Welcome to the project page “Play with us! Board game release as a business Board game release as a business
Despite the prevailing opinion that board games have given way to computer and online games in the range of entertainment, their popularity is still great. Checkers and chess, loto and backgammon, dominoes and cards, "Monopoly" and "Twister" - who does not know and has not played these games?
How to make money in the production and sale of board games
And there are thousands, even tens of thousands of lesser known, but no less fascinating board games helping to have fun and interesting time, as in big company, and in a narrow circle. In the West, there has even been a wave of revival of this type of leisure, accompanied by the massive creation of fan clubs and movements to support and popularize board games. We also have recent times there has been a tendency for the growth of interest in this type of entertainment. An additional impetus was given by the government decision to close the casino and deprive poker of the status of a sports game.
The main advantage of board games is their availability, compactness and relatively low prices (about 0.5-1.5 thousand rubles - one game). The colorfully designed design, in the development of which recognized professionals participate, gives board games a special flavor, makes them pay attention not only to children, but also to adults. There is a desire to become the owner of such a tempting thing, and the hand involuntarily reaches for the wallet ...
And here an enterprising businessman immediately has a question: "Why not turn someone's desire into their own source of income?" Indeed, the business of selling board games is a profitable business and, as experience shows, it quickly pays for itself.
The most important thing is to arouse the interest of a potential buyer in a particular game. There are several paths here, which ultimately boil down to the main goal - the acquisition of a product of interest. The least risky and cheaper to start is by creating an online store. Create a website where you can post a selected assortment of board games in a colorful and accessible form. There is no need to chase quantity. Start by selecting games that have stood the test of time and popular new titles that can be easily tracked on the Internet. 30-40 positions for the first time "enough with the head." Take care of a detailed description of the game with high-quality photo accompaniment of the content (playing field, chips, cards, etc.). Stop at the nuances: age category, time and place of the game, the number of players. The fewer questions a potential client has, the more likely it is to purchase a product. It will add buyers a timely announcement of new products, website advertising and a well-thought-out system of discounts (for example, free shipping or a cumulative system). For the efficiency of the turnover, it is desirable that at least 2-3 copies of the products presented on the site be available. Product rotation is optimized over time. The most popular goods, which should be purchased in larger quantities, and unclaimed ones, which should be abandoned, will be determined.
But an online store may not be enough for successful business promotion. It's one thing to see a game, and quite another to play it. It doesn't matter how old you are - 3 or 73. Marketers have verified that a person who has played a game and enjoyed it becomes a buyer 1.4 times more often than a person who has theoretically got to know the game. Therefore, there is a need for places to get acquainted with the games live and even for regular game battles. Renting sites on the territory of shopping centers, cinemas and other places where people gather will help solve this problem. And in a cafe, you can book a number of tables for a certain day, for example, with an agreed condition of the minimum order for each visitor in a reasonable amount. There are many ways to gather a "quorum" for such a meeting. These are announcements on Internet resources and in the local press, calls to friends and acquaintances, distribution of business cards and invitations. The result of the meeting may be a prize in the form of a set of the game, certain bonuses upon its purchase, etc. A well-spent leisure, "recorded" by a photo report on the site, will become the subject of conversation among friends of acquaintances and acquaintances of friends. Perhaps the most effective advertising enters the "battle" - word of mouth, which will bring new clients to the next meeting.
Now let's estimate the starting capital. Registration of an individual entrepreneur will cost 2-3 thousand rubles, website development - 10-15 thousand, advertising and business cards - from 3 thousand, the initial batch of games - from 30 to 50 thousand. Total 50-70 thousand rubles. Not much. With a skillful policy, you can recoup the costs in 3-4 months. The range of markups on games can range from 30 to 200% depending on demand. After studying the assortment and prices of competitors, try to keep within the lower markup on the product at the first stage.
Live communication, the opportunity to spend time among close and dear people - this is what we are so lacking in modern world... And believe me, board games have not yet said their last word. The demand for them will definitely grow - marketing specialists are sure of this.
Prepared by editors: "Business GiD"
www.bisgid.ru
Club "RichClub", Novosibirsk
25.04.2010 12:18
The RichClub was created with the goal of giving everyone the opportunity to develop their financial thinking by playing Cashflow. We are glad to new people who are not indifferent to their future and who do not want to stop there.
Creation and production of board games at home
Quotes by Robert Kiyosaki
23.07.2009 08:02
A selection of quotes and thoughts Roberta Kiyosaki for those who have read his books, as well as for those who want to read, but cannot find free time. Repeat and be successful.
Intellectual board games club Unicorn (Moscow)
12.02.2009 08:25
Replenishment of the section of clubs of board games. The Moscow Unicorn Club invites everyone to play popular board games every day and completely free of charge.
Business games lovers club in Minsk
29.01.2009 10:02
Minsk club of fans of business games and financial simulators Cashflow.by - « Cash flow"Is the most dynamically developing Cashflow-organization in Belarus. Participants in the organization of business seminars, trainings and trainings in state educational institutions.
