Business: board games for children. Board games manufacturing Board games production technology

Successfully applying advanced printing technologies, our company offers production board games in rigid boxes, which can be successfully used as a non-traditional advertising medium or a memorable gift to colleagues, business partners, friends.

If you are running an advertising campaign or want to give your colleagues an unusual and interesting gift - we we will make a board game for you, which reflects all aspects of your project or campaign activity. Custom made board game is a new way to promote products or a brand, as well as a creative souvenir for employees or partners.

For example, economic strategy- a game that has already become a tradition, which everyone has heard of, and perhaps was fond of. A board game that makes it possible to learn how to rationally use the starting capital and come to the finish line as a winner. The playing field consists of assets, businesses, events.

Through such a custom-made game, convenient to advertise real estate, banks, cars, various events, holidays. You can choose any theme of the game and subordinate it to your goals.

When ordering a board game as a gift, at your request, you can place corporate images not only on the playing field itself, but also on cards and other elements. With the production of board games from our company, everything is doable!

When ordering a board game, special attention must be paid to the design of the box. We can place on it your company logo, as well as apply a profile image that will certainly attract attention and be remembered for a long time.

Board game to order is able to convey in a visual form the scope of the project for partners, the features of a new product or brand for the consumer, and can also demonstrate the uniqueness of the company for colleagues who will receive all the necessary information in a relaxed atmosphere of pleasant pastime.

Making your game is easy! We will help!

Our company has been operating in the board games market for over 10 years and offers:

• production of board games in-house
• release of the game
• various options for configuration and cost
• flexible terms
• help with layouts
• discount for regular customers

How is the production of board games to order. How to order board games with your logo?

1. You send us a request.
2. We report the cost and production time.
3. Layouts are being prepared according to our technical requirements.
4. After the layouts are agreed on both sides, we issue an invoice.
5. After paying the bill, we launch the game into production.
6. You get a custom made game with your logo.

When ordering from 30,000 rubles, delivery within Moscow is free.

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Russian manufactures of board games

listed in the 2020 catalog. The list is presented by 30 Russian companies. The country is engaged in production and wholesale sales. Prices, terms of payment - contractual. Representatives of the domestic market:

• "Plastrum",
• "Vladsportprom"
• "Biplant",
• "Technologist",
• "New Generation" etc.

Board games are a dynamic manufacturing sector. Increase in production - 25% and above. Printing houses, combines, publishing houses participate in the manufacture of products. The constant hit is Monopoly. Logic, card, backgammon, magnetic travel sets in a box are known. Specialists are developing a series of toys for children. Many buyers choose to play wars.

Accessories and components are supplied - cubes, chips, New Year's packaging. Publishers are involved in the design project. Don't lose popularity playing cards, puzzles, wooden toys - constructors. Economic conditions allow Russian manufacturers to expand their range. Delivery of goods - Moscow and Moscow region, regions, abroad.

Companies involve equipment suppliers, gift shops, distributors in cooperation. Address, website, phone number of the manufacturer in the "Contacts" tab. To buy products in bulk, order a price list - write to the manager. Make a choice in favor of ordering Russian board games!

- What is the input and output?

You bring the game ready for printing (in any file format), we do the prepress, manufacture of all components and assembly. At the exit - ready-made boxes in a still warm, gently fluttering film. You can sell.

– Does this mean distribution in Mosigra?

Not necessarily, but as a rule, most of the projects are sold through this network and others.

- Can you show me three examples of board games that you have made to order?

- Can it be done cheaper?

Yes, you can find a manufacturing option for 5-10% cheaper. But as the experience of the Imaginarium, Equivoks, 500 evil cards, Z-Game and other games shows, it’s better to do it normally and with high quality right away, otherwise there will be inconsistencies with the lack of certification, the necessary data on the box and just errors with poor-quality performance (which almost everyone does). who is not engaged in the production and sale of board games). Our price is in the market, and the games are 100% worth it.

Who does the certification?

We do, you just enjoy life. As a rule, a refusal letter is obtained for an ordinary game made of wood, metal, plastic and cardboard with paper. For more complex games, certification is performed.

Sales of board games in Russia increased by 3 billion rubles in 2017. When the market is covered by a supply of 25-30%, this option of activity allows you to make good money. Business payback can be achieved within 3-6 months. You can write games yourself, enter into contracts with authors, adapt Western analogues. There is an option to purchase a franchise. When investing from 300 thousand rubles. you can count on profitability up to 200%. "Hobby World" and "Igroved" are vivid examples of the organization of a similar business in Russia, which managed to reach multimillion-dollar turnover and conquer the Western market.

