From the editor

It’s hard to believe another year has passed, but here we are, bringing you the 2022 Toy World Games & Puzzles supplement in all its glory.

As we all know, the Games & Puzzles category enjoyed an exceptionally strong 2020 and 2021, with the impact of lockdowns and increased expendable income combining to create unusually high levels of demand for at-home entertainment among British consumers. It therefore shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that this year, the category is cooling its heels a little – though according to NPD, it’s still up an impressive +32% on 2019.

When I wrote last year’s leader, we were all waiting to see how stock shortages would hamper sales in the run up to Christmas. This year, many of us are awaiting the latest surge in the cost of living, with the energy price cap soaring ~80% just weeks before Christmas, and inflation ticking up all the time too. The challenges this year are very different, yet within them lie opportunities for those who can peer past the gloom. With families watching the pennies and cutting back on activities outside the home, it’s very likely many of us will be gathering round a board game this festive season, or taking turns at the annual Christmas puzzle, instead of forking out on pricier forms of entertainment. Consumers are more than aware how much fun a game or puzzle offers (not to mention replayability) – all suppliers and manufacturers need to do is show them what’s out there this year for them to enjoy.

This packed 80-page issue, published alongside our biggest-ever September issue of Toy World, contains a wealth of information on the Games & Puzzles category. We’ve put together a Touching Base feature with top suppliers and a Talking Shop section with specialist retailers, plus compiled more new product information than you could shake a stick at. Alex Green, managing director at cover star Asmodee UK, spoke to us about price points and consumer demographics, while indie games company Big Potato shared with us what comes next for this fast-growing company. Joeri Hoste, general manager International at Exploding Kittens, also sat down with the Toy World team to outline how the company continues to build on its ongoing success.

We hope you enjoy this year’s supplement and that Q4 is good to you. Regardless of what else is going on out there, in the Games & Puzzles category, there’s still all to play for.