Every Saturday and Sunday, educational games are held using business simulators: Cash Flow, Pyramid of Success, Key to Wealth, Financial Carousel, etc.
First All-Russian Conference: "Increasing Financial Literacy of the Population in Russia: Challenges and Prospects"
17.11.2008 11:14
The conference will take place on December 9, 2008 in Moscow. The main goal of the conference is to develop a dialogue between the state, financial institutions, the media and civil society on education of the population in the field of personal finance, acquaintance with Russian and international experience in improving financial literacy, as well as developing a joint strategy for the activities of all stakeholders.
Screen version of the board game "Monopoly".
12.11.2008 16:32
Ridley Scott has been officially confirmed to direct the film adaptation of Hasbro's acclaimed board game Monopoly, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Pages: 1 | 2
Popular board games and books
Cash flow
| Price: 1820 rub. |
The mechanics of the game and the rules are quite simple - you need to become a monopolist by purchasing real estate, hotels and railways... Naturally, only one player can be a monopoly, so the struggle for a monopoly has made the board game so exciting and exciting for 70 years.
Read more about "Board Game Monopoly"
Production and sale of board games
There have always been enough paradoxes in our life. Despite the rapid development of computer technology, board games remain popular today. This is also evidenced by statistics, the annual growth of the market for these goods averages 17%. For entrepreneurs in Europe and the United States, the question of how to open a small business, ideas for it are also always relevant. Those who put into production and sale of such goods have already won today. This market is just developing on the territory of the CIS.
Experts have calculated that last year in Russia board games were sold for $ 70 million, and in Ukraine - for $ 15 million. Of the total world sales, 60% of entertainment goods are in the United States and Germany. A few years ago, on the shelves of domestic stores, one could find either simple and boring walkers, or expensive imported ones. table sets, which were not translated into Russian, and therefore were not popular.
Today the situation has changed, and companies have appeared on the Russian market that produce board games based on their own developments or under a license from foreign partners. Despite this, there is no competition between the manufacturers of this product, and the market is far from saturated with this product.
Production technology
The production process of the board game, which is the basis of the idea for the development of a small business, can be divided into several stages.
The first stage is the most responsible, since the success of the future product depends on its results. First, they develop the concept of a board game. To do this, determine the audience to which it will be targeted: children, adults, boys or girls.
How to start a board game business
Is being developed story line, the gameplay itself, the goal that players need to achieve.
The initial stage includes the testing procedure. The game will be tested on acquaintances, friends, in kindergartens, schools. The process is scrupulously monitored to identify all the inconveniences and difficulties of users.
The second stage is the final external design of the product. It is carried out on the basis of a pilot specimen. The appearance of the field, chips, cards, packaging and other attributes is approved.
This step also includes calculating the cost of the product. Usually, its value is inversely proportional to the number of items in the circulation. A novice entrepreneur can start by releasing a batch of 2-2.5 thousand copies. For a developed production, a circulation of 5-6 thousand pieces is considered optimal.
The third stage is finding a contractor to print game elements. The modern typographic market in the country is quite developed, and there is someone to choose from. The contractor must be a professional in his field, have wide-profile printing and punching machines. It is important that the entrepreneur has the opportunity to control the technological process, demand the correction of defects, if such occur through the fault of the contractor. Many enterprises today order the execution of printing services, for example, in China. Their prime cost, even taking into account transportation, is cheaper, but there is no way to control the quality of order fulfillment. On initial stage the establishment of production, it is still better to cooperate with domestic contractors. The same situation with the manufacture of all other elements for the game.
"Berserk"
production cost
The cost of one set depends on a number of factors, and it is difficult to calculate exact figures without any specifics. On the example of well-known manufacturers, some figures can be stated. Bonko Games to release the first two thousand copies new game needed a budget of $ 22 thousand, "Arial" spent $ 50 thousand on 19 thousand copies, and "Fantasy World" spent $ 30 thousand on the release of the game "Berserker". Moreover, a third of this money was spent on registration of intellectual property. Retail prices for the products of the above companies ranged from $ 2.7 to $ 15.
Sales and advertising
First shipments are usually offered to toy stores, bookstores, and large department stores. It is there that fans of board games most often buy them. Further, the sales network must be developed depending on the age and gender of users. This area can also represent a small business. Ideas - Board game trading is quite competitive.
Entrepreneurs working in the board game market claim that the first dozens of copies are being bought up by users who are engaged by competitors. Negative reviews that appear after the release of a new product are not always objective. Real criticism can only be perceived a few weeks after the start of sales. You cannot leave her unattended. Given the positive and negative reviews, the product needs to be improved, thereby creating a good reputation for your company.
For stable sales, the sales network must have at least 200 points. On the day of entering the retail network, you can arrange a presentation of a new product, tell in an artistic form about fascinating world, into which the game process will transfer the players.
It is worth paying attention to the idea, which consists in a free presentation of new items in cafes, game libraries, children's development centers. There people can try to play, and then, if they like, purchase it. In the same place, in the future, it is possible to hold tournaments, the benefits of which will be mutual for the manufacturer of the product and the owner of the institution.