Is Board Games a Profitable Niche for Business?

In recent years, board games have been actively gaining popularity in Russia. In 2016 alone, the turnover of this market amounted to 10 billion rubles. How is this possible in the age of information technology, saturated with mobile applications and computer programs for gamers?

The most commonly cited reasons for the active spread of desktop entertainment are:

• the desire of people to take a break from gadgets that have become an integral part of modern life;
• the possibility of live communication with loved ones in the circle of family or friends.

Reference! To date, more than 50 thousand varieties of board games have been created and distributed in the world.
Source: RBC

In Russia 10 years ago, only children's games with chips and dice from the Soviet past, checkers, chess, lotto, dominoes and several world bestsellers - Monopoly, Carcassonne and Scrabble could be found on the market.

The situation began to change in 2010-2011, when the first companies appeared that began to produce Western models under a franchise and develop their own versions of this kind of fun.

Currently, only 25-30% of the board games market is covered, which means you can make good money on this. It is important to take into account the features of this segment of the Russian economy:

1. Competition between sellers is active in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In other regions of Russia, it is felt weakly.
2. Games are most often an unplanned purchase. Therefore, it is important to know how much the inhabitants of a particular region are willing to spend on goods outside the list. In Moscow it is 1,000 rubles, in St. Petersburg - 700 rubles, in small towns - 300-500 rubles.
3. In large cities, such entertainment is sold more efficiently in specialized board game stores, and in medium and small cities - in the departments of toys, leisure goods, and gifts.
4. The minimum circulation of one game is 500-600 pieces. - in a smaller quantity to produce such a product is unprofitable.

Interesting fact! The segment is characterized by the phenomenon of "chain advertising": out of 10 players who have passed several rounds in "Scrabble", "Uno" or other board game, 2-3 people will purchase a separate copy for themselves.
Source: Vedomosti

Business model: board games as a way to earn money

Why can the idea of ​​producing and selling board games be considered a profitable business option in Russia?

• Firstly, according to statistics, even in the crisis years of 2014-2016, sales of computer entertainment fell by $150 million, and the board game market continued to grow.
• Secondly, with independent development and sale to a publisher, profitability can reach 200-300%.
• Thirdly, you don’t have to wonder where to find start-up capital - you can start with 5-10 thousand rubles.
• Fourth, it is important to understand that games with simple rules are most in demand.

Reference! Games of average complexity for children and teenagers in the price segment of 100-500 rubles are in higher demand on the Russian market. Expensive and complex board games for adults (500-3,000 rubles) are less popular.
Source: RBC

Business organization options

There are several options for organizing a business based on board games:

1. Buying a franchise. A method for beginners that allows you to quickly find your customers and achieve payback in a few months.
2. Independent development of games and their sale while maintaining authorship to a specialized publishing house. Initially, the author sends a prototype of the game to the publisher. If the latter is interested, a contract is concluded. The publisher bears all the costs of making and selling the game and appropriates the proceeds, paying the author 3-10% of each released box.
3. Independent development, production and sales of desktop entertainment. Such a risky and bold idea can be further diversified with printing based on prototypes of third-party authors.

Note! You can open a retail outlet by registering an IP. It is also worth considering the possibility of using the simplified taxation system (STS).

Product feature - first steps in business

Before starting a board game business, it is important to work out in detail a number of important nuances:

• The target audience. It is important to understand who the product is intended for: boys aged 15 or youth 25.
• Subject. Any board game has a different theme - knights, wars, dinosaurs, movies, etc. It depends on which shelf in the store it will fall on.

Important point! Topic and target audience should be in strict accordance with each other. Any buyer, considering the game, will always ask himself the question: “Is it for me?” and “Why should I buy it?”.

Before you start selling your game or franchise product, it's important to take a "cognitive resilience" test. To do this, you need to gather one or more groups of 6-8 people and, at the end of the game, answer the following questions:

1. Are the rules of the game clear?
2. Is the plot interesting?
3. Are there any shortcomings and errors?

If the test results turn out to be disappointing, then it makes no sense to build a business based on the selected game option.

Important point! Technical matters matter. It is necessary to control the quality of printing images, the presence of constituent elements in packs (chips, card cubes, etc.). A box with a board game should be elegant, neat, stable and have a bright and memorable design.

Technical side

The purchase of equipment for printing, laminating, packaging games requires enormous costs. That is why you can use the services of third-party organizations.

Source: Habrahabr website

How to organize sales?

