What affects the availability of games on store shelves?

Author of the article: Jānis Bernāns

Hundreds of new and unknown games appear on store shelves every year. Who can keep track of all that? All you want is the old, well-known game you played with your friends a couple of years ago. Is this game still available? Which games stand the test of time and continue to be available for years, but which ones disappear after a while?

If a game is no longer available on store shelves, there are two main reasons for this - someone else has rushed to buy the last copies available in the store before you and you will have to wait a few days for a new shipment, or the game is completely sold out. This scenario can also have two further variants, as the game can be sold out until a new roll is produced or sold out to no return.

Any self-respecting board game enthusiast knows games like “Catan” and “Carcassonne” and cannot imagine that these games could not be available in stores. They are almost always in place because they are produced over and over again. As soon as the warehouse balance of one of them begins to decrease, the production of a new edition is planned.

The demand for a particular game determines whether and how often it will be produced again. A similar principle applies both to games that are localized and to original games by manufacturers.

The already mentioned "Catan" and "Carcassonne", as well as "Saboteur" , "6. take!” , "Halli Galli" , "Game of Trains" are among the leaders in terms of the number of editions and have been reproduced several dozen times in Latvian. However, there are few such games, as most of the localized games do not reach the tenth print run.

For the most part, the demand for the game decreases with each successive roll, as more and more games appear on the market, and more and more buyers already have the game in their collection. Therefore, it may happen that the game you have played and want to buy is unfortunately no longer available.

For example, "King of Tokyo" , which is a popular family game, is no longer produced in Latvian. However, it's not like this game is no longer available for purchase. As soon as a localized version of a game is out of production, copies of the game are ordered in English, if possible, so that everyone can still get their hands on the game they love.

In addition, if one of the games is no longer printed in Latvian, it does not mean that it has disappeared forever. For example, "Bohnanza" and "Carcassonne Junior" are games that have returned to store shelves in Latvian after several years of absence.

Another aspect of re-releasing games is the language of the game. As you know, there are games that have text on components such as cards. This means that they should be localized in the Baltics in three different versions, each suitable for only one of the countries. However, if the game is language-independent, then it is possible to produce it in such a way that it is suitable for the whole Baltic region - each game box contains rules in several languages. This greatly increases the chances of the game being localized and reprinted, as it has about three times the target audience.

It should also be mentioned that the re-production of each game is a potential non-release of another new game or expansion in Latvian, so often apparently popular games are not reprinted either.

Moreover, the demand for the game determines not only the future of the game itself , but also of its expansions. Understandably, expansions trade much—about four times—slower than base games. Therefore, buyers should buy two to four rolls of the base game before starting to think about expansions.

It is known that many fans of the game "Winged" cannot wait for the "Birds of Europe" expansion. In order for the birds we know better to land on store shelves, it was necessary to wait for local players to first familiarize themselves with the base game and for them to become interested in buying the expansion.

Unlike the expansions of other games, "Birds of Europe" has its own advantage - it adds to the game an element better known and closer to us, namely birds that we can see everyday outside the window, in the park or by the water. This is exactly one of the reasons why the "Birds of Europe" expansion has already been submitted to the localization process and will be available in the first quarter of 2024.

Many popular games have multiple expansions, so it's always a big dilemma - which one to localize first. The choice is usually helped by the recommendations of the publisher, feedback from various players, production costs and other factors. Mostly, though, it ends with localization of expansions in chronological order by year of release.

If a game has multiple expansions, then after the first successful expansion is released, localization of the next expansion is often considered. The already mentioned "Carcassonne" game has a total of ten expansions (not including various mini-expansions), of which the first three are currently available in Latvian. Perhaps the next ones will join them in time.

A similar principle applies to games that have multiple versions that can be played separately, such as MicroMacro: Crime City and the Exit series . As soon as the first game has proven itself successfully, you can start thinking about releasing a new part. Both of the above examples are success stories in this respect.

It should be understood that the very process of game localization and the production of new releases takes a considerable amount of time, so there are often short moments when the games are really sold out, because new copies have not yet arrived in the warehouse.

Many publishers set their own conditions and are responsible for game production. Often this happens at certain stages along with the localized versions of other countries, so the production of the game can be delayed for several months.

Before that, you need to make sure that all the production files are prepared correctly. Even if the game is pre-localized, it should be checked that no changes have been made to it, as manufacturers tend to make adjustments to card texts and rules, which should be further adjusted accordingly in the localized version as well.

The production process itself is also not lightning fast - it takes several weeks or even months to prepare thousands of copies. In addition, before that, you need to get a sample from the manufacturer and make sure that there are no errors in the localization of the game.

Delivery time also varies significantly. As you know, games can now be produced right here in Latvia, but if manufacturers have their own settings, they are often printed elsewhere in Europe or in China. This significantly lengthens the delivery process accordingly.

The production of each game and expansion consists of many variables, so there are many important calculations to be made and risks to be taken at the same time, regardless of whether the game is being produced for the first time or repeatedly.

Over the years, Brain Games has had countless games in its localized lineup that are no longer available. Which ones were your favorites and which ones would you like to see back in stores?