An entrepreneur should not forget about such an indispensable tool today as Internet commerce. Creating your own website and online store should be, if not the first step in product promotion, then be sure to be present in your plans.
In April 2017, the DISCOVERY Research Group marketing agency completed a study of the board games market in Russia.
The board game market is experiencing an extraordinary rise today. Over the past four years, sales of board games have been increasing annually by 25-40%, thousands of new titles are released every year, top games sold in millions of copies. According to DISCOVERY Research Group, the size of the board games market in Russia in 2015 amounted to about 7.6 billion rubles. All leading players show average sales growth of 20%. In 2016, the volume of the board games market in Russia amounted to about RUB 9.1 billion.
In 2016, the first place in the main nomination of the Spiel des Jahres 2016 (Game of the Year) award went to the game CodeNames (Code Names) of the Czech developer Vladi Chvatila. Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King won the nomination "Expert Game of the Year" (Kennerspiel des Jahres). My First Stone Age was recognized as the winner of the Kinderspiel des Jahres (Children's Game of the Year) award.
Themes traditionally associated with “Eurogames” are gaining ground, while topics traditionally associated with “ameritresh” (a hobby of our world, but not ours) are achieving particularly significant results.
The board game industry in Russia is attracting more and more attention from developers and investors. 2008 is considered to be the starting year for the market of network retail of board games. In the period from 2008 to 2011. the market showed almost tenfold growth. Today in Russia one can see a fully developed infrastructure: from the largest giants - such as Hobby World and Mosigra - to the recently created League of Partisan Solutions, which brought together independent creators.
According to DISCOVERY Research Group, the size of the board games market in Russia in 2015 amounted to about 7.6 billion rubles. All leading players show average sales growth of 20%. In 2016, the volume of the board games market in Russia amounted to about RUB 9.1 billion.
For the last 3-4 years, Russian companies have followed the American example of raising funds for board games - crowdfunding (Kickstarter, Boomstarter). Representatives of Hobby World were the first to look towards crowdfunding; they raised funds for the production of Berserk and Hollywood games. The company is actively developing its own platform Crowd Republic. In collaboration with World of Hobby, another player on the Igrokon market has carried out the Septikon game project.
Business Idea - Board Games Store
The Pravilnye Games publishing house began its crowdfunding history with two projects on the domestic Boomstarter platform. These were Evolution. Random mutations "and" For Scotland! " updated version games "I understand yours 2".
In December 2016, CrowdRepublic raised funds for the release of the Russian edition of the main book of rules for the role-playing game Pathfinder. Crowd Games entered the public funding platform Boomstarter with the Russian edition of the game Scythe (Sickle), and the Game Shop - with Terraforming Mars (Conquest of Mars). At the end of the year, Pathfinder had already attracted 635 sponsors and raised more than 1.4 million rubles, Scythe - 378 sponsors and almost 2.7 million rubles, Terraforming Mars - 534 sponsors and more than 1 million rubles. The total contribution is almost 6 million rubles!
During the crisis, the consumer's desire to "take the child away from the computer" was supplemented by the desire to save on leisure. Market players unanimously predict further growth in demand for board games.
What do you need to know about a publisher before choosing?
As a rule, the publisher is closely associated with one of the networks or several. For example, all our games receive priority placement in Mosigra (the largest domestic retail chain) and other partner networks. Specify exactly how the marketing of the game will be done - it's easy to publish, but selling a game for several thousand a month is very difficult. Note that in the domestic top sales at the beginning of 2013, 12 out of 20 games were released by us.
How rigorous is the selection?
To begin with, the games are tested.
Current business: making board games
Considering that we are going to invest our funds and team time in the project, only best games of the proposed. We usually watch 150-300 games a year, and release less than a dozen of them.
If my game doesn't work, can I contact another publisher?
Yes, we usually even recommend a suitable option if the project is good, but it seems to us not entirely suitable for our market. Each has its own specifics. We love, for example, working with games that will sell from 500 pieces per month, or with really wonderful smart and complex projects.
Why are only less than a dozen domestic board games released a year?
Because any author competes with localizations. If you can take a ready-made and proven game from the West, where it has already shown its effectiveness, it is more logical to work with it than with something new. Nevertheless, we do our best to support the domestic market and regularly hold events for game authors.
What will Magellan do with my prototype, how will the development of the board game go?
- 1. You can not send a prototype as the first step, but simply send the rules and materials of the game. After reviewing them (if we like the game), we request a prototype.
- 2. After the tests, it is possible that recommendations will be given on changing a number of things in the mechanics, setting and rules. We give the vector to you or change it ourselves (by agreement).
- 3. An agreement is signed.
- 4. Then the work of the illustrators will begin. Good illustrators, the success of the game largely depends on the quality of the images.
- 5. Layout of maps, rules and other components.
- 6. At the same time, the "cover" is being made - the illustration for the box and the text on it. The name of the game is being clarified.
- 7. Components are then manufactured for each individual specification.
