How to Build a Popular Board Game
Board games have become more popular in recent years thanks to increasing demand from gamers. Game developers have also become more creative to meet consumer needs. Statistics show that the global board games market value was $7.2 billion in 2017 and is estimated to reach $12 billion by 2023. So, if you are a board games collector or a developer, there’s an opportunity to create a unique product that sells. Here are some tips you can use to build a popular board game.
1. Have a Design Brief
Before building your board game, you need to have a design brief. Board games have different implementation strategies; you can have an actual board, a tile-based board, a card-based board, or custom designs. Also, keep in mind that a board game is different from other games, such as card games.
Some board games are not portable because players need space to play. These have higher shipping costs. When developing the design, think about the theme of the game and how players will interact with the board. This enables you to create an entertaining board game that people will like.
2. Test The Game
To determine whether consumers will like your board game, you’ll need to do some testing. Your target audience plays a very important role in board game design. According to a survey, 57% of gamers own between 1 and 25 board and card games, 22% own 26 to 50 games, while 10.9% own more than 100 board games.
You need to test your game with these users. One of the ways to do this is by leveraging your social media platforms. Reach out to your followers on Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter to get feedback about your game and what needs to be improved. That way, you can create a game that meets customer needs.
3. Get Financing
To design a board game and launch it, you need finances. The money will cover operational and design expenses. You might need to pay game developers to help you with the process. On some occasions, you’ll need to cash to pay the game testers–give them an incentive.
When starting out, you might not have enough cash to cater to all these expenses. While traditional banks provide loans for small businesses, it might be hard to get one if you don’t have a good credit score. Fortunately, there are alternative ways to get financing. For example, you can search for “title loans Los Angeles” or “title loans near me” online. These short-term loans will help boost your operations.
4. Prototype the Board Game
You need to prototype your board game fast so that you can deliver it to your audience sooner. Produce the game and share it with your target audience. Prototyping is essential because it helps you identify any flaws and determine whether the board game is working as intended. If it’s not, you can go back to the drawing board and make the right changes. Fortunately, there are software and modern technologies that you can use to create a new prototype fast.
Starting a board game business will cost you about $18,000 to $20,000. Therefore, you need a good strategy to build an awesome board game. These tips will help you to create a popular board game.