Icon: enlarge
Board game classic "Siederl von Catan"
Photo: Patrick Seeger / DPA
The German parlor game industry has benefited significantly from increasing demand during the corona crisis.
Across all segments, sales grew by 21 percent, said the industry association for game publishers on Monday.
After the approximately 10 percent increase in sales over the past few years, this is a sensational increase, said association chairman Hermann Hutter.
Playing as a community experience made an important contribution in times of crisis because people enjoy when other activities such as a vacation have to be canceled.
The annual international game fair starts on Thursday as a four-day, purely digital format.
Normally at this time of year it attracts up to 200,000 game enthusiasts to Essen.
Now the game fans have to be content with virtual gaming tables and digital presentations by more than 450 exhibitors.
1400 trade fair innovations from 41 countries
According to the organizer Friedhelm Merz Verlag, the design of the platform was based on as many interactive elements as possible: games can be tested with the help of board game simulators, and game explanations from the publishers present the innovations.
17 themed worlds from role play to offers for small children are intended to illustrate the range of interests.
Because the creators expect access from all over the world, there are live streams in many different languages.
The digital trade fair presence is open around the clock - with free access.
Around 1400 new products from 41 nations will be presented: This year Latin American publishers are more represented than ever before.
It is not only the manufacturers of parlor games that benefit from the fact that people are now forced to spend more time at home: sales in the computer and video games industry are also increasing at a similar rate.
Icon: The mirror
beb / dpa