- 8. When everything is ready, your game is assembled in production.
Here are examples of stories from the publication of our board games:
See the licenses section.
In what form is it better to send a prototype?
It is desirable to be as finished as possible, that is, in the form of a box with components and rules. Cards must be cards (not pieces of paper that cannot be shuffled); if you are writing by hand, write in block letters. The box must be strong and clearly labeled. Everything inside should be as close to reality as possible - for example, it's good to use chips from other games or nuts instead of chips, it's bad - paper markers... The field can be drawn by hand, which is better than attaching a file. Etc.
If it is not possible to send it in the form of a box, then you need a description of the concept (2-3 paragraphs) and the rules of the game, as well as files for creating a prototype. Remember that there is no point in discussing an idea by itself. The test team needs to be able to sit down and play at least once.
The most important thing is what the game is called, for whom it is, for how many players, what age, how long the game is, what mechanics are used, what the most similar games are already there, what is your product better.
If I just have an idea for a board game, what should I do?
Assemble the prototype. Better take your time: if you put it together in a hurry, it is quite possible that the game will be rated worse than if you think over the little things and write down the rules clearly and clearly. But don't be late - Perfectionists are the last to arrive. It is better to stop at a certain stage of readiness and listen to the opinion of the publisher than to work in the wrong direction for a year.
Are there any non-disclosure documents being signed?
At the prototype stage - no. Authors often fear that the publisher might use the files without their involvement. Note that due to the absence of at least some intelligible protection of game mechanics in Russian legislation, any agreements and documents at this stage can, of course, leave a feeling of security, but in practice they will be legally null and void. Therefore, you can only trust or not trust the publisher. Again, no one will risk their reputation, as well as releasing a game without an author is simply not economically feasible.
What games definitely don't need to be submitted?
- 1. Copies already famous games... "But I came up with Monopoly, only instead of cells there will be names of rock bands" - this is a bad idea.
- 2. Games your 14-year-old sister can't figure out. If the rules are 40 pages in small print, and you need to learn to play for several days, it may be worth simplifying. It will be quite difficult to sell this.
- 3. Games without implementation - that is, something that cannot be prototyped from.
- 4. Several versions of the same game with minor changes - one prototype is enough.
I already have illustrations. What then?
If they are good, we will publish it with them. But practice shows that it is better to bring a couple of samples of concept art - and then it will be clear before starting work whether an illustrator is suitable.
What's the money? Can you make money by creating a board game?
The author receives from 5 to 10% of royalties from each print run that has gone out of production. If a game costs 1000 rubles on a shelf in a store, then it costs 500 rubles in circulation and about 300 rubles in cost price. You receive deductions from the wholesale price, that is, in our example, from 500 rubles.
What is the average circulation?
The minimum circulation is 1000 pieces, the usual one is 3-5 thousand. We try to work with games that can sell more than 10 thousand pieces a year. Considering that once a game is published brings you income for at least another 3-4 years, you can independently calculate the profit. As a rule, the publication becomes a permanent job for very, very few who are ready to do several projects in a year, but as an addition to the main income, it is quite worthy.
What are the risks of the publisher?
- - If the game does not enter the market, the publisher will lose development funds and the first print run. You can only make money on the game - and at least receive deductions from the first batch.
- - If somewhere there is a marriage that causes a rework of the batch (a common occurrence for any publisher), everything will be decided at the expense of the publisher.
- - If the game is not delivered to the shelves on time and a network penalty is imposed for late payment, this is the publisher's problem, not yours.
Etc. Thus, you are in no way concerned with the traditional risks of publishing and any other things. You just get a deduction from each box - it doesn't matter what happened to it financially. These deductions remain unchanged, even if incredible adventures happened with the circulation.
What documents will need to be collected?
The main document is the author's agreement, in which you guarantee that you are the author of the game and have all rights to it, and the publisher describes in detail its obligations. In most cases, signing it is sufficient. An author's agreement can be signed both with a resident of the Russian Federation and with a non-resident of our country.
If you use third-party materials in the game, such as illustrations, you must have a transfer of rights from the illustrator or a contract with him. If we do the illustrations, you don't need to think about it.
We take care of the rest. Including certification of the game, for example.
What tests are done?
It is assumed that you send finished game(by the way, if you have a protocol of at least 20 parties, that's good). The game is tested not for balance, for example, but for playability. The tests are held in three stages: first, the developers watch, then the experienced players, then, under supervision, random people "from the street". All three stages must be passed. The most important is the third.
What happens if the game doesn't work?
Typically 10% of games are good enough to be published. But less than 2% of board games sent to the publisher are released. The rest are simply put off in case they are needed. We let you know if your game is good but won't be published yet - and we recommend other publishers. In this case, the game is queued for publication. In practice, over the past year, we have bought two games from such a "queue" of the reserve. The usual queue length is about 30 projects.
How long will the prototype be evaluated?
Usually about a month.
How long will the board game be released?
The cycle is 8-12 months from circulation to appearance on the shelf.
