Reflecting on 2024, preparing for 2025: All About Games Consulting looks at opportunities and challenges in the board game industry

Another strong year for the board game industry, which has now grown to about €13bn, nears its end, with all eyes turning to the opportunities and challenges presented by 2025. In this article Cedric Delobelle, co-founder of one of BoardGameWire's sponsors All About Games Consulting, looks ahead to what US tariffs might mean for the industry, and reflects on the successes and difficulties encountered in 2024.

Tariffs, manufacturing gradually leaving China and the ongoing “fewer, better games” trend: Back Office operator Naylor games looks ahead to 2025

When it comes to taking the temperature of the board game industry, few are in a better position than a business which works across everything from freight and trade selling to e-commerce and spare parts. James Naylor, founder of BoardGameWire sponsor Naylor Games and its one-stop shop board game outsourcing operation Back Office, unpacks the state of the industry across 2024, and casts his eye on the potential positives - and pitfalls - of the coming year.

“Hopefully people can see the difference between what we are being accused of and what has transpired”: Rebellion Unplugged’s Duncan Molloy on Joyride plagiarism claims

A successful Kickstarter campaign and favourable reviews for post-apocalyptic car racing game Joyride: Survival of the Fastest have been dampenened by claims of plagiarism from Powerboats designer Corné van Moorsel, who is seeking royalties from publisher Rebellion Unplugged.That situation has been complicated by the fact that Rebellion Unplugged head and Joyride co-designer Duncan Molloy approached van Moorsel in 2019 about reprinting Powerboats, before changing his mind several months after the pair met up at Spiel Essen that year. Molloy has provided extensive answers to BoardGameWire explaining where he believes it is right to draw the line between a new design and development of an existing title, and details the ways he says Powerboats and Joyride differ in their mechanics. He also admits he worries the dispute will have a knock-on effect on how Joyride is viewed, and outlines his regrets about not acknowledging Joyride's influences more clearly.