8 Board Game Business Success Stories [2024]
Creating your own board game can be fun, challenging, and rewarding. Games are an integral part of our culture and are played by people from all walks of life.
You can create a board game from scratch with basic programming knowledge or several hours of practice. Board games are easy to manufacture, can be made from home, and can become top-rated and profitable businesses.
In this list, you'll find real-world board game business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a board game business that makes money.
1. Continuum Games ($3M/year)
Greg Hughes, the founder of Continuum Games, Inc, came up with the idea for his business when he developed a card game called Discombobulation. Wanting to pursue his passion for games and toys, he quickly expanded his product line and launched a specialty toy distribution network. Today, the company generates $250k per month in the offseason, and up to $600k per month during peak season.
How much money it makes: $3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
How many people on the team: 8
Continuum Games, Inc. President Greg Hughes started his toy and game distribution company with a $5 wholesale card game and today generates an average of $250k per month in revenue, rising to $600k in peak season from a combination of manufacturing and distribution of over 40 games.
2. Gameray ($1.02M/year)
As a project manager at a major CIS online store, Mikhail Tsyrulnikov noticed physical logistics hampering sales. Combining his e-commerce acumen and passion for gaming, he launched Gameray—a digital game distribution platform—with an MVP built in 2.5 months, driving over 3 million euros in annual turnover.
How much money it makes: $1.02M/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
How many people on the team: 15
Discover how an aspiring founder turned a $30,000 investment into a profitable digital game distribution platform with an annual turnover of 3 million euros, leveraging key partnerships and innovative marketing strategies to attract 50,000 monthly users.
3. Facade Games ($360K/year)
Travis Hancock, founder of Facade Games, came up with the idea for his business while playing board games that involved lying and backstabbing. After successfully raising over $100,000 on Kickstarter for his first game Salem 1692, he realized the potential of making more games and pursued his passion full time. With a total revenue of over $1 million and a growing customer base, Facade Games continues to thrive in the board game industry.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Facade Games has raised over $1 million on Kickstarter and sold about 80,000 copies of their board games around the world, with the goal to publish one new game a year on Kickstarter and build on their line of games in books as well as a new party game line in the near future.
4. The Board Game Design Lab ($120K/year)
Gabe Barrett, founder of the Board Game Design Lab, came up with the idea after struggling to find the game design information he needed. He started a podcast and website to provide a hub of information and resources for other game designers. Through consistent, quality content and a focus on building trust with his audience, Gabe has been able to generate around $10,000 per month in revenue and grow a community of 8,000 designers and publishers.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300
How many people on the team: 1
A podcast and community creator who loves designing board games shares how he started the 'Board Game Design Lab', with his small niche community of around 8,000 people generating $10,000 per month in revenue through consistent quality content and customer focus, with plans to grow online courses and publications for game creators.
5. Good Look Gamer ($24K/year)
Dennis Michels came up with the idea for Good Look Gamer while recovering from an illness. He turned his love for board and card games into a business by taking pre-orders and selling off parts of his old collection to raise starting capital. Today, the business brings in about $1600 per month and continues to grow.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How many people on the team: 1
Good Look Gamer is a successful online board game store that has generated $1,600 in turnover per month; founder Dennis Michels went through many trial and error proceses that formulated his successful marketing strategy, focusing heavily on being approachable and friendly to his client base.
6. Hill Gaming Company ($24K/year)
Casey Hill, founder of Hill Gaming Company, was inspired to start his tabletop game business after growing up in a big family that bonded over board games. After finding success buying and selling Magic the Gathering trading cards, Casey decided to create his own card game and launched the highly interactive and strategically deep game called Arkon, which raised over $40,000 on Kickstarter.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Hill Gaming Company's founder Casey Hill shares how he built a successful gaming company, achieving $2,000/month in sales and raising $40,000 with their first product launch on Kickstarter.
7. Bingo Card Creator ($18K/year)
Beth K., a busy mother of 5 and former elementary school teacher, came up with the idea for BingoCardCreator.com while on maternity leave. She purchased the already established business through the online broker FE International, and has since learned the ins and outs of running a business through trial and error. The business earns an average of $1200 per month and provides Beth with flexibility and additional income for her family.
How much money it makes: $18K/year
How many people on the team: 0
This case study showcases an entrepreneur who purchased an established online business generating $1,200 per month, and provides insights into what it takes to grow and run a successful yet small business while improving skills in digital marketing.
8. Twisted Boards ($12K/year)
Connecticut police officer Dave Cruickshank came up with the idea for his business, Twisted Boards, when he was relaxing with his ex-girlfriend and they molded their faces out of plaster for an art project. Holding the face mold against his dry erase board, Cruickshank had the idea to create a three-dimensional dry erase board. After building a thermo-molding machine in his basement and creating a prototype, Cruickshank realized the potential of his product when a friend's wife, who was a teacher, requested boards for her classroom. Thus, Twisted Boards was born.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How many people on the team: 1
Twisted Boards is a company manufacturing three dimensional dry erase boards with an impressive broad customer base, growing from a basement to a manufacturing plant and fulfillment center in Michigan, with start-up costs of approximately $100k, and developing an intellectual portfolio that will help the business grow.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
