Steve Jackson Games sales declined, producing a loss for the year, the company said in its report to stakeholders for 2023. Gross sales were $3.5 million. The company had originally reported sales of $4.7 million in 2022 (see “Steve Jackson Games Sales Up”), but that number was later adjusted lower due to revised accounting for crowdfunding projects.
The company said it had addressed some of the issues leading to the loss for the year, and was continuing to work on others. The loss does not imply a threat to the company. “No fear; we have plenty of runway left, I just hate to use it,” Jackson wrote.
Among wins, the company reported strong sales of Car Wars 6th Edition, growth of direct sales, and improved scheduling for 2024 (see “Steve Jackson Games 2024 Lineup”). The lack of a hardcover release for Gurps and lackluster sales for Fantasy Trip were not what the company had hoped.
The company noted a number of staff changes, including a new CEO, with Phil Reed stepping back (see “New CEO”), the death of Eric Dow, and Sam Mitschke moving on. A new Marketing Director, Katie Duffy, and Managing Editor, Allison Page, joined the company.
The state of the industry is great for gamers, the company said, with many game options available. But that variety means heightened competition at the publisher level, leading to layoffs and cutbacks at some other companies. Distribution is a challenge, the company reported, with retailers complaining of games that are unavailable from distributors despite availability from the publisher.
Priorities for 2024 include meeting the schedule the company has set, building sales of Munchkin, expanding the pipeline of new products, and bringing a multi-year secret project to fruition.
Source: ICv2