Please note again
Providing information or a prototype for review does not constitute a nondisclosure agreement. But, again, we promise that we will be very careful with your game.
We don't consider ideas - just prototypes. Magellan's consideration and assessment of your ideas does not constitute an admission of the idea's novelty, priority or originality, and does not prejudice the company's right to dispute or implement any existing or future ideas of a similar nature. However, if we consider the mechanics to be promising (but the game in the form of a specific implementation is not suitable for publication), we will tell you about it and suggest improvements.
You represent and warrant that you (or the team you represent) are the sole owners of the information disclosed, or that you have unlimited rights to disclose it. You also confirm that all third parties who may be interested in the disclosed information have been informed about the terms of the agreement and agree to its terms.
No prototype is returned.
We consider it undesirable to consider the project simultaneously with another publisher - in this case, we will wait for a response from another publisher. Please let us know before submitting your project if your project is already pending with another publisher. In the event that we request a prototype of a game from you, we mean that we are the only publisher considering your project, unless you have clearly agreed in advance with us to the contrary.
We can make significant changes to the game, which can lead to changes in the game mechanics, its theme and any other aspect to better adapt the game to the product line. And better sales.
The project may not be suitable for many reasons: we may think that the game is not profitable enough; that we will not be able to imagine a game in in the best possible way; the game may be too similar to something that is already in our development; We did not like the mechanics of the game and its execution, or for any other reason. We will provide details if something goes wrong.
We do not give feedback on sent games.
Today we will talk about how to sell games on the Internet. Since we will work on the Internet, we will also sell digital copies of games, and these are mainly versions of games for PCs. So, let's begin!
Where to get the goods from?
The first question that an entrepreneur has is where to get digital keys? There are two ways: publishers and Steam.
The first way is to find publishers and distributors in your country. If you are into video games, then you yourself can most likely name several publishers. For example, SoftKlab, 1C and others.
The first thing you should do is go to the publisher's official website and find the contact buttons or feedback... Then write to them and find out the terms of cooperation and the price list.
The terms of cooperation can be very different. Some work only with legal entities and you will have to register as a legal entity, and some sell games only in packages, then you will have to rent a warehouse to unpack the games and photograph the key. You can, of course, use your apartment instead of a warehouse, but be prepared for a heap of boxes that you will constantly stumble over.
The second game you get is Steam. The second method may violate Steam rules. The bottom line is as follows, we buy the game as a gift on sale, send it to our mail, do not follow the link by mail, but simply sell this link to activate the gift.
We do not vouch for this method, as Steam policy is constantly changing and this method can simply be covered up. But, at the time of this writing, you can still buy games in this way.
Only fresh assortment
Try to buy only fresh assortment. This is due to the following.
Developers spend tons of money on their PR campaigns. Commercials for the new Call of Duty and Battlefield are often shown even on TV, which creates a demand for these products. Especially if a game from the series makes a lot of noise, gains high ratings and comes out every few years (like GTA), then the demand will be huge. Consequently, the greater the demand, the more likely it is to grab a tidbit of the sales pie.
The second point why you need to buy only fresh assortment is less obvious. Older games lose value a lot and it will be more difficult for you to compete with other vendors.
Board game production
Often publishers or some other distributor arrange discounts on old products, entrepreneurs buy these games and sell them at a reduced price. At a price that is much lower than Steam or Origin. To start competing with such sellers, you will also have to look for cheap purchases, and this is not so easy to do.
Where to sell?
So how do you make money selling games? We already have a product and now we must somehow sell the product. We have two ways: trading platforms, our own online store.
There are the following marketplaces that are suitable for our small business: g2a.com and plati.ru. There is nothing special to explain here, just follow the links and you will understand how these sites work. There are tons of vendors out there, they sell games at different prices, and you have to break into this market and grab your piece of the pie. You don't have to create a website and freeze your head a lot, draw up a product card, set a price tag and you are already a seller.
The second way is your own online store. A very, very difficult path, which is definitely not suitable for beginners. In addition to the costs of purchasing goods, there will be huge costs to create and advertise your store.
If you decide to follow a difficult path, then we recommend that you do not purchase goods at all at first. Create an online store, advertise it and see if customers add something to the cart. If they try to buy something, we display a message stating that this product is not in stock. Thus, you will understand whether they will buy anything at all from you.
How much can you earn?
You can earn a lot. Consider the example of the brand new game Resident Evil 7. At the time of this writing, this game is a novelty and a hit of sales.
We wrote to one of the publishers to find out his price list. In the price list, we found RE7, it is sold in bulk for 1040r. Go to plati.ru and look at one of the sellers. He sold as many as 557 copies of the game for 1240r.
It turns out the following, 1240-1040 = 200 rubles for one copy of the game, 557 * 200 = 111.400 rubles net profit, excluding various commissions and taxes. And if we imagine that dozens of popular games are released in a year, which people buy, then we can make a tidy sum of money.
An important point
Well, at the end of this article, I would like to draw your attention to a couple of points.
First, how much can you sell a game to buy it? Try to keep your prices as low as possible. Especially at the very beginning, when you do not yet have a reputation for being a good seller.
Second, pay attention to what you are selling and to whom. Russian-language games are cheaper than English-language editions. But a person living in the United States will not be able to activate the Russian version of the game. Therefore, keep track of the regions for which the product is designed when you purchase goods.
Predicting the popularity of a new board game is a thankless task - once the publisher refused to distribute "Monopoly". Tatyana Bondarenko decided to start this business not because she is fascinated by board games - her entrepreneurial instinct prompts a businesswoman to make good decisions.
Publishing board games is a difficult business genre: no focus groups can help you calculate the commercial success of a box containing a playing field, chips, cubes and cards.
In 1934, the American unemployed Charles Darrow failed to sell the idea of "Monopoly" to a major publisher, but he risked releasing the game at his own expense - and in the end it became a worldwide hit. His example still inspires newcomers to the difficult market today. For the adventures of one of those, we decided to follow.
From the "Start" cell
Tatiana Bondarenko and her husband started the production of board games under the Bonko Games brand a little over a year ago. The calculation was absolutely commercial, and did not grow out of a hobby at all: no one was ever engaged in collecting "tabletop" in their family, did not disappear on gaming forums, and did not participate in fashionable gaming libraries.
But the entrepreneurial experience was already under her belt: at one time, Tatiana left a stable, but incredibly boring career as a bank employee and went into, first opening her own small printing house, and then a private hotel for dogs. And in the meantime, she managed to work out "streaming" copywriting, which taught her to write a lot and without creative crises. This useful skill turned out to be very useful in her new, board-game field.
If you look at it, the board game market in Russia is very young. Ten years ago, it seemed that computer games had won a final and unconditional victory over desktop-printed ones in our country, since the latter could only find on sale simple "walkers" for young children, and if you were lucky, expensive imported games, but without ...
However, since then, Russia has its own publishers and bestsellers - both domestically developed and released under a Western license - with a circulation of over ten thousand copies. According to the estimates of the market players themselves, about a hundred new titles of games are now being released in the country per year.
Meanwhile, Tatyana Bondarenko, with the maximalism typical of beginners, discerned the weaknesses of the Russian market and the opportunities for herself. According to her, domestic developers of high-quality board games are still in short supply, and store shelves are mostly packed with so-called localized games from Europe and America.
At the same time, licenses are often bought not for the most popular games(since the rights to publish Western hits are expensive), and localization can be only partial - to the point that fans of "board" then have to download the rules of the game in Russian from the site on their own.
So the niche for the creators of Bonko Games was clear - to develop games on their own, to release not “waste paper”, but a high-quality product with decent design and printing. The idea of a debut game came to mind pretty quickly: they decided to take advantage of the socio-political conjuncture and release - exactly for the presidential elections - a game called "The Pre-Election Race, or Who Could Become President."
It was fun to come up with game mechanics and entourage: a variety of "crusts" to solve a lot of problems, cars with flashing lights instead of the usual chips, trips to constituencies, lobbying for laws ...
For example, I had to sweat a lot over a deck of cards with bills. “Fifty of them were required, each with six bills: in total, there were three hundred in just one deck,” Tatiana estimates the amount of work done.
To make the game rich in information, and the texts - ironic and full of allusions to real life, she had to raise all the high-profile political events in the last few years. For greater solidity, it was decided to stylize the box with the game under a strict black case.
When the idea fell on a white sheet of Whatman paper in a simplified, schematic form, and then was played dozens of times with several groups of "testers", the moment came for a real investment of money. At that time, the entrepreneurs had only 350 thousand rubles at their disposal.
“Initially,” Tatiana says with a smile, “we naively drew an ideal scenario for ourselves: the game was invented, transferred to whatman paper, tested taking into account different game situations, and handed over to a good designer. What difficulties can there be? " However, coming up with a game turned out to be much easier than publishing and then selling.
Obstacle Race
Game design was originally a position on which the creators of the "Pre-Election Race" decided not to skimp. The old-timers of the market will probably grin, but only on it the startups spent 120 thousand rubles. “Artistic realization of a" board game "for that kind of money, provided that the entire turnover of the game can be only one and a half million, is nonsense," Tatiana Bondarenko agrees.
However, the "presentation" for the perfectionists from Bonko Games was above all: I wanted to keep the brand, starting with the debut game. The playing field was imprinted on a rigid mouthguard traditionally used for bookbinding, game cards and the certificates were transferred to thick cardboard with a glossy surface. The invented entourage significantly increased the final estimate.
“We could simplify our task and put plastic pyramids instead of machine chips,” explains Tatiana. - It would cost only one ruble per set. Meanwhile, the machine cost us three rubles. Here, every detail costs money. When you multiply all these rubles by the circulation, you get a rather big sum. "
The idea of a poker box and velvet upholstery inside was never realized. It turned out that all printing houses in Moscow and the region work only according to ready-made templates, and there are practically no specialists who develop packaging. I had to get out and look for more modest options. A box with a handle, accidentally discovered at home, became a visual model for the production of a packaging case.
