How many people play miniature games?

[Shub-Nullgurath]

And I know of a few others that are run at a loss, with the losses used to off-set tax from other income.

That's a really good idea, actually. I wonder if you could claim that your own contribution to the business costs it money if you were to sculpt things. Literally charge yourself for hobby time.

[Eric the Shed]

I wrote an article on my blog about this sometime ago if you are interested

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/how-big-is-wargames-industry.html

I know its not a precise answer but it could be of interest...

[Conquistador]

I wrote an article on my blog about this sometime ago if you are interested

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/how-big-is-wargames-industry.html

I know its not a precise answer but it could be of interest...

Well developed article.

I wonder how many war gamers, painters, and collectors today are not online to some degree?

I also wonder how many of our hobby suffer from Pokémon syndrome - "Got to collect them all!"

The hardest part and yet my primary focus currently is dumping the miniatures I have collected and never played (bare metal or painted) since I started miniature armies in the early 1970s.  Converting to smaller figures  (based on genre; aerial and Science Fiction/Fantasy armies in 3mm, 1800s in 6mm, and History/Science Fiction/Fantasy/VSF skirmish plus in 15mm) means while I am reducing I am also adding figures.

Niche yes but that is a relative term because not everyone fishes/hunts/boats/watches football or soccer or baseball or any sport or insert an activity world wide perhaps?

[Knightofspades]

I wrote an article on my blog about this sometime ago if you are interested

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/how-big-is-wargames-industry.html

I know its not a precise answer but it could be of interest...

It was very interesting!

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

@Eric the Shed
Thank-you for a very interesting article
Mick

[Eric the Shed]

Thank you

It was written over 3 years ago - about time I updated it

[fred]

I think its hard to get numbers for many reasons. Of they guys that I game with, spend levels vary hugely, probably from £100 a year, to £200 a month. And this spend is spread across different manufacturers, in different countries, and includes second hand stuff as well.

Most don't subscribe to magazines, and don't take part in forums (though make use of online resources a lot).

[Hobgoblin]

There must be a large number of people who play miniature games but don't buy (or even own) any miniatures. I certainly know some (semi-regular opponents; they use my miniatures; and my kids' friends who play games at ours.). And with miniature-based boardgames (Descent, Zombiecide, etc.) being sold in mainstream bookshops like Blackwells, there must be loads of people who play miniature games but have never painted a miniature or played a "conventional" wargame.

And then there are RPG players. I'd imagine there are plenty who occasionally use miniatures - perhaps just for PCs, with counters or coins for monsters - but don't regularly play mass-battle wargames.

Then you have people who have lots of miniatures and no real need to buy any ever again. Many of us are in that category; I hardly ever buy anything that's not second-hand.

So there must be huge numbers of "miniature gamers" who will never really have much of an impact on the industry.

[Belisarius]

Reminds me of the time I asked an old timer " Hi friend, , how many people work here ?            He thought carefully for a while and then answered " about half of them " ........           

[WillieB]

Does anybody know how many people attend shows such as Tactica, Salute etc?
This may be an indicator.

6000+ At Salute, 2000+ at Crisis, Not entirely sure about Tactica as it is a two- day show  but about the same as Crisis I suppose.

[WillieB]

@vodkafan,

£200 was a very rough guess at an average spend. 
I have averaged well over £600 per anum for the past ten years but I think many people spend far less.

Mick

Last year was 'bad' £900 + at Salute, 850€+ at Crisis, 400€+ at Tactica and about £120 at SELWG; No idea about mail order but somewhere in the neighbourhood of £1100 according to my PayPal history. And that is without subscriptions to magazines and such.
That said two pre-orders for Salute this year already very near to 500£. I really need to cut down but I blame all those manufacturers bringing out ever better figures.

[Duncan McDane]

Do some of you really spend over £200 per month!? What do you keep finding to spend your money on? Are you having someone paint your figures for you, is that where the cost comes from? I can see a newcomer spending quite a bit as they see new periods and want a piece of it all, but after a short while you know where your interests and motivation lie and you tend to have as much as you need.

Speaking for myself, I'm a collector and miniatures make me happy. If the funds are low or there's nothing interesting and/or affordable new/second hand I'll wait until something new comes up.
To give you an idea, this month I finished the Mythic Battles Kickstarter pledge, bought 14 Warmahordes books ( 3 euro each sale ) and a W40K FFG Roleplay Book, an old Mithril Smaug and some Citadel Judge Dredd judges, a Saga Crusader starter set, an Avatars of War Arch Liche, a GW Zavant book, a Heraldry book and the rest's a blurrr ( as in, don't know if they are late February or early March buys...  ).
It's all about priority, I spend next to nothing on myself - not go to restaurants, only buy new clothes if I need them, I cook myself and don't buy prefab foods or snacks, I don't buy new tv's/fridges/cars/phones etc. every 3 years, I get some if the old ones break down and then probaly a used one or one on sale -.
There's an ever growing wish list, every month, new games, new miniatures, but if they never reach my collection, that's equally fine with me, one has to keep dreaming, of course...
I mostly collect stuff I couln't afford in my time as a student - and did have to sell other figs at some point - and now I'm quietly hunting for those lost treasures, not paying top dollar of course but they will come by, this day or the next, eventually. The joy of a collector  .

[Elbows]

I don't think it's uncommon for most adults to spend $1000-1500 a year on hobby stuff.  If you consider all of the extraneous costs associated with building/painting miniatures it all adds up quite quickly.  That's not a great deal of money for most folks (and pales in comparison to other hobbies).  I do think most of the people who spend that much or more are building a lead mountain though!