When opening a board game store, you can choose one of 3 options:

• Combined outlet. Along with the main product, toys, goods for recreation, hobbies, and leisure are sold here.
• Leisure club with point of sale. In this case, the fee is charged for the game in the game. In addition, players can buy table entertainment at home, place bets, get a prize, buy a hamburger and cola, etc.
• Online store. The most reliable option that reduces the risk of investment. You can start selling with running games, and then expand the range.

Advice! The first batches of games can also be sold on the basis of agreements with the departments of toys and leisure goods in large supermarkets.

Advertising is the engine of sales

An important role in sales is played by advertising, which is based on word of mouth and social networks. Flyers (POS materials) are best distributed in shopping and entertainment areas. Advertising of partners, which consists in the exchange of Lithuanians with shops of toys and goods for recreation, also works effectively. A less effective option is advertising on a billboard, transport, and online ads.

The main segment of buyers - young people aged 25-35 years. In this regard, advertising near cafes, educational institutions, fitness clubs seems to be effective.

Staff matters

The sales assistant of a table of a specific product must meet a number of requirements:

• to know in detail not only the composition of the boxes and the prescribed rules of the game, but also to understand it from the position of the player;
• understand what can be advised to the buyer, based on his age and interests;
• be able to interest in the game, explain its essence and order.

How much can you earn selling board games?

If the author transfers the game to the publisher and expects to receive royalties, then his costs will be about 5-10 thousand rubles. to create a game prototype. Typically, royalties are paid on the number of copies published, not on the number of copies sold. If the minimum lot is 500 pieces, then you can count on revenue of 25 thousand rubles, because:

• the average cost of a game is 1,000 rubles;
• the average percentage of royalties is 5% of the cost.

In this case, payback can be achieved in the first month of operation. With other options for organizing a business, the situation is different.

Table 3. Business financial plan (independent business, franchise). Source: Vedomosti

Cost item	franchise business	Independent business
Rental and renovation of premises
Purchase of commercial equipment
Business registration
Franchise fee
Franchise royalties
Staff salary
The cost of purchasing or printing the first batch of goods
Create your own website

* - Independent business does not require payment of royalties and a lump-sum fee
** - The franchisor can provide the buyer with advertising materials and place ads on the website and in social networks; he also partly bears the cost of design and printing of products.

Reference! According to statistics, an average of 50-100 game sets can be sold per month. The average revenue in this case will be 50-100 thousand rubles. In this scenario, you can count on payback within 3-6 months.

Despite the popular belief that board games have given way to computer and online games, their popularity is still great. Checkers and chess, lotto and backgammon, dominoes and cards, Monopoly and Twister - who does not know and has not played these games?

How to make money producing and selling board games

And there are thousands, even tens of thousands of less well-known, but no less exciting board games that help to have fun and interesting time, both in a big company and in a narrow circle. In the West, there has even been a wave of revival of this type of leisure, accompanied by the massive creation of fan clubs and movements to support and popularize board games. We have also recently seen a trend of growing interest in this type of entertainment. An additional impetus was given by the government decision to close the casino and deprive poker of the status of a sports game.

The main advantage of board games is their availability, compactness and relatively low prices (about 0.5-1.5 thousand rubles - one game). The colorfully designed design, in the development of which recognized professionals participate, gives board games a special flavor, makes them attract the attention of not only children, but also adults. There is a desire to become the owner of such a tempting thing, and the hand involuntarily reaches for the wallet ...

And here the enterprising businessman immediately has a question: “Why not turn someone’s desire into their own source of income?” Indeed, the business of selling board games is a profitable business and, as experience shows, quickly pays off.

The most important thing is to arouse the interest of a potential buyer in a particular game. There are several ways that, in the end, will come down to the main goal - the acquisition of the product of interest. The least risky and cheapest way to start is by creating an online store. Make a website where you place a selected assortment of board games in a colorful and accessible form. You don't have to chase quantity. Choose to start with games that have passed the test of time, and popular new items, the rating of which is easy to track on the Internet. 30-40 positions for the first time "enough with the head." Take care of a detailed description of the game with high-quality photo content (playing field, chips, cards, etc.). Focus on the nuances: the age category, the time and place of the game, the number of players. The fewer questions a potential customer has, the more likely they are to buy the product. The timely announcement of new products, website advertising and a well-thought-out system of discounts (for example, free shipping or a cumulative system) will add buyers. For the efficiency of the turnover, it is desirable that at least 2-3 copies of the products presented on the site be available. Over time, product rotation is optimized. The most popular product, which should be purchased in larger quantities, and the unclaimed one, which should be abandoned, will be determined.

