Compare The Market's Tabletop Gaming Survey

Insurance comparison site Compare The Market recently (January 2025) undertook a survey of about 3,000 people across the US, Canada, and Australia about their tabletop gaming habits.

They found that about 13% of people in the US say they collect and play tabletop RPGs or wargames, followed by 10% in Canada and just under 5% in Australia. About three times as many indicated that they used to play or collect such games.

They also broke the data down by age group, which showed that popularity of tabletop gaming peaked at ages 18-24 and then declined over the decades to the 65+ age group.

Dungeons & Dragons is the most popular tabletop game across all three countries. This was followed by the wargame Kings of War, space skirmish game Star Wars X-Wing, and giant robot battle game Battletech. Call of Cthulhu edged into the top 10 also.

The survey went on to look at expenditure, with the most common response being an annual spend of $100-$200. Check out the survey for the full analysis.

 

[The Soloist]

Kings of War? That is surprising. All I see in local stores is GW, GW, GW and GW. Maybe webstore sales are very good for Mantics.

100$-200 seems low. Most gamers I know, buy something every two weeks when they get a pay check. Maybe their S.O. was listening when they answered the survey.

 

[Joshua Randall]

I wonder how much they emphasized “collect” in “collect and play”. Because I have numerous friends who regularly play games, but only a few of us collect them.

 

[Morrus]

I wonder how much they emphasized “collect” in “collect and play”. Because I have numerous friends who regularly play games, but only a few of us collect them.

And I'm sure there are many who collect games they never get chance to play!

 

[Theory of Games]

Consumerism for the win I could never spend money on games I didn't play regularly. The concept of fashionable consumption is just alien to me. I read a book, then give it away so it isn't collecting dust on my shelf.

But, that's the power of marketing

 

[sevenbastard]

I don't even know what Kings of War is ?

Very surprised that Warhammer isn't on the list I thought it was the big dog of table top war gamming?

 

[The Soloist]

I don't even know what Kings of War is ?

Very surprised that Warhammer isn't on the list I thought it was the big dog of table top war gamming?

GW is top dog in gaming stores.

Kings of War was created by an ex-employee of GW. He created Mantic Games more than a decade ago. The rules are essentially offshoots of 40K, Warhammer Fantasy Battles and Kill Team.

In my area, some gamers buy Mantic models to fill in ranks of WHFB because they are cheaper. The models are not as nice as GW's but they are okay for ranks behind the first row.

Mantic also has the HALO wargame.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Upon further review, the main question and possible answers were as follows. So a heavy emphasis on the "collect" or "ownership" aspect -- which makes sense, because that is what is insurable. The physical items. Not the nebulous experience of playing.

The 2nd and 3rd responses are particularly telling: "I don't have a collection anymore" or "I always borrow/ed miniatures". Those people are not your customers as an insurance company, because they don't have physical items to be insured.

I am curious how people interpreted the first response.

"I collect and play" -- for me? I'd answer "no" because I don't consider myself as a "collector". (Despite the fact that I own thousands of dollars worth of RPG products including, yes, some miniatures.) I wonder if the full survey had some definitional aspects we are not seeing in this writeup?

It's an interesting market for insurance! I wonder what percentage of the "collect and play" folks have their collections insured. I would guess a very, very small percent (like less than 1 %). So a lot of potential customers there, if you can convince them of the need for insurance.

 

[The Soloist]

In 45 years, I've knowned only 1 (one) gamer who collected games and has only played 5% of them. His appartement is filled from from floor to ceiling with games and miniatures. Even the corridor has shelves for games. He told him he is my favorite kind of hoarder.

 

[Sir Brennen]

And I'm sure there are many who collect games they never get chance to play!

I feel seen.