Two board game publishers have presented dueling visions of the future of board games, centered on the question of whether reprints of new games are even possible in the current environment. The two visions were presented in publisher newsletters from Portal Games’ Ignacy Trzewiczek, and from Jamey Stegmeier of Stonemaier Games.
Trzewiczek laid out the argument bluntly. “I am brutally honest – this is no longer an industry with possible reprints,” he wrote. “Games come and die fast, you put a title on the market and a few months later it is considered old.”
His note was prompted by the final sellout of Imperial Settlers, Portal Games’ first big hit (see “Best New Games of 2015”), with no plans for a reprint. “…[B]efore Imperial Settlers Portal was a company of 5 dudes, after Imperial Settlers it was full blown company with a dozen of employees and steady growth” he said. “And now the Imperial Settlers is gone.”
Portal does not plan to reprint any games as they pass out of stock. Alien Artifacts is now sold out, and the newsletter mentioned Thorgal, Eleven, Tides of Time, and Brazil as other titles that will not be reprinted after sellout, with Tides of Time down to the last 50 copies (not including copies at retail or in distributor warehouses).
Stegmaier said that from his perspective, the answer to the question of whether reprints are over is, “Definitely not,” noting that 17 of the 19 Stonemaier Games titles had been reprinted at least once, and most more than once. It was his suggestions to other publishers on how to make reprints possible that struck home here, as a number of them echoed comments we’ve been hearing from retailers and distributors for years.
Those included being more discerning about what games are published and what it takes to create an evergreen; understanding that crowdfunding is useful in some circumstances but can also disrupt relationships with retailers and customers; and looking at digital game strategies that may limit long-term demand for the physical game.
Additional Stegmaier suggestions for publishers included reconsidering new editions and sequels to avoid deterring consumers from buying current editions, reconsidering back catalog marketing, and re-evaluating how they gauge reprint demand. He also noted that there was nothing wrong with one-and-done games or ending reprints on titles that have ended their marketable life.
Whether a reduction in available board game titles comes from fewer reprints or more focused publishing strategies, it’s clear that fewer, more successful games instead of the fire hose of new releases and constantly growing backlist the channel has been facing over the past decade would create a healthier environment for the entire category.
Source: ICv2
