Games & Puzzles

There aint nothing like a game!

With Games & Puzzles enjoying such a strong year in 2020 it was always going to be a challenge to keep the momentum going but, as Sam Giltrow discovers, sales are thriving and still up across the board.

How do you follow a year like 2020? The games and puzzles category was one of the standout pandemic performers, with adults and children alike discovering or returning to gaming to help while away the hours and keep spirits up during lockdown.

Although it is undoubtedly a better class of problem to be coming off the back of such a strong year’s trading, it is nevertheless a challenge to anniversary previous numbers of that magnitude. Thankfully, talking to a host of games and puzzles suppliers, the vast majority are confident that games and puzzles sales will be maintained in the run-up to Christmas this year.

Meanwhile retailers, concerned about the current supply problems caused by Brexit, Covid-19 and supply chain issues, are already squirrelling away stock to meet demand, as families start planning entertainment for (hopefully) bigger gatherings this year. Indeed, research commissioned by games giant Hasbro shows that game nights which started during the pandemic aren’t going anywhere, with 90% of parents/families saying they have no plans to stop playing even as the world re-opens.

As Jake Cannon, of Firestorm Games in Cardiff, tells Toy World, challenges such as supply issues, along with the increased demand for games, have created a perfect storm: “Game releases and restocks are expected to be very important this year. After industry warnings that stock will run out earlier this year, we have taken the decision to confirm orders for core lines in August and September, instead of October as we traditionally would.”

Toymaster marketing director Paul Reader concurs with this approach: “We’re sensing that when suppliers are introducing brand new games to the market this year, they are adopting quite a tight production and availability schedule. With the classic games which sell year-in, year-out, they have a good idea of the numbers they are likely to sell, so they are confident in making stock to fulfil the anticipated demand. It’s a relatively safe bet. However, sales numbers on new games are far harder to predict, so we’re finding that they’re taking a more cautious approach. If a new game really takes off, there might be quite a battel for stock across the trade.”

One of the major advantages of the games and puzzles category for specialist independent retailers is its consistency, as Paul explains: “This is always a solid category for the independent retail channel. Because of the pandemic, it exploded and became a phenomenal category last year. This year, it has returned to being a solid category again. Puzzles have reverted to a more steady level of sales for obvious reasons, especially as people gradually return to offices and aren’t spending every day at home. However, games are holding their own against last year, especially if you include Pokémon trading cards in the numbers.”

Ah yes, the eternal dilemma: are Pokémon trading cards classified as a game, or a collectible? Or both? Either way, specialists have been reporting exceptional sales of the range all year, and with the 25th anniversary celebrations reaching a peak in October, it is entirely plausible that the best is yet to come. It’s a remarkable performance from the brand, so it is no wonder that specialist retailers have been heavily backing it. In turn, this has helped to open up the toy market to other classic, enduring trading card ranges, such as Konami’s Yu-Gi-Oh!, which also has a strong release schedule throughout the autumn.

It isn’t just trading cards which are seeing a surge in popularity amongst both the kids and kidult demographics: according to Paul, there has also been a noticeable increase in the number independent retailers enjoying success with specialist games from the likes of Asmodee and Ravensburger, which often attract more committed gamers to frequent their local toy store.

Speaking to games suppliers, they are also optimistic about prospects for the category in the run-up to Christmas. Steve Asbey, national account manager at Cheatwell Games, reveals: “While not at the dizzy heights of 2020, there is still strong demand for all of our board games, certainly more so than we had in previous summers, when board games sales are traditionally slow.” He adds that sales of Cheatwell Games’ range of pocket money priced card and travel games have also shown no sign of slowing down, being snapped up by families enjoying staycations this summer. “We are thrilled with the current sell-through,” he says.

Like many games suppliers, Cheatwell is planning a raft of new launches this autumn/ winter, including an updated version of the ever-popular Spot the Intro game, which now uses smart phone technology. The company has also received positive feedback for its new Family Quiz Night, described by one industry stalwart as being ‘like Junior and Regular Trivial Pursuit all rolled into one’, and takes pride in keeping its trivia games regularly updated to make them more relevant. “You will find questions in our latest releases that include events from this year, so while we probably don’t have the most recognisable brand in the market, we have a solid base of consumers who see Cheatwell as the go to brand for their quiz time fix,” explains Steve.

One of the best ways to demonstrate new releases is with retail games events, which have unfortunately been off limits since the start of the pandemic. Cheatwell acknowledges some of its retail partners are still being cautious and Steve says it will be led by them as to when they feel the time is right to re-introduce demos.

“We host regular play and learn to play events at all three of our branches for board, miniature, card games and role- play games,” says Firestorm Games’ Jake Cannon. “This ‘organised play’ is essential for bricks and mortar stores to offer something unique, which online deep-discounters cannot. Gaming in the modern age is much more than buying a game to play at home with friends. The experience of meeting and playing, or learning new games whilst socialising in a fun environment, is now in higher demand than ever before.”

“The reduced ability to offer hands-on engagement for consumers due to the pandemic is, I think, the biggest challenge,” concurs Roger Martin, Hobby & independent channel director, Asmodee.

The success of Asmodee’s major titles such as Dobble, he says, can be traced directly back to the impact of in-person demonstrations. “The instant feedback and response that you get when seeing someone enjoying a game is priceless,” he tells Toy World.

Roger adds that in order to create a strong seller in the Games category, there are a multitude of factors to take into account, but the key is to make it engaging, entertaining and fun. “There are a lot of new board games constantly entering the market, so the most important thing that a product can deliver is a better gameplay experience than the rest and stand out on sheer entertainment value,” he explains.