But an online store may not be enough to successfully promote a business. It's one thing to see a game, but quite another to play it. And it doesn't matter how old you are - 3 or 73. Marketers have verified that a person who has played a game and enjoyed it becomes a buyer 1.4 times more often than a person who has become familiar with the game theoretically. Therefore, there is a need for places to get acquainted with the games live and even for regular gaming battles. Renting sites in shopping centers, cinemas and other crowded places will help solve this problem. And in a cafe, you can book a number of tables for a certain day, for example, with the stipulated condition of a minimum order for each visitor in a reasonable amount. There are many ways to gather a “quorum” for such a meeting. These are announcements on Internet resources and in the local press, calls to friends and acquaintances, distribution of business cards and invitations. The result of the meeting may be a prize in the form of a game set, certain bonuses upon its purchase, etc. A well-spent leisure time, “recorded” by a photo report on the site, will become the subject of conversation among friends of acquaintances and acquaintances of friends. Perhaps the most effective advertising enters the "battle" - "word of mouth", which will lead to the next meeting of new customers.

And now let's estimate the starting capital. Registration of an individual entrepreneur will cost 2-3 thousand rubles, website development - 10-15 thousand, advertising and business cards - from 3 thousand, the initial batch of games - from 30 to 50 thousand. Total 50-70 thousand rubles. Not so much. With a skillful policy, it is possible to recoup the costs in 3-4 months. The markup range for games can range from 30% to 200% depending on demand. After studying the assortment and prices of competitors, at the first stage, try to meet a lower margin on the product.

Live communication, the opportunity to spend time among close and dear people - this is what we so lack in the modern world. And trust me, board games haven't had their last word yet. Demand for them will definitely grow - marketing experts are sure of it.

Prepared by the editors: "Business GiD"
www.bisgid.ru

Club "RichClub", Novosibirsk

25.04.2010 12:18

The RichClub was created with the aim of giving everyone the opportunity to develop their financial thinking by playing Cash Flow. We welcome new people who are not indifferent to their future and who do not want to stop there.

Create and produce board games at home

Quotes by Robert Kiyosaki

23.07.2009 08:02

A selection of quotes and thoughts Roberta Kiyosaki for those who have read his books, as well as for those who want to read but cannot find free time. Repeat and be successful.

Club of board intellectual games Unicorn (Moscow)

12.02.2009 08:25

Replenishment of the section of board games clubs. The Moscow Unicorn Club invites everyone to play popular board games daily and completely free of charge.

Club of Business Game Fans in Minsk

29.01.2009 10:02

Minsk club of fans of business games and financial simulators Cashflow.by — « Cash flow”is the most dynamically developing Cashflow organization in Belarus. Participants in the organization of business seminars, trainings and trainings in state educational institutions.

Every Saturday and Sunday, educational games are held using business simulators: "Cash Flow", "Pyramid of Success", "Key to Wealth", "Financial Carousel", etc.

First All-Russian Conference: "Improving the financial literacy of the population in Russia: challenges and prospects"

17.11.2008 11:14

The conference will take place on December 9, 2008 in Moscow. The main goal of the conference is to develop a dialogue between the state, financial institutions, the media and civil society on the issues of educating the population in the field of personal finance, getting acquainted with Russian and international experience in improving financial literacy, as well as developing a joint strategy for the activities of all stakeholders.

Screen version of the board game Monopoly.

12.11.2008 16:32

Ridley Scott has been confirmed as director of the adaptation of Hasbro's acclaimed board game Monopoly, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Pages: 1 | 2

Popular board games and books

Cash flow

Price: 1820 rubles.

The board game Monopoly has won the hearts of millions of people around the world. Probably, there is no such person who during his life would not have thought of buying a desktop Monopoly.

The mechanics of the game and the rules are quite simple - you need to become a monopolist by purchasing real estate, hotels and railways. Naturally, only one player can be a monopolist, so the struggle for monopoly has been making the board game so exciting and exciting for 70 years.

Read more about "Monopoly board game"

Manufacture and sale of board games

There have always been enough paradoxes in our lives. Despite the rapid development of computer technology, board games remain popular today. This is evidenced by statistics, the annual growth of the market for these products is an average of 17%. For entrepreneurs in Europe and the United States, the question is how to open a small business, ideas for it are also always relevant. Those who staked on the production and sale of such goods have already won today. On the territory of the CIS, this market is only developing.

Experts estimate that last year board games worth $70 million were sold in Russia, and $15 million worth in Ukraine. Of the total world sales of entertainment goods, 60% come from the United States and Germany. A few years ago, on the shelves of domestic stores, one could find either simple and boring walkers, or expensive imported desktop sets that were not translated into Russian, and therefore were not popular.

