thousand rubles. to create a prototype of the game. Typically, royalties are paid on the number of copies published, not on the number of copies sold. If the minimum batch is 500 pieces, then you can count on revenue of 25 thousand rubles, since:

the average cost of a game is 1,000 rubles;
the average percentage of royalties is 5% of the cost.

In this case, payback can be achieved already in the first month of activity. With other options for organizing a business, the situation is different.

Table 3. Financial business plan (independent business, franchise). Source: Vedomosti

Cost item	Franchise business	Independent business
Rent and repair of premises
Purchase of commercial equipment
Business registration
Lump-sum franchise fee
Franchise royalties
Staff salary

The cost of purchasing or printing the first batch of goods
Creation of your own website

* - Self-employed business does not require royalties and lump-sum payments
** - The franchisor can provide the buyer with advertising materials and place ads on the website and in social networks; He also partly bears the cost of product design and printing.

Reference! According to statistics, an average of 50-100 game sets can be sold per month. The average revenue will be 50-100 thousand rubles. In this situation, you can count on a payback within 3-6 months.

You can try yourself as an entrepreneur, start a startup or learn how to trade on the stock exchange without risking your finances in reality. Numerous business games will help with this, from the classic "Monopoly" to the modern "Startup" in the field of IT.

Today we have collected 10 of the most exciting and useful board games for entrepreneurs, which will be a great gift and will help you make the most of your January holidays.

Anniversary edition of "Monopoly"

Monopoly is perhaps the most famous economic game that introduces the basics of business and real estate trading in a fun way. It was invented in America during the Great Depression, and especially for the 80th anniversary of the game, an anniversary edition was released with retro-style cards and banknotes, traditional chips and wooden houses and hotels.

Price: RUB 1,790
Buy: ozon.ru

Board game "Startup"

Do you want to launch a startup? For a start, you should just try to play. Startup is a game about the creation and development of IT projects. You will have to launch projects, recruit a team, distribute work and use various opportunities: you can put down a competitor's website or work for a day without interruption. The game is best suited for IT professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Price: RUB 1,190

Board game "Business Life"

The tabletop economic game "Business Life" is suitable for everyone who wants to try themselves in the role of bankers, mathematicians, financial brokers and entrepreneurs. She develops logical thinking, the ability to count and act strategically. The fascinating world of financial imitation helps to understand the game on the stock exchange, stock quotes and competition.

Price: 447 r
Buy: my-shop.ru

"Level Up: Human Leveling System"

"Level Up" is no longer a game, but a unique system that allows you to set goals, practice and mark your progress. Love making to-do lists and goals that you want to be sure to accomplish next year? It's time to replace them with something more stimulating. It is better to track the achievement of goals in game form, and the "Level Up" system of human pumping will help with this.

Price: RUB 2,900
Buy: levelupnow.ru

Board game "LibertEx"

The LibertEx game was invented by five financiers who decided to create a game based on their lives and the path to success: “Guys, let's make a game about how we got into these chairs. About where we got such cars, such apartments and such grandmothers ”. The strategy of the game consists in the correct choice of the possibilities that appear along the way, from the offer of a neighbor to open a tent with shawarma to the purchase of a furniture factory. The peculiarity of the game is real prices, periodic crises and real dreams. The game is even used as the basis for financial training at Forex Club.

Price: RUB 2,490
Buy: mosigra.ru

Board game "Market"

The Market game was recognized as the best simulator for studying economics and is included in the federal list of educational publications in Russia as a textbook on economics. The main difference is the huge number of options for economic situations. The goal of the game is to build an enterprise, facing all the processes of a real business: loans from banks, taxes, purchasing raw materials, hiring personnel, buying and selling shares in a company. Players in a simple and accessible manner immerse themselves in all the surprises of the business world.

Price: RUB 632
Buy: labirint.ru

Board game "Cash flow"

The Cash Flow economic game was invented by Robert Kiyosaki to teach the basics of investing in his economics schools. Players learn to invest in businesses, securities and real estate. The game allows you to plunge into modern world business and finance, improves financial intelligence and teaches you to think like a rich person.

Price: RUB 5,290
Buy: fingames.ru

Board game "Antimonopoly"

Anti-Monopoly is the exact opposite of the classic Monopoly game that emerged in the era of marketing wars. Here, small businesses are trying to survive in the fight against large monopolists. The players are divided into monopolists and competitors: the former build empires based on the profit from capturing the market, while the latter try to get income "here and now." In fact, in the game modern principles Trout is faced with Smith's model of classical economics, and it is worth playing both sides to understand the difference.

Price: RUB 1,990
Buy:
For those who want to build a career from scratch, going from a simple manager to the CEO of a large corporation, it is worth trying the game "Corporation. Think - and Grow Rich!" Here you will have to conclude deals, produce and promote the products of your company. Unlike other games, here the players have an image that is a certain level allows you to close deals automatically and can play a decisive role - just like in life.

Price: 317 r
Buy: multytoys.ru

The selection was prepared by Stella Pokrovskaya

Board games are a favorite pastime for children. Their main advantages are mobility, practicality, variety and availability. IN Lately sales in this direction are increasing. Therefore, aspiring entrepreneurs should consider starting a company specializing in the manufacture and sale of board games.

Project idea: making educational children's puzzles and quests.

Complexity: home business of medium complexity.

Main costs: design development, purchase of game items and typography.

Equipment: telephone and computer.

Initial capital: 100-200 thousand rubles

Payback period: 3-12 months.

Estimated profit: 30-50 thousand rubles. per month.

Marketing research in this direction indicates a decrease in sales of computer games by $ 150 million. This is due to the economic crisis. At the same time, the demand for such entertainment is growing. The board game industry is catching the attention of developers and investors. This is due to the fact that it takes dozens of times less money to create than to create a similar computer entertainment. The profitability of many projects reaches 300-350%.

In Russia, the greatest demand is for entertainment of a low price category (200-500 rubles). Expensive options are sold out with less activity. Marketers assure that demand will grow in 2015-2017.

A business plan is a must if you want to attract third-party funding sources. The document is considered by banks, the investor and the commission when issuing subsidies.

If you want the decision to be made in your favor, stick to a certain structure.

The main stages of making a board game

Classic directions - backgammon, checkers and chess. Modern entertainment has a focus, for example, the popular "Monopoly". Today, the topics of sports, fashion, politics, travel, adventure and space are becoming more popular.

The prospects for the development of the project are enormous. Consider where to start an educational desktop entertainment business.

Main steps: