Introduction
Games & Puzzles
The name of the game G
ames and Puzzles has proved to be one of the bestperforming categories of the past few years, making a major contribution to the overall health of the UK toy market. 2016 saw the sector grow significantly for the third year in a row, reaching £242m according to NPD. Indeed, the increase in games sales was responsible for 23% of the entire toy market’s growth last year; in monetary terms, the 21% increase was worth a substantial £42m. Traditionally, sales remain heavily concentrated in the run-up to Christmas: 40% of the category’s annual sales tend to come in December alone. With peak-season approaching, the suppliers and retailers we spoke to for this supplement all believe that the sector is set for another strong performance this year. Classic games continue to be the bedrock on which the category is built, although it is worth bearing in mind that 23% of games sales in 2016 came from new items, so identifying potential new best-sellers is essential for retailers looking to maximise on consumer demand. Apps, social media, and the developments in technology have all played a pivotal role in the growth of the games and puzzles category. Many companies are now using apps as a key part of their marketing strategy, allowing consumers to ‘try before they buy.’ Apps also create opportunities for enhancing game development, with some products using apps as part of the gameplay.
Tickle Me Feet from Tomy
However, without question, traditional board games and jigsaw puzzles are more than holding their own in the digital age. For many consumers, tapping a button on a screen to re-load letters will never match picking up the little green bag, giving it a good shake, and taking out the tiles, hoping that they haven’t picked up a Q or a Z. Whilst apps can offer opportunities for co-operative play, this doesn’t compare to the camaraderie and interaction which physical games deliver. Evidence of the growing popularity of game-playing amongst adults can be found in the increase in the number of board game clubs and cafes springing up across the country, as well as the number of retail stores and online retailers specialising in games and puzzles. For this supplement, we caught up with owners of both types of business to gauge their thoughts on the current state of play in the games market, as well as Toymaster’s Paul Reader, who gives us an insight into the category from the independent retailer’s perspective. The ongoing success of the games market has attracted a variety of new players to the category, such as Oxford Games, set up by Jenga inventor Leslie Scott, who had noticed that there was a demand for board games outside the traditional toy market. She teamed up with graphic designer