Sales of Asmodee’s trading card games have also continued to perform strongly, particularly for the ever-popular Pokémon brand. “We were always expecting the Pokémon Trading Card Game to have a good year as the franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary – but it has surpassed all of our expectations,” says Roger. “The excitement around the game is as strong as it’s ever been, and that’s set to continue with some special celebration product lines that are making their way to shelves.”

Asmodee is also continuing to see the importance of brand loyalty in the success of brands such as Dobble, Catan and Ticket to Ride. “Consumers keep coming back to games that have given them great experiences, something we see in both the success of licensed Dobble partnerships with the likes of Pixar and Paw Patrol, as well as the warm reception to premium titles like this year’s Ticket to Ride Europe 15th Anniversary Edition,” adds Roger.

Ravensburger, which will launch more than 100 new lines across games and puzzles this autumn/ winter, also boasts huge brand loyalty among its followers; a brand tracker study, commissioned by the company this year, showed brand awareness of over 60%, with a strong conversion rating. The company’s games, and particularly, puzzle sales were exceptional from March last year and this year it is currently tracking above 2019 and expecting further growth for the rest of this year, especially in Q4. The company’s 1000pc puzzles remain the most popular, however as more consumers have taken to puzzling over the last 18 months, there has been an appetite for lower piece counts that appeal to both younger and more mature audiences. Nostalgia puzzling has grown particularly, with themes such as reading, country and garden scenes, tourist destinations, animals and wildlife, while interest in puzzling together as a family has also increased, with Ravensburger’s escape puzzles ranges, available for both children and adults and the 3D range both enjoying growth, notably the planetary system and free-standing globes.

The company’s licensed children’s range has also continued to expand, with the business now holding a healthy selection of the top licences. “Over the past 18 months, our licensed range has performed incredibly and the newly launched Bluey and CoComelon lines are exceeding all our sales expectations,” comments Katy Fletcher, head of marketing and product development at Ravensburger. On the games side, Ravensburger has launched its Upside Down Challenge Game, which has been refreshed to celebrate its 35th anniversary, and immersive games Alien The Game – Fate of the Nostromo, and The Princess Bride Adventure Book Game. Strong sales are also anticipated for Marvel Villainous and Disney Villainous, because of their expansion packs and general popularity.

With the perennial challenge of finding a compelling and innovative game or puzzle that resonates with consumers, and with technology creeping more and more into today’s games, Kelly Philp, director of marketing, Mattel UK believes a combination of offering both classic games and those with more digital interaction is a winning formula. “Classic board games are always going to be important with their unique gameplay and sense of nostalgia for all ages, and we see that in the data, with Scrabble continuing to grow, now number two in the Family Games Supercategory (NPD June 2021 YTD),” she tells us. “However, we also recognise the importance of innovation through tech, giving us the opportunity to expand on gameplay and add new features we know people will love. We have seen that work well with Pictionary Air in particular, now number four in the Family Games Supercategory (NPD June YTD 2021).” Building on the success of its techdriven innovation, Mattel is set to extend the Pictionary Air concept with the introduction of new Pictionary Air Harry Potter.

One of the classic games which continues to perform well for Mattel is card game Uno, which celebrates its 50th birthday this year, after enjoying an exceptional 2020. In addition, the company is rolling out a selection of new products, including the launch of reactionbased electronics game Crossed Signals, as well as Uno Extreme. Mattel also recently teamed up with The Entertainer for a new campaign, The Summer Games, to tap into the big summer of sport the UK has enjoyed and encourage family ‘athletes’ to battle it out over games such as Uno, Scrabble and Pictionary.

Hasbro too says its much-loved classics such as Monopoly, Cluedo, Twister and Guess Who, are just as popular as they have ever been, though it is continually looking at ways to refresh these core titles. Developments for Q4 include the launch of Monopoly Decoder, a game that allows players to use Mr Monopoly’s decoder so they can find fake money and still make a fortune. Q4 will also see the launch of Trivial Pursuit Decades 2010-2020, aimed at adults and teens, and this October, Cluedo fans will also have the chance to purchase their own personalised version of Cluedo as part of an initiative which will run with Smyths.

Social media is becoming an increasingly key component in marketing campaigns, and Anne Leonhardi, marketing director, Hasbro North Europe says it is also extremely useful for providing an understanding of what consumers want. “Hasbro is home to some of the most popular games that generations have grown to love,” she says. “Social media has become a powerful tool in helping to create new play experiences which build on these classic games. We are constantly monitoring and analysing new trends and watching how consumers are playing with our existing products to stay ahead of the curve and provide fans with the experiences they want most.”

A prime example of a social media success story is The Floor is Lava from Goliath Games, which gained massive traction and has been featured on multiple influencers’ social media, including Billie Faiers, LadBabyMum and, most recently, Ryan’s World, with a combined audience between them of over 33 million. “Within our social advertising we will provide click through links to our retail partners to enhance the traffic to our listings and ultimately lead to more conversions on their sites,” says Vivid Goliath marketing manager Ben Hogg.

Goliath has expanded its games offering across the Kids, Family, Party and Strategy categories and is expecting sales to grow significantly throughout the rest of the year. Ben says a particular trend, for which there has been a growing appetite over the last couple of years, is escape room games and Vivid Goliath is just about to launch the third instalment of its popular Escape Room The Game.

Mike Berry of Leisure Games in London says escape room games have been “flying off the shelves” of his shop, adding: “I think they appeal to quite a wide market, as they are a combination of game and puzzle.”

With hopes for a bumper Christmas as more families look forward to get-togethers, the countdown to the festive period will be ramping up imminently, with games and puzzles certain to feature somewhere in the