Tabletop games designer and publisher Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) will be making fewer games every year. The market for tabletop games has never been stronger and that's usually great for business, but it also carries some risks. It's very easy for a game to get lost in the shuffle as more and more games release; as such, AEG will be focusing on releasing fewer games every year so that they can make the most of every sale.
A news post on the Alderac Entertainment Group website states that the company has already committed to releasing fewer new games every year; 2018 only saw four new releases from the company. 2019 is likely to have a similarly small number of releases.
One of the reasons given is that the company simply can't spend as much time as they would like playing and promoting each of the games if they had a dozen or more titles released in a calendar year. A smaller number of overall games will allow them to really know their upcoming titles inside and out and get them the attention they deserve. Alderac Entertainment Group will also be changing the way that they do their Big Game Night event. The focus of Big Game Night will shift from the event itself to the game or games that they'll be promoting through the event.
There are nonetheless some challenges to overcome. Firstly, AEG says that they'll have to learn to say no to pitches no matter how much they might love them. Secondly, they're going to have to rework their cash flow to fit the new business model. The third matter of concern is not focusing too much on new games and succumbing to the 'cult of the new'; they plan to rely on strong sellers from their back catalog. Finally, the culture at the company needs to adapt to this new business strategy.
Ultimately, AEG wants to make sure that the focus is on fun for their employees and their customers more than anything else. Hopefully, this new strategy of releasing a smaller catalog of games each year will be successful for them.
What do you think of Alderac Entertainment Group releasing fewer tabletop games every year? Do you think there are too many new releases in the tabletop world? Let us know in the comments below!
