75th anniversary: The trade fair boosted sales of the best-selling games.
Success stories in colorful boxes
By Peter Neugebauer
The history of analog games is diverse. There are coveted awards that lead to the economic success of individual titles. But there are also titles, presented in Nuremberg at the time, that made their way without any awards and also became long-sellers. These games were presented to retailers at the right time and in the right place. Retailers and, subsequently, consumers recognized the quality of the games.
I remember the year 1986. Back then, at the trade fair in Nuremberg, industry professionals speculated about which new game had the potential to be the game of the year. Two titles were mentioned unanimously. Could it be The aMAZEing Labyrinth or Heimlich & Co., both from Ravensburger? Both titles were innovative in terms of their concept and mechanics. It was a neck-and-neck race. While the agent game was ultimately chosen, the twists and turns of the maze were left behind. Today, 40 years later, Heimlich & Co. is only known to nostalgics, while The aMAZEing Labyrinth has become a million-seller worldwide. Huge successes have always been "born" in Nuremberg.
Here are a few examples of extraordinary success stories and their secrets:
Ravensburger
The aMAZEing Labyrinth: Moving walls once
• Introduced in Nuremberg in 1986
• More than 60 different versions in over 65 countries
• Over 30 million games sold
Lotti Karotti:
• Introduced in Nuremberg in 2001
• Over 40 different versions
• More than 10 million copies sold
Schmidt Games
DOG: Strategic "Ludo" with cards
• Presented at the Nuremberg Trade Fair in 2008
• The current catalog lists 13 different versions
• Approximately 1.5 million copies sold to date
Jumbo
Stratego: Attack and capture the flag
• On the market since 1958 and presented in Nuremberg
• In addition to the basic game, there are numerous versions, from Electronic to Mini to Waterloo
• More than 40 million Strategos sold worldwide
moses
Black Stories: Guessing games with dark humor
• First presented in Nuremberg in 2006
• 70 different card sets in 26 languages and 35 countries
• Over 6 million games sold
Piatnik
Activity: Communicating in a variety of ways
• Introduced in Nuremberg in 1990
• 16 different editions to date
• Over 13 million games sold
Tick Tack Boom: A ticking bomb explodes sooner or later
• Introduced in Nuremberg in 1993
• With 9 editions in the product family
• Approximately 11 million Tick Tack Booms sold
Amigo
6 takes it! Simple but not simplistic innovative card laying
• First edition presented in Nuremberg in 1994
• Translated into more than 20 languages, available in over 50 countries
• Over 3 million games sold in Germany alone
L.A.M.A.:
• Introduced in Nuremberg in 2019
• Several card and dice game versions of the basic game
• 150,000 games sold in the first year (the publisher is hesitant to release sales figures)
ABACUSSPIELE
Tutto: Dice card game for gamblers
• On the market since 1994 (Volle Lotte) and 2008 (name changed to Tutto for internationalization)
• Only 1 basic version
• 80,000 copies sold in 2024
• Just under 1 million games sold (an enormous success for a small publisher)
Pegasus
Traders of the Caribbean/Port Royal: Building game with ships, traders, and pirates
• 2014 Announcement in Nuremberg that "Traders of the Caribbean" will be taken over by Pegasus from a small publisher
• Various versions published in 29 languages
• Publisher does not disclose sales figures
Kosmos
Ubongo: Fast-paced puzzle competition
• Introduced in spring 2005
• Many versions, sold in over 30 countries
• Approximately 3 million games sold in the last 10 years
- Successful games are often expanded into game families with junior versions, card games, licensing agreements, etc.
- The proven basic concept is varied, so consumers do not have to learn a new game system.
- Publishers keep these games in the spotlight with constant new releases, ensuring they remain the talk of the town.
- They remain in the publishers' programs and become bread-and-butter games that guarantee sales.
The International Game Inventors' Fair is an exclusive platform and cradle for the next game bestsellers. Ambitious game designers present their prototypes to experienced game publishing teams.
@Game editors: Please save the date!
Fair Friday: Jan. 30, 2026
Venue: Exhibition Center Nuremberg, NCC Mitte, 1st floor
About the author
Peter Neugebauer is a "game child" through and through. His parents introduced him to board games in early childhood. Games were a mandatory part of Christmas and birthday presents and were always welcome. He continued to play games throughout his studies and professional career. He began reviewing new games at an early age, first in trade journals, then in daily newspapers, and for almost 40 years in industry magazines. He simply cannot live without games.
