Hasbro reported last quarter its games and puzzles category, including such classic games as Scrabble and Monopoly, was weak late in the quarter.
That trend continued in the first quarter, with games and puzzle revenue down 12 percent to $200.4 million.
So what does this mean for us?
Edit: Provide a link to the source of this information…
Hasbro reported last quarter its games and puzzles category, including such classic games as Scrabble and Monopoly, was weak late in the quarter.
That trend continued in the first quarter, with games and puzzle revenue down 12 percent to $200.4 million.
So what does this mean for us?
Edit: Provide a link to the source of this information…
Stop relying on games like Scrabble and Monopoly (they have been milking those cows way to long) and start taking risks with the hundreds of board game design submissions they get every year. Have they learned nothing from the success of Mayfair games?
Hasbro is a TOY company that happens to own some game companies. They do not think like a game company. Also, given the economy, games and toys are discretionary purchases, so their sales are going to be down. Mayfair has a solid line of railroad games that they are building on, and many of their other games are also popular in Europe, where they were designed. As such, they are keeping their risks down as well.
Maybe its time for Hasbro to start thinking about releasing A&A as a computer game. Something that can be made for the Ipad and other tablet devices. Something that has a great flexible game engine so they can release new versions or new alternate maps easily. Basically you start with the traditional A&A and then sell map updates for Europe, Pacific, europe 1940, Pacific 1940. And the list keeps going.
Just think of all the millions and millions of possible customers that would buy A&A if it were available on the Ipad. And most of the development is in the game engine. The rest would just be money making maps and extras.
Time to get with the program Hasbeen…
probably just better off going over to triple A too many shoot’em up video games they have to compete with they being hasbro
Triple A is NOT Axis and Allies.
And there is nothing like A&A on the Ipad or any other tablet device.
I for one LOVE A&A. But I cannot find ANYONE who wants the pain in the a$$ of setting up and tearing down of a game. That is also the main reason board games like we knew them dont have a very bright future. Not when I could theoretically whip out an ipad and play and almost instant game with a computer opponent or human. Moving around the board with a swipe of the fingers. Picking up pieces and moving them with a couple taps of the finger.
Sure the old 98 A&A PC game does still work (I think) but it is in sad need of a new updated version.
And as good as Triple A is. It is NOT Axis and Allies…
Honestly I agree with the new products idea.
But for Axis and Allies suggestions, I think they need to lower prices as I would buy Battle of the Bulge if it weren’t $70 and I’m sure enough people would agree with me that it would be worth it.
Triple A is NOT Axis and Allies.
……
And as good as Triple A is. It is NOT Axis and Allies…
What ?
Other than title and looks Triple A IS Axis and Allies lol
Have you ever even played it ?
Its super easy, can play by email or by forum or against ai or play on lobby or play at your house on one pc with your friends……
Within minutes on Triple A you can be playing A&A revised or A&A G40 Alpha 3.9, or some custom made that you or someone else created!
Triple A is exactly Axis and Allies down to the last detail of gameplay and setup and board, it cant copy the title because of copyright and it also has to make its own look, but seriously to come on here and scream that Triple A is NOT axis and allies has brought me back from the dead.
AND ITS FREE!! Maybe you dont consider it real A&A untill you have paid a nominal fee, so just donate 20$ or some amount to help the developers and tada its axis and allies !
please atleast check it out lol its free and easy and fast and free, did i say free yet lol
He means its not a WOTC product. Its not official, it is fan based.
I have designed the future.
I just need to spend a weekend building it. The ultimate axis/allies boardgame table. I have a schematic I could upload… it changes everything.
A&A50anniversary!
I have plenty of computer games but I still enjoy getting around a table, rolling dice and moving armies around. I think there will always be a market for that, or at least I hope so!
@Der:
I think there will always be a market for that, or at least I hope so!
Agreed. If board games were going out of style, the BoardGameGeek website would be moribund rather than showing its consistently high level of activity.
I think I might be floating the A&A games and it’s supporting industries for the last month.
Already pre-ordered multipul copies of both 1940 reprints and am in the process of getting a sealed copy of every A&A board game for my collection.
Failing that, I will have mint opened games.
I don’t think I want the AA50, though as that is a bit steep for even an A&A crazy like me, nor am I in the market for the NOVA ancestor.
All this from someone who has only ever played the Hasbro version. However my “play” copies will all have painted and accurized models.
That alone will keep me enjoying the collection aspect more than the gaming aspect.
WOTC might have missed the boat by going the 1/100 route instead of making board game compatible modules as “tactical” upgrades for the strategic A&A board games. They could have booted game sales by selling “booster” army packs or piece packs as re-enforcements for the games or modules. The value add in getting the games being that you could only get the boards, rules and charts by buying the game.
You can see it in the secondary sales of games and game components.
Easy, start selling A&A as a core game then make expansion packs with maps and minnies at a REASONABLE price. Maybe even move into the modern warfare age.
God I wish I worked for WOTC. One company that comes to mind was Table Tactics. Had they kept making pieces in the newer colors I’d lay down cash in a New York minute. Alas they have moved on to making some game which name I can’t recall now. I know FMG and HBG make fantastic pieces and maps I believe if they had the production power of Hasbro A&A would be much better than it even is now.
Frankly I’m totally peeved about AAE40 yes I know it’s going to reprint, but try getting an old copy at the time of this post. I was able to get AA50 only because I had some disposible cash at the time and no less by the skin of my brass. Now AA42.2 has an MSRP of what $65.00? and component wise it’s just like AA42.1. that indicates to mme that the AA series is going to become a niche series. Call me paranoid but that’s what I’m seeing.
For the criticsm it’s been getting I actually like the AA41 concept, BUT why not AA41 with expansion packs? I’m a married guy and while I’m certainly not broke, talking my wife into $100.00 board games can take a bit of convincing, especially when you want the latest MOH Warfighter or COD Black Ops II.
Dunno what WOTC, Hasbro, or AH is thinking but a lot of littles make a lot.
For example, why not sell plastic miniatures with rules for the AA boardgames? Frankly why not just sell extra parts online? MB used to via mail order of course. Believe it or not the cost is mostly in the paper goods that come with the game from everything I’ve ever heard.
The other option is to move the game to consoles like the PS3, Xbox, WiiU, etc. The game could be packaged with or compatible with a console mouse.
I’m afraid almost not to pre-order AAP/AAE40 for fear I might yet again miss them.
Dunno what WOTC, Hasbro, or AH is thinking but a lot of littles make a lot. For example, why not sell plastic miniatures with rules for the AA boardgames? Frankly why not just sell extra parts online? MB used to via mail order of course. Believe it or not the cost is mostly in the paper goods that come with the game from everything I’ve ever heard.
The explanation is probably that the buy-extra-pieces-separately method, by being economically advantageous to the consumer, would be economically disadvantageous to the company. If the paper components are the most costly part of the game, those may be the parts on which the company makes the most profit. If so, it’s to the company’s advantage to sell consumers costly paper components they don’t need as the price for getting the plastic sculpts they want.
Well they sell Magic Cards, I’ll bet a pack of cards costs way more to produce than a package of say 5-10 minis and they could charge more for a mini pack.