Today the situation has changed, and companies have appeared on the Russian market that produce board games based on their own developments or under license from foreign partners. Despite this, there is no competition between manufacturers of this product, and the market is far from being saturated with this product.

Production technology

The production process of a board game, which is the basis of the idea for developing a small business, can be divided into several stages.

The first stage is the most responsible, since the success of the future product depends on its results. First, they develop the concept of a board game. To do this, determine the audience to which it will be focused: children, adults, boys or girls.

How to start a board game business

Developed story line, myself game process, the goal that players need to reach.

The initial stage includes the testing procedure. The game will be tested on acquaintances, friends, in kindergartens, schools. The process is carefully monitored to identify any inconvenience and embarrassment to users.

The second stage is the final external design of the product. It is carried out on the basis of a pilot instance. The appearance of the field, chips, cards, packaging and other attributes is approved.

This step also includes product costing. Usually its value is inversely proportional to the number of products in circulation. A novice entrepreneur can start by releasing a batch of 2-2.5 thousand copies. For a developed production, the circulation of 5-6 thousand pieces is considered optimal.

The third stage is the search for a contractor to print game elements. The modern printing market in the country is quite developed, and there is someone to choose from. The performer must be a professional in his field, have wide-profile printing and cutting machines. It is important that the entrepreneur has the opportunity to control the technological process, to demand the correction of defects, if such occur through the fault of the contractor. Many enterprises today order printing services, for example, in China. Their cost, even taking into account transportation, is cheaper, but there is no way to control the quality of order fulfillment. At the initial stage of formation of production, it is still better to cooperate with domestic contractors. The same situation with the manufacture of all other elements for the game.

"Berserk"

production cost

The cost of one set depends on a number of factors, and it is difficult to calculate exact numbers without any specifics. On the example of well-known manufacturers, some figures can be stated. Bonko Games for the release of the first two thousand copies new game a budget of $22,000 was needed, Arial spent $50,000 for 19,000 copies, and World of Fantasy spent $30,000 on the release of Berserk. Moreover, a third of this money was spent on intellectual property registration. Retail prices for the products of the companies listed above ranged from $2.7 to $15.

Sales and advertising

The first batches of goods are usually offered to toy stores, bookstores and large department stores. It is there that most often fans of board games get them. Further, the distribution network must be developed depending on the age and gender of users. This direction can also represent a small business. Ideas – The board game trade is quite competitive.

Entrepreneurs working in the board game market claim that the first dozen copies are bought up by users who are engaged by competitors. Negative reviews that appear after the release of new items are not always objective. Real criticism can only be taken after a few weeks after the start of sales. You can't leave her unattended. Given the positive and negative reviews, the product needs to be improved, thereby creating a good reputation for your company.

For stable sales, the distribution network must have at least 200 outlets. On the day of entering the retail network, you can arrange a presentation of a new product, tell in an artistic form about the fascinating world into which the game process will transfer players.

It is worth paying attention to the idea, which consists in the free presentation of new items in cafes, game libraries, and child development centers. There, people can try to play, and then, if they like it, buy it. In the same place, in the future, it is possible to hold tournaments, the benefits from which will be mutual for the product manufacturer and the owner of the institution.

An entrepreneur should not forget about such an indispensable tool today as Internet commerce. Creating your own website and online store should be, if not the first step in promoting a product, then it must be present in the plans.

In April 2017, the marketing agency DISCOVERY Research Group completed a study of the board games market in Russia.

The board game market is experiencing an extraordinary boom today. Over the past four years, sales of board games have increased by 25-40% annually, thousands of new titles are released every year, top games are sold in millions of copies. According to DISCOVERY Research Group, the size of the board games market in Russia in 2015 amounted to about 7.6 billion rubles. All leading players show an average sales growth of 20%. In 2016, the volume of the board games market in Russia amounted to about 9.1 billion rubles.

In 2016, the first place in the main nomination of the Spiel des Jahres 2016 (“Game of the Year”) award went to the game CodeNames (“Code Names”) by the Czech developer Vlady Chvatil. Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King won the Expert Game of the Year (Kennerspiel des Jahres) nomination. The Kinderspiel des Jahres ("Children's Game of the Year") award winner was My First Stone Age.

Topics traditionally associated with "eurogames" are gaining momentum, and topics traditionally associated with "ameritrash" (a hobby of our world, but not ours) are achieving particularly significant results.

The board game industry in Russia is attracting more and more attention from developers and investors. 2008 is considered to be the starting year for the network retail market of board games. Between 2008 and 2011 The market showed almost tenfold growth. Today in Russia one can see a fully developed infrastructure: from the largest giants - such as Hobby World and Mosigra - to the recently created Association of the League of Partisan Solutions, which brought together independent creators.

