When money gets short, videogames get dropped off the shopping list.
At least that's the inference we're making from last month's NPD sales data and the ongoing videogames sales slump.
But according to the NPD Group, board games are experiencing an uptick in sales. Marketwatch's NPD analysis includes an examination of the toy sector, where board game sales are up 10 percent over last year.
That doesn't mean we're on the cusp of a golden age for games like Race For The Galaxy, Dominion and Settlers of Catan. Those board game geek favorites are usually sold at specialty retailers. No, board games contributing to this months inflated numbers are more likely to be classics like Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit – games easily acquired at big box retailers for bargain prices.
That's the board game selling point. They're cheap. They're also durable – the coming of a new console generation won't make them obsolete. And they come with built-in parental approval. While videogames – with their penchant for violence – have image problems among concerned parents, few are worried about the psychological impact of Apples to Apples.
Just make sure Mom doesn't figure out that your new copy of Risk is set in the Halo universe.
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