Simple rules

History

2024: "Cosmodrome Games" bought "Simple Rules"

The publisher of the popular board game Imaginarium, Cosmodrome Games, has completed a deal to acquire a 100% stake in the children's board game maker Simple Rules. As follows from the data of the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, Cosmodrome Games has become the full owner of the "Simple Rules" since August 24, 2024.

According to Kommersant, before the acquisition, Daria Ermakova was the general director and sole owner of Simple Rules. However, from July 2024, Evgeny Cherepennikov was appointed to the post of general director.

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Publishing house "Simple Rules" is engaged in the production of wooden products as part of the Wood Bit project, which allowed the company to establish cooperation with the largest Russian players in the board game market, such as Hobby World and Euricus. This line of business could help Cosmodrome Games increase revenue by 10-15% in the near term by expanding production and partnerships.

According to analysts at Regblock, the transaction value could range from ₽150 million to ₽250 million. Previously, Simple Rules had a dependence on external financing, which increased the company's interest rate risks. Nevertheless, according to experts, the consolidation of major players such as Cosmodrome Games will help stabilize the market and strengthen its position in the international arena.

According to the source of the Kommersant publication, despite the successful acquisition, Simple Rules were not a major player in the market. However, the deal will make it much easier for Cosmodrome Games to expand beyond Russia thanks to established contacts and the experience of "Simple Rules" in foreign markets, including in countries such as Japan, where the company's games were part of McDonald's Happy Meal kits.

In the Russian market, the sale of board games is also showing stable growth. According to the Association of Enterprises of the Children's Goods Industry, in 2023 sales of games and toys in Russia increased by 9% and reached ₽218,1 billion. Of these, about 8-10% are board games, which confirms the high demand for this segment.^[1]

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