According to DISCOVERY Research Group, the size of the board games market in Russia in 2015 amounted to about 7.6 billion rubles. All leading players show an average sales growth of 20%. In 2016, the volume of the board games market in Russia amounted to about 9.1 billion rubles.

Over the past 3-4 years, Russian companies have followed the American example of raising funds for board games - crowdfunding (Kickstarter, Boomstarter). Representatives of Hobby World were the first to look towards crowdfunding, they raised funds for the production of games Berserk, Hollywood. The company is actively developing its own Crowd Republic platform. In collaboration with Hobby World, another player on the market, Igrokon, launched the Septikon game project.

Business Idea - Board Games Store

The Right Games publishing house began its crowdfunding history with two projects on the domestic Boomstarter site. It was Evolution. Random mutations” and “For Scotland!”, then added to them updated version game "I'm Yours Understand 2".

In December 2016, CrowdRepublic raised funds for the release of the Russian edition of the main rulebook role play Pathfinder. Crowd Games entered the Boomstarter public funding platform with the Russian edition of the game Scythe (“Sickle”), and Game Store with Terraforming Mars (“Conquest of Mars”). At the end of the year, Pathfinder had already attracted 635 sponsors and raised more than 1.4 million rubles, Scythe - 378 sponsors and almost 2.7 million rubles, Terraforming Mars - 534 sponsors and more than 1 million rubles. The total contribution is almost 6 million rubles!

During the crisis, the consumer's desire to "tear the child away from the computer" was supplemented by the desire to save on leisure. Market players unanimously predict further growth in demand for board games.

What you need to know about the publisher before choosing?

As a rule, the publisher is closely associated with one of the networks or several. For example, all our games receive priority placement in Mosigra (the largest domestic retail chain) and other partner networks. Specify exactly how the marketing of the game will be done - publishing is easy, but selling the game for several thousand a month is very difficult. Note that in the domestic top sales at the beginning of 2013, 12 out of 20 games were released by us.

How careful is the selection?

For starters, the games are tested.

Actual business: creation of board games

Considering that we are going to invest our funds and team time in the project, only best games from those offered. We usually review 150-300 games a year, and release less than a dozen of them.

If my game does not fit, can I apply to another publisher?

Yes, we usually even recommend a suitable option if the project is good, but it seems to us not quite suitable for our market. Each has its own specifics. We love, for example, to work with games that will be sold from 500 pieces a month, or with really wonderful smart and complex projects.

Why are only less than a dozen domestic board games released per year?

Because any author competes with localizations. If you can take a ready-made and proven game from the West, where it has already shown its effectiveness, it is more logical to work with it than with something new. Nevertheless, we do our best to support the domestic market and regularly hold events for game authors.

What will Magellan do with my prototype, how will the development of the board game go?

• 1. You can not send a prototype as the first step, but simply send the rules and materials of the game. After reviewing them (if we like the game), we request a prototype.
• 2. After the tests, recommendations will probably be given to change a number of things in the mechanics, setting and rules. We give the vector to you or change it ourselves (by agreement).
• 3. The contract is signed.
• 4. Then the work of illustrators will begin. Good illustrators, the success of the game largely depends on the quality of the images.
• 5. Layout of cards, rules and other components.
• 6. In parallel, a “cover” is made - an illustration for the box and text on it. The name of the game is specified.
• 7. Then components are manufactured for each individual specification.
• 8. When everything is ready, your game is going to production in circulation.

Here are some examples of stories with the publication of our board games:

See license section.

What is the best way to send a prototype?

Preferably in the most finished, that is, in the form of a box with components and rules. The cards must be cards (not pieces of paper that cannot be shuffled); if you write by hand, then write block letters. The box must be strong and clearly labeled. Everything inside should be as close to reality as possible - for example, it’s good to use chips from other games or nuts instead of chips, paper markers are bad. The field can be drawn by hand - it's better than attaching a file. And so on.

If it is not possible to send in the form of a box, then you need a description of the concept (2-3 paragraphs) and the rules of the game, as well as files for creating a prototype. Remember that the idea itself does not make sense to discuss. It is necessary that the test team at least once be able to sit down and play.

The most important thing is what is the name of the game, who is it for, how many players, what age, what is the duration of the game, what mechanics are used, what are the most similar games already, what makes your product better.

If I only have an idea for a board game, what should I do?

