German board game sales grow again despite wider economic slowdown – but brick and mortar retail is falling

Board game sales in Germany, one of the world’s biggest tabletop markets, are continuing to grow despite an ongoing economic slowdown in the country, new research from German toy and game trade association DVSI and its tabletop publisher-focused subsidiary Spieleverlage shows.

Tabletop game sales in Germany were up 22% between January and mid-September this year compared to the same period in 2024, well above the 4% recorded for the wider toy industry.

DVSI and Spieleverlage – which represents about 20 game publishers from Germany, Switzerland and Austria – said collectable card games such as Magic and the Pokemon TCG were key drivers of that growth, but added that even with collectables taken out of the mix the games segment grew by more than 6%.

Card games, party games, adult games and family games are all helping fuel the market, the pair said, with classic games also playing an important role.

The report noted that although inexpensive, compact, fast-paced, and family-friendly strategy games were currently very popular, even high-priced games were able to find buyers “if the concept and execution are convincing”.

It said the trend toward cooperative games was also ongoing, underscored by the victory for Hisashi Hayashi’s design Bomb Busters in this year’s Spiel des Jahres award.

About three-quarters of the publishers surveyed said they expect growth to continue through the rest of 2025, despite most respondents saying geopolitical conflicts and the ongoing economic slowdown in Germany were dampening consumer sentiment.

Publishers were optimistic about the key Christmas season, which has been mixed for the industry in recent years – 68% of those surveyed said they expect better results over the holidays this year than in 2024.

Six out of ten publishers said they were seeing an increase in online purchases, the survey said – but almost half reported a decline in sales through brick-and-mortar retail – with many taking to imposing clear pricing limits “in order to remain competitive”.

That is a striking change compared to last year, when Spieleverlage said brick and mortar specialist retailers remained the most important sales channel for board games, adding that the price of games was often not the deciding factor in purchases – with players instead more focused on whether the game is a good fit for them.

It said in the 2024 report that the online share of sales for board games was “at a high level” at more than 40%, but significantly below that of the wider toy industry.

The new report also revealed that while international publishers carry on their push into the German market, the tables are now turning – with German publishers continuing to see growth potential in Europe and North America – especially in France and the US, despite the ongoing trauma of the latter’s tariffs on China.

Hermann Hutter, chairman of the Spieleverlage board and managing director of Huch! parent Hutter Trade, said, “Family and adult games, like almost no other category, represent German board game culture, which has diversified considerably over the past two decades.

“Through their quality, innovative game mechanics, and versatility, they have established the international reputation of German board games.”