SECTOR GUIDE SPECIAL:


quotes coming out of Vivid following their tie-up with Drumond Park.” And how do these new


players, like Accentuate, view the state of their new home in the games and puzzles sector. Accentuate CEO Graeme


Fraser-Bell states (in his own accent): “We see the games market sustaining itself at current levels, but with some


believe the larger games companies need to take more risks when it comes to creating games. “I think the mainstream is too conservative,” McLuckie tells T


oyNews. “The huge corporations


are risk averse, be it the large toy companies or the multiple retailers. There is an over reliance on brands and advertising.


We’re seeing more and more families realising the benefi ts and


fun of playing board games. Rachael Wyatt, Coiledspring


notable diff erences in the various segments. “In particular, we see a


resurgence of games directed towards the 16 and above range, with new games in this adult segment picking up traction where they would have struggled in the past.” And when it comes to the


biggest fi rms in the toy space, games remain a vital part of the business. Kay Green, UK marketing


director at Hasbro tells T


o yNe


ws: “The gaming sector continues to be an important part of the Hasbro business. This Christmas season Hasbro have a number of exciting new games launching, in particular, My Monopoly, allowing fans of the game to personalise their own boards “We believe that bringing


new experiences to annual favourites will mean games continue to remain as relevant to today’s families as they always have.” One fi rm putting new spins on family favorites is Cartamundi, which has pulled several iconic Hasbro titles into the digital age with its Shuffl e range. “The sector is very


strong,” states Cartamundi’s head of marketing and licensing, Trudi Bishop. “Firstly choice is greater, with many games available across real or virtual formats; in fact our own Shuffl e product off ers both in one package. The drive to innovate is undiminished. And the continuing growth of home entertainment may be having a knock-on eff ect.” Some, like Pants on Fire director Richard McLuckie,


www.toynews-online.biz “However, the sector is


growing and this in part is due to a vibrant ‘indie’ sector. The emergence and growing popularity of board game pubs and clubs is evidence of this. Board games have become ‘cool’ and it is this grass roots support that will continue to drive the popularity of board games.” Coiledspring has also noticed the popularity of board games is on the rise, through the enthusiasm for the sector witnessed at this year’s UK Games Expo. “We’re seeing more and


more families realising the benefi ts and fun of playing board games,” says Rachael Wyatt, marketing manager at Coiledspring.


“The visitor numbers at UK Games Expo this year show that it’s certainly becoming far more mainstream.” Elsewhere, Amanda


Murphy, sales and marketing manager and Gibson Games, sees the market as being heavily weighed to the last two months of the year. “For many decades the


Friday night board game gathering was a staple in many families’ lives,” says Murphy. “Nowadays the board game


market is heavily skewed towards the last eight weeks of the year, making accurate forecasting and planning more crucial than ever. “Christmas is the time when


everyone can get together, whether it’s family, friends or the odd acquaintance. Once the catching up is over, presents are opened, and the turkey has been devoured, the best way to pass the time is to play a good old- fashioned board game.”


September 43


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72