Asmodee acquires digital gaming platform Board Game Arena in latest global growth plan

Asmodee has acquired the online multi-player board gaming platform, Board Game Arena in a move that will allow the tabletop giant to scale up its online play and allow players around the world access to some of Asmodee’s biggest games.

Founded in 2010, Board Game Arena has emerged as a global leader in online board games, providing official online versions of more than 250 games across 40 languages to more than five million members around the world.

Asmodee has suggested that the combination of the two companies will help to ‘bridge the gap in board game get-togethers created by the pandemic,’ while also offering that five million member base access to hit Asmodee titles including Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Pandemic.

Board Game Arena’s already expansive catalogue of games includes Asmodee hits Carcassonne, Jaipur and 7 Wonders, of which more than four million games have been played since its release on the platform in 2018.

The digital platform has been one of a number in the gaming space to have seen a surge in popularity driven by the pandemic last year, and in 2020 it registered a 600 per cent growth, indicating the scale of the current board game craze among families and single players.

To support its growth and pursue its development, Board Game Arena’s management team has chosen to join Asmodee in a move that will allow Asmodee to speed up the availability of its key titles on the platform.

Grégory Isabelli and Emmanuel Colin, Board Game Arena co-founders, said:  ”Working with Asmodee allows us to continue our massive growth, with a partner that shares our love and passion for board gaming.

“Asmodee fulfills a sine qua non criteria for us: that BGA is always run by absolute board game fans whose core business is board game.”

Thomas Koegler, head of strategy at Asmodee, said: “Our growth is based on one crucial commitment: offer the best gaming experience to consumers and bring our brands to the widest audience.”

“Having a platform that allows players from all over the world to meet, play their favorite games together or discover new games is a natural fit alongside our amazing catalogue of board games. Skull and Splendor will be in the coming weeks the first of a long list of Asmodee releases on the platform: we hope that players will enjoy them.”

As with other Asmodee entities, Board Game Arena will remain independent, and current management will remain at its helm. Pricing policies and editorial line remain unchanged, with Board Game Arena continuing to rely solely on the quality and popularity of games, offering its services to all publishers and market players.