The board game market in Spain has maintained the momentum it built during the pandemic and continues to grow steadily. After posting a turnover surpassing 140 million euros last year, the sector expanded by about 7% in 2023, outpacing the average growth of the broader toy industry.
With households turning to home-friendly entertainment during the coronavirus lockdowns, demand for board games surged. Although growth cooled slightly in 2022, a newly refreshed consumer base helped restore momentum in the following year, and the market has remained buoyant into the current season.
The outlook remains encouraging as the Christmas season approaches, a peak period in industry calendars that typically stretches from October to early January. Circana, a leading market researcher, reports that roughly 65% of annual sales are concentrated in this period, a share that stands well above neighboring European markets.
Asmodee, a major publisher and distributor known for titles such as Exploding Kittens and Dixit, anticipates Spanish revenues of around 25 million euros this year, up from roughly 24 million the previous year. Marketing Director Rocío Martínez emphasizes that 2023 marks a return to normality after the pandemic’s disruptions.
Devir, another prominent player in the sector, describes 2022 as a transitional year, with distribution channels strained by the prior surge in demand and ongoing global supply chain issues. With those bottlenecks easing, momentum has reappeared in 2023, and the company has already seen strong sales in the table games segment. Devir also holds the license for the Catan franchise, reporting a year-over-year rise of around 17 percent, according to Marketing Director Joaquim Dorca.
Bonanza in times of crisis
Inflationary pressures, including higher costs for cardboard and energy, have affected production, yet industry observers believe the impact on consumer sales is limited. Crises often steer households toward durable, reusable forms of entertainment, and board games fit that need nicely. “People invest in something they will enjoy at home for months, offering more value than temporary entertainment options like cinema trips,” notes Rocío Martínez.
The average price of a board game in 2022 hovered around 19 euros, a roughly 4% increase from the previous year. The market serves a broad audience—from children to hardcore hobbyists—and some premium titles still exceed one hundred euros, according to Circana. Dorca adds that products priced below 20 euros are performing particularly well as new buyers seek simpler, cheaper options.
Inflation’s main impact was felt in logistics and transportation, with container shipping costs spiking in 2021 and 2022. The production cost of a game rose from about 4 euros to 6 euros, a rise that has not always been fully passed on to consumers, according to Devir’s president. This shift prompted industry discussions about nearshoring and regional production solutions.
Industry veteran Oriol Comas notes that China has long dominated global game production, but rising costs have driven some manufacturers to relocate to Europe, especially Germany and Poland. He is the author of a book on the global games landscape, The World of Games, and points to the European shift as a sign of resilience in the market.
Classics and new trends
Traditional games like Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, and Operation continue to top Spain’s bestseller lists, with bestsellers often selling between 800,000 and one million units. Yet a maturing audience is seeking richer, more complex experiences, expanding the range of popular genres beyond the familiar party and family titles.
Games designed for social gatherings, strategic play, and card-based formats are gaining traction, reflecting a broader appetite for diverse play styles. Among Asmodee’s standout offerings are Guatafac, a party game designed to spark conversations among adults, and Tranvía Mortal, a moral dilemma title recommended for players aged 18 and up. Devir highlights White Castle, a title that invites players to vie for influence within the walls of an 18th-century Japanese fortress, as a notable contemporary success.
There is growing interest in one-shot games—titles meant to be played a single time—driven by a desire to keep the experience fresh and unpredictable. In this category, Comas highlights GDM’s Sherlock series, including The Archaeologist’s Tomb and The Last Call, as perennial favorites for deduction lovers.