Assemble the prototype. Better take your time: if you assemble it in a hurry, it is quite possible that the game will be rated worse than if you think through the details and write down the rules clearly and clearly. But don't linger either - the perfectionists are the last to arrive. It is better to stop at a certain stage of readiness and listen to the opinion of the publisher than to work in the wrong direction for a year.

Are there any non-disclosure documents signed?

At the prototype stage, no. Authors often fear that the publisher may use the files without their input. Note that due to the lack of at least some clear protection of game mechanics in Russian legislation, any agreements and documents at this stage can, of course, leave a sense of security, but in practice they will be legally null and void. Therefore, you can only trust or not trust the publisher. Again, no one will risk their reputation, just as it is simply not economically feasible to release a game without an author.

What games definitely do not need to be sent?

• 1. Copies of already known games. “But I came up with Monopoly, only instead of cells there will be names of rock bands” - this is a bad idea.
• 2. Games your 14 year old sister can't figure out. If the rules take up 40 pages in small print, and it takes several days to learn how to play, it might be worth simplifying. Selling this will be quite difficult.
• 3. Games without implementation - that is, something that cannot be prototyped.
• 4. Several versions of the same game with minor changes - one prototype is enough.

I already have illustrations. What then?

If they are good, we will publish with them. But practice shows that it is better to bring a couple of samples of concept art - and then it will be clear before the start of work whether the illustrator is suitable.

What about money? Can you make money making a board game?

The author receives from 5 to 10% of deductions from each circulation that has gone out of production. If a game costs 1,000 rubles on a shelf in a store, then it costs 500 rubles in circulation and about 300 rubles in cost. You receive deductions from the wholesale price, that is, in our example - from 500 rubles.

What is the average circulation?

The minimum circulation is 1000 pieces, the usual one is 3-5 thousand. We try to work with games that can sell more than 10,000 pieces a year. Given that once a published game brings you income for at least another 3-4 years, you can calculate the profit yourself. As a rule, the publication becomes a permanent job for very, very few who are ready to do several projects in a year, but as an addition to the main income, it is quite worthy.

What risks does the publisher bear?

• – If the game does not enter the market, the publisher will lose funds for development and the first print run. You can only make money on the game - and at least receive deductions from the first game.
• - If somewhere there is a marriage that causes a reworking of the party (a common occurrence for any publisher), everything will be decided at the expense of the publisher.
• - If the game is not put on the shelves in time and there is a penalty from the networks for the delay - this is the publisher's problem, not yours.

And so on. Thus, traditional publication risks and any other things do not concern you in any way. You simply receive deductions from each box - no matter what happened to it financially and how. These deductions remain unchanged, even if incredible adventures happened to the circulation.

What documents will need to be collected?

The main document is the author's agreement, in which you guarantee that you are the author of the game and have all the rights to it, and the publisher describes in detail his obligations. In most cases, signing is sufficient. The author's agreement can be signed both with a resident of the Russian Federation and with a non-resident of our country.

If you use third-party content in the game, such as illustrations, you must have transfer documents from the illustrator or an agreement with him. If we do the illustrations, you don't need to think about it.

We take care of everything else. Including game certification, for example.

What tests are being done?

It is assumed that you send a finished game (by the way, if you have a protocol of at least 20 games, that's good). The game is tested not for balance, for example, but for playability. Tests take place in three stages: first, developers watch, then experienced players, then, under supervision, random people from the street. All three stages must be completed. The most important is the third one.

What happens if the game doesn't fit?

Typically, 10% of games are good enough to publish. But less than 2% of the board games sent to the publisher are produced. The rest are simply set aside in case they are needed. We let you know if your game is good but out of print yet - and recommend other publishers. In this case, the game is queued for publication. In practice for Last year we bought two games from such a "queue" of the reserve. The usual queue length is about 30 projects.

How long will the prototype be evaluated?

Usually about a month.

How long will the board game be released?

Cycle - 8-12 months from circulation to appearance on the shelf.

Please pay attention again

Providing information or a prototype for consideration does not constitute a non-disclosure agreement. But, again, we promise that we will work with your game very carefully.

We don't consider ideas - only prototypes. Magellan's consideration and evaluation of your ideas is not an admission of novelty, primacy, or originality, and does not prejudice the company's rights to challenge or pursue any existing or future ideas of a similar nature. However, if we consider the mechanics to be promising (but the game in the form of a specific implementation is unsuitable for publication), we will tell you about it and offer improvements.

You represent and warrant that you (or the team you represent) are the sole owner of the disclosed information, or that you have unrestricted rights to disclose it. You further represent that all third parties who may have an interest in the disclosed information have been informed of the terms of the agreement and agree to its terms.

