Compare The Market's Tabletop Gaming Survey

Insurance comparison site Compare The Market recently (January 2025) undertook a survey of about 3,000 people across the US, Canada, and Australia about their tabletop gaming habits.

They found that about 13% of people in the US say they collect and play tabletop RPGs or wargames, followed by 10% in Canada and just under 5% in Australia. About three times as many indicated that they used to play or collect such games.

They also broke the data down by age group, which showed that popularity of tabletop gaming peaked at ages 18-24 and then declined over the decades to the 65+ age group.

Dungeons & Dragons is the most popular tabletop game across all three countries. This was followed by the wargame Kings of War, space skirmish game Star Wars X-Wing, and giant robot battle game Battletech. Call of Cthulhu edged into the top 10 also.

The survey went on to look at expenditure, with the most common response being an annual spend of $100-$200. Check out the survey for the full analysis.

 

[Zil]

It doesn't include Pathfinder, so it must be wrong.

I know this was in jest, but I couldn't find the full list of 40 games that were given for this question. Participants were supposed to choose from a supplied list. It's not wrong, but it has to be recognized for what it is. It's a survey question based on a specific list of options.

 

[Zil]

I don't even know what Kings of War is ?

Very surprised that Warhammer isn't on the list I thought it was the big dog of table top war gamming?

Warhammer was in their overall top 10 and in some of the country top 5s.

And I'm sure there are many who collect games they never get chance to play!

I count myself in that category. I keep telling myself to cut back, but then there is something new that looks really interesting and it gets added to the collection of things I will never have the time to actually play.

 

[Kannik]

Wait, Battletech doesn't make the list in Canada? Come on, 'mechs work better in cold weather! We gotta step up (pun intended) our game (also intended) here!

(Note, as I currently do not reside in Canada I guess I'm not really helping... )

 

[Jimmy Dick]

Only $100? I spend that by the 15th of each month on Pathfinder 2e!

 

[payn]

Battletech made the list! Made my day!

 

[Morrus]

Only $100? I spend that by the 15th of each month on Pathfinder 2e!

So they spend the same as you, then?

 

[The Soloist]

So they spend the same as you, then?

In the article you wrote100-200$ yearly. That is not the same as 100$ monthly.

 

[SlyFlourish]

A couple of interesting things. If my math is right, that tells us there are about 34 million people in the us 18 and up who play tabletop RPGs and war games. It also looks like there are about 11 million D&D players / collectors.

One thing to consider is that the sample sizes get really small if you subdivide the data too low but the numbers above feel representative.

Is my math off?

 

[GreyLord]

I didn't even realize Fallout had a Miniatures Battle game (or whatever Fallout Wasteland Warfare is). I don't think I've seen it in the stores. It's the 3rd most popular game in the US though! I should look more carefully!

 

[Hussar]

Hundred bucks a year? Sounds about right.