During the great depression, board games were a popular and inexpensive way to entertain the whole family. Monopoly became a best-selling game during the height of the depression. Certainly, there are many people in the current game industry who are saying that the current economic downturn might be good for games.
An article at Bloomberg News seems to back this up, reporting some interesting numbers from the NPD research group:
U.S. board-game sales rose 6 percent to $794 million last year, while total toy sales declined 3 percent, according to researcher NPD Group Inc. Game sales have risen since last summer, when dwindling disposable income made the “staycation” a popular alternative to holiday travel, according to Reyne Rice, a consultant at the Toy Industry Association Inc. in New York.
“When you buy a $20 game, it can last,” Rice said in an interview. “You can pull it out year after year.”
The article goes on to talk about Hasbro’s “Family Game Night” campaign, in which the company will be running television commercials to promote gaming. “Family game night is probably the single most important thing that we’re focusing on in 2009,” said Phil Jackson, head of the Hasbro’s game division.
