• Tabletop games found to strengthen family ties, with 64% of people saying they use them to bring family together, peaking at 71% in France
• Among all player age brackets, Millennials play as much tabletop games as they are consuming the news (38% vs 37% respectively)

Boulogne-Billancourt, France, 18 September 2025 – Asmodee, a global tabletop entertainment leader, today uncovers new research revealing the rising popularity of board games among the general public. The findings, released to celebrate the brand’s 30th anniversary, show that a quarter (26%) of people now play board games at least once a week, and that tabletop games are close behind video games (32%) and on a par with podcasts (29%) when it comes to how people are spending their leisure time.

Asmodee’s research among 8,001 consumers in the UK, USA, France and Sweden also found that Millennials are particular tabletop game fans, with usage on par with reading and watching the news (38% vs 37% respectively).

When exploring why tabletop games are enjoying a boom, the research found that 64% of people turn to games to bring family together. In response to feeling overwhelmed by the news, over half of people (53%[1]) are seeking experiences to support escapism, rising to 65%³ in the US.

Thomas Koegler, CEO of asmodee commented: “Tabletop games are gaining more traction as a favored leisure activity, offering an appealing way to unwind and spend quality time with friends and family. As a lifelong gamer myself, I know first-hand how tabletop games are played for much more than recreation, but are also a valuable gateway to imagination, wellbeing, fun and togetherness among players.

“From homes to holidays and cafés to hospital beds, tabletop games create opportunities to connect and share meaningful stories. As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we look forward to delivering games inspired by a wider set of players than ever before, devising new formats to accommodate new settings and new themes to reimagine the realities of modern life.”

Board games are bringing people together

Tabletop games are viewed globally as a great way to boost human connection, with 64%² using games to bring friends and family together, peaking at 71%² in France. At a time when many people struggle to express their emotions, 40%² say they find playing tabletop games to be an easier way to open up compared to regular conversation. Just over one in four (26%) are playing board games at least once a week.

Millennials are leading offline gaming to enjoy games with their friends

In a world where screens are often the default source of distraction, Millennials are especially leaning in the hobby, with 41% saying they experience joy during gameplay, more than any other generation. By response, games like CATAN® are now translated into more than 40 languages worldwide.

Asmodee celebrates 30^th anniversary and pays tribute to players

As a leading company behind the global boom of board games as a main leisure choice, asmodee celebrates its 30^th anniversary with the launch of a seek-and-find experience featuring games from the brand's 30-year history. The hand-drawn fresco by French illustrator Charlotte Hugues took 250 hours to complete and incorporates a selection of testimonials inspired by more than 1,200 players worldwide. Reflecting asmodee’s new brand positioning the fresco is literally inspired by players, and can be explored online until end of March 2026. Regular and thematic quests will be available for players to win prizes throughout the months to come.

The board game café boom fuelling the fun

The rising popularity of tabletop games echoes through the walls of game bars popping across the globe. That’s the case in Oxford and Bath, Thirsty Meeples the UK’s first board game café, founded by a husband-and-wife team keeps weekends full with a coffee shop feel and gamer gurus who teach iconic titles such as CATAN® or Dixit, attracting everyone from language-school students to grandparents looking to share in the joy of games.

Just steps from NYU and Washington Square Park, café-owner and game designer Greg May fills his New York space The Uncommons with an eclectic crowd. “On any given night we might host a Jane Street strategy off-site in one corner and a first-grade birthday party in the other—that mix is what makes the space buzz,” he says.

Chance & Counters launched by three friends takes a hospitality-first approach that draws a majority-female audience and creates gateway spaces where strangers meet, play and stay connected.

Internationally, Dubai’s Unwind, the UAE’s first board game café shows how classic asmodee titles like Dobble and Dixit bridge languages and cultures, with schools and corporate teams using games to build communication, confidence and calm.

Jean-Sébastien De Barros, Chief Product Officer, Chief Product Officer and EVP Publishing at asmodee “We’re proud to have been part of this business for 30 years working with passionate authors, artists, manufacturers and other partners. Together, we have been growing alongside our players’ communities over the years, it’s been exciting to help democratize tabletop games as the new go-to space to connect and spend quality time with friends while building even stronger bonds, making this hobby such a fun and welcoming place!”

Notes to editors:

asmodee Communications team
E-mail: press@asmodee.com / rosemary.lavender@brands2life.com

Research Methodology
The research was conducted on behalf of asmodee by Censuswide, among a sample of 8001 Consumers across the UK, USA, France and Sweden (16+). The data was collected between 18.07.2025 - 24.07.2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.

Asmodee digital fresco illustrator

Charlotte Hughes: https://www.instagram.com/charlottehghs/

[1] Combining answer options “Very likely” and “Somewhat likely”.

About asmodee 
Asmodee is a global leader in tabletop gaming. Inspired by players, asmodee has been crafting and taking to market immersive, shared experiences for over 30 years. Its portfolio includes beloved games and intellectual properties such as CATAN®, Ticket to Ride®, Dobble/Spot it!®, 7 Wonders, and Exploding Kittens®. Operationally headquartered in France, asmodee operates globally, making its games accessible to players in over 100 countries around the world. Asmodee group’s Class B shares are publicly traded on Nasdaq Stockholm under the ticker ASMDEE B. Learn more about asmodee here.