The prototype is not returned.

We consider it undesirable to consider the project at the same time as another publisher - in this case, we will wait for a response from another publisher. Please let us know before submitting a project if your project is already under consideration by another publisher. When we request a prototype game from you, we assume that we are the only publisher considering your project, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise with us in advance.

We may make significant changes to the game, which may result in changes to the game's mechanics, theme, or any other aspect to better adapt the game to the product line. And the best sales.

The project may not be suitable for many reasons: we may consider that the game is not profitable enough; that we will not be able to present the game in the best possible way; the game may be too similar to something we already have in development; We didn't like the mechanics of the game and its execution, or for any other reason. We will provide details if something goes wrong.

We do not give feedback on submitted games.

Today we will talk about how to sell games on the Internet. Since we will work on the Internet, we will sell digital copies of games, and these are mainly versions of games for PC. So, let's begin!

Where to get goods?

The first question that arises for an entrepreneur is where to get digital keys from? There are two ways: publishers and Steam.

The first way is to find publishers and distributors in your country. If you're into video games, you can probably name a few publishers yourself. For example, SoftKlab, 1C and others.

The first thing you should do is go to the official website of the publisher and find the contact or feedback buttons there. Then write to them and find out the terms of cooperation and the price list.

Terms of cooperation can be very different. Some work only with legal entities and you will have to register as a legal entity, and some sell games only in packages, then you will have to rent a warehouse to unpack the games and photograph the key. You can, of course, use your apartment instead of a warehouse, but be prepared for a bunch of boxes that you will constantly stumble over.

The second getting games is Steam. The second method may violate the rules of Steam. The bottom line is, we buy the game as a gift at a sale, send it to our mail, we don’t follow the link in the mail, but simply sell this link to activate the gift.

We do not vouch for this method, as Steam policy is constantly changing and this method can simply be covered up. But, at the time of this writing, you can still buy games this way.

Only fresh range

Try to buy only fresh stock. This is due to the following.

Developers spend tons of money on their PR campaigns. Commercials for the new Call of Duty and Battlefield are often played even on TV, so there is a demand for these products. Especially if a game from the series makes a lot of noise, gains high ratings and comes out every few years (like GTA), then the demand will be simply huge. Therefore, the greater the demand, the more likely it is to grab a tidbit of the sales pie.

The second point why you need to buy only fresh assortment is less obvious. Old games lose a lot in price and it will be more difficult for you to compete with other sellers.

Board game production

Often publishers or some other distributors arrange discounts on old products, entrepreneurs buy up these games and sell them at a reduced price. At a price that is much lower than on Steam or Origin. To start competing with such sellers, you will also have to look for cheap purchases, and this is not so easy to do.

Where to sell?

So how do you make money selling games? We already have the goods and now we have to sell the products somehow. We have two ways: trading platforms, our own online store.

The following marketplaces are available for our small business: g2a.com and plati.ru. There is nothing special to explain here, just follow the links and you will understand how these sites work. There are a lot of sellers, they sell games at different prices, and you have to wedge into this market and grab your piece of the pie. You do not have to create a website and freeze your head a lot, draw up a product card, set a price tag and you are already a seller.

The second way is your own online store. A very, very difficult path that is definitely not suitable for beginners. In addition to the costs of purchasing goods, there will be huge costs for creating and advertising your store.

If you decide to go down a difficult path, we recommend that you first do not purchase goods at all. Create an online store, advertise it, and see if customers add something to their cart. If they try to buy something, we display a message that this product is out of stock. Thus, you will understand whether they will buy at least something from you.

How much can you earn?

You can earn a lot. Consider the example of the new game Resident Evil 7. At the time of this writing, this game is a novelty and a bestseller.

We wrote to one of the publishers in order to find out his price list. In the price list, we found RE7, it is sold in bulk for 1040r. We go to plati.ru and look at one of the sellers. He sold as many as 557 copies of the game for 1240r.

It turns out the following, 1240-1040=200r for one copy of the game, 557*200=111.400r net profit, excluding various commissions and taxes. And if you imagine that dozens come out in a year popular games that people buy, then we can earn a tidy sum on this.

Important point

Well, at the end of this article, I would like to draw your attention to a couple of points.

First, how much can you sell a game for to be bought? Try to keep prices as low as possible. Especially at the very beginning, when you do not yet have a reputation as a good seller.

Second, pay attention to what you are selling and to whom. Russian-language games are cheaper than English-language editions. But a person living in the USA will not be able to activate the Russian version of the game. Therefore, keep an eye on the regions for which the product is designed when you purchase goods.