Now, when more than half a year has passed since the release of the game, Tatiana regretfully points out the shortcomings: “Inside the box they could not do as they intended. In theory, it was supposed to consist of two compartments, in one of which the playing field would be fixed, and in the other all the other accessories would be located.
When we explained in words what we wanted to see at the exit, we were offered a monstrously inconvenient design that would complicate the already difficult production technology and take half a day to assemble. "
The torment over the box alone, which cost Bonko Games 65 rubles apiece, made them draw a disappointing conclusion: there are no opportunities for the production of truly high-quality board games in Russia. In China, as it turned out, the ideal poker variant with velvet upholstery would have cost no more than 40 rubles. But in this case, you would have to waste a lot of time agreeing on the layout of the game and solving production problems.
The printing house had to gradually adapt to unfamiliar production, and Tatyana had to go through all the "circles of hell" that are described by major market players at specialized exhibitions every year. Ivan Tulovsky, director of the "Correct Games" project, speaking about the prospects of publishing "board games" in Russia, admits that over 10 years of market formation, we have not learned how to print high-quality games.
In the production process, according to him, it is necessary to constantly be in the printing house, otherwise the output can be a product that is very far from the developed layout. In addition, you should be prepared in advance for a decent percentage of rejects in the form of broken cards, uneven margins and color mismatch.
During the creation of the "Pre-election race" one hundred playing fields were spoiled. “When they were printed, it turned out that no one in the printing house could cut them down correctly,” Tatiana recalls. - My husband and I had to show how it's done.
In front of the surprised workers, we applied the ruler to the playing fields, cut the mouthguard with a large mock knife and folded it into a box. " Having "self-served" in this way in the printing house, the startups received playing fields at a price of 28 rubles apiece. And the printing house has gained invaluable experience in the production of "tabletop".
The old-timers of the board and gaming market like to joke that any task that is technically more difficult than the production of puzzles is beyond the power of the overwhelming majority of Russian printing houses. Each publisher solves the problem differently.
Thus, the World of Hobby company, which introduced the domestic consumer to such western bestsellers as Colonizers, Carcassonne and Munchkin, came to the conclusion long ago that it is still possible to print games of European quality in Russia - only this requires creating its own production. Therefore, the entire postprint is carried out by the company at two of its own production sites in the Ivanovo and Kaluga regions.
As a result, the Bondarenko spouses spent about 700 thousand rubles for the release of the "Pre-election race" with a circulation of 2 thousand copies - a very modest amount, according to Tatyana's estimates. However, production problems pretty much knocked Bonko Games out of schedule: the game was released not by October 2011, as planned, but only by February 2012.
By the time the real March elections in Russia were in time, they missed some of the time that could ensure effective sales: the summer was just around the corner. “Summer is a time when all toy makers are in poverty,” admits Tatiana. - We are very dependent on wholesalers who select products depending on the season. From June to August, they prefer to buy inflatable rings, balls and skipping ropes, rather than board games. "
Try sell
The idea of exploiting electoral topics for commercial purposes seemed to be in the air. Six months before the release of the "Pre-election Race", a similar socio-political game appeared on the market - "Presidential Elections" from Drofa-Media, a developer and manufacturer of children's game products. With the release dates of this old-timer of the market, everything was in perfect order, and it seems that the company managed to skim the cream off.
According to Olga Poseva, head of the sales department at Drofa-Media, at first their desk-top had good sales, but after the March event, interest in it cooled down. “The game didn’t become a hit of sales, but we didn’t place much bet on it,” she comments. “After the elections, it became an average product that simply added to our assortment line.”
Unlike a more eminent competitor, Bonko Games places a high stake on its first-born, since there is nothing else in the Bondarenko couple's portfolio yet. And now, right on the march, they have to build sales channels. Working with large stores directly, bypassing the wholesale link, turned out to be troublesome and labor-intensive, which is unreasonable for a publisher with a still meager product line.
Retailers have already shown their willfulness towards the publishers of the “Pre-election Race”: one Moscow trading house did not appreciate the irony of the game, apparently feeling some “dangerous” political overtones, and unexpectedly removed it from sales and removed it from the store's assortment list. But through wholesalers, we managed to put the game on the shelves of some "Auchan" and sell 120 copies in the first three months.
Why the shelves of many Russian stores are mostly filled with economy-class board games was also not a secret for young publishers for long. It turned out that this is the initial setting of both retail and wholesalers.
In principle, it is more difficult for a product in the price category "above average" and "premium" to break through to the shelves than for "waste paper": additional arguments are needed in favor of the fact that the game will sell well, and it can be difficult to offer them to a little-known publisher.
According to Natalya Urusova, owner of the online store of board games Igrocity.Ru, the price range of the most popular games in Russia is from 500 to 1,500 rubles. At the same time, preference is given to games for families or for companies. And Bonko Games' Pre-Election Race was not cheap.
It appeared “offline” at a price of 1,600 rubles, in the online stores “Komus” and “Superfishka” - 1,150 each. links have increased the cost at least twice.
Another well-established way of promoting board games that Bonko Games has yet to tap into is through gaming events in clubs, bars and pubs. The interest here can be mutual: the institution receives an influx of visitors, and the publisher, in addition to popularizing the game, can count on the fact that one of the participants decides to purchase a copy "for the home, for the family."
At the same time, the costs of the publisher are exclusively organizational - to provide their own animator, who will conduct the event at the level. It is noteworthy that publishers of promoted games can even count on a small reward from the institution.
A natural question arises: is it worth it to indulge in all the hard things of its own production and sale of board games? Couldn't you just develop the mechanics and design of the game to sell to a publisher?
Major Russian publishers seem to have grown to the point of being willing to buy such a product on the side - and have even begun to publish relevant ads on the Internet. The conditions, however, turn out to be not very attractive for the developer: 20 thousand rubles or a dollar from the sold box.
"Effective" circulation, as industry participants themselves admit, starts with a thousand boxes, and sales of most games are no more than a thousand or two copies. It turns out that you won't earn much on the sale of the idea of the game: it is rather the lot of single amateurs engaged in development out of love for art. So the creators of the "Pre-election race" initially did not even consider this option.
According to Tatiana Bondarenko, during the first month and a half of our presence on the market, they managed to sell 400 boxes of the “Pre-election race”, and in half a year - more than half of the circulation. By the standards of the Russian board and gaming industry, the result is not bad.
The first experience, however, is conducive to introspection. The obvious conclusion: you can't live on one game, you need a portfolio. Slightly less obvious: a company should not live in "premium" alone, good "economics" in the assortment will not harm it either.
Moving to the next level
The element of randomness, which gives such excitement to games, is fully present in the business of "board game" itself: you never know which game will really "shoot" in retail. The economy also leaves its mark: a game with an ingenious "engine" may well turn out to be so expensive to manufacture that at the prevailing price level on the market it will not find its buyer.
Ivan Tulovsky from Correct Games explains the large percentage of localized Western products on the market by the fact that Russian publishers are trying to follow the path of minimizing risks. A game that has become a hit abroad is at least some kind of guarantee that such a product will sell well in Russia as well.
Nevertheless, Bonko Games still intend to take risks by releasing games of its own design. The limited financial resources, however, are forcing a change in tactics.
Tatyana Bondarenko now sees the ideal scenario for a well-established and profitable production as follows: you need to launch a line of games in the economy and mid-price segments, which will provide a more or less stable cash flow and allow you to earn money to publish a really serious and expensive game from time to time.
A portfolio of five titles should be enough to start consistently launching 3-4 games per year on the market. “It will be possible to celebrate the victory when the assortment is at least 30 games, and our brand becomes recognizable in the market,” Tatiana thinks.
“On the stocks”, entrepreneurs already have several economy games in the “corporate” ironic style, the cost of which in retail should be 350-400 rubles. In one of them - the card "Akulina" - the characters are stylized in the 18th century, and the game will be accompanied by an unexpected entourage - glasses and a dark scarf - to create the image of an unsympathetic heroine for those who lose.
A more distant goal - expensive game « Golden fever», Offering players to get rich in the mine; already invented for her game mechanics and set game items- a dummy of a gold bar, metal coins, an aged leather money bag and non-standard packaging in the form of a prospector's backpack.
In total, Bonko Games has more than 25 projects in development. Some of them are thought out to the smallest detail and are almost ready for game design. Unlike financial resources, startups have plenty of ideas.
Board games are a favorite pastime for children. Their main advantages are mobility, practicality, variety and availability. Recently, sales in this direction have been 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 decline in sales 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:
- designing game driving principles;
- development of a plot, goals, semantic load;
- design of the box and all the elements used;
- purchase of components;
- making the first copy;
- testing;
- mass production.
The goal of this project is to become a connecting link for those who are fond of board games and those who are just starting to get acquainted with this hobby.
Game libraries of the project "Play with us!" are events where you can play various board games for free.
Uz find details of the nearest games libraries .
This project is dedicated to everyone who:
- loves board games or wants to learn more about them;
- appreciates live communication;
- prefers to spend time not only fun, but also with benefit;
- wants to find new friends and like-minded people.
What is the peculiarity of the "Play with us" toy libraries?
- Only the best board games are presented at the game libraries: current classics of games from around the world and new items that have recently appeared in Russia.
- Here you will be helped to choose games according to your taste and mood, as well as to understand their rules.
- Most places will offer you a discount on your favorite board games.
Where and how often do these games libraries take place?
Usually, game libraries are held on weekends about once a month. With each new event, the project "Playing with us" becomes more and more popular. More than 30 largest cities in Russia and neighboring countries have already joined us.
For the addresses of the nearest toy libraries and the exact time, see.
How to participate in the game library?
All project activities are absolutely free and do not require an appointment. Just find the game library of your city in the list, come and play with us!
Where can I find the latest news about game libraries?
Follow us here on the official project page!
Photos from already held toy libraries
