Games for families Grows by 36% in Mannheim and Takes Over Entire Hall

The gaming roadshow Games for Families is seeing a significant surge in demand at its first stop of the year in Mannheim. The number of exhibitors has grown by over a third, completely filling Hall 21 of the venue.

From 26 April to 6 May, Games for Families will bring over 180 products from more than 15 brand-name manufacturers to the Mannheim Maimarkt. According to organisers planetlan, the number of exhibitors has increased by 36% compared to last year. As a result, the event will occupy the entirety of Hall 21, showcasing not only digital games but also board games and classic toys. For the first time in Mannheim, trading card games will also be featured.

"Last year, we expanded the offering for young families, and the newly created area was absolutely overrun. This year, we’re building on that success and nearly doubling the size of the toy area for kids, with product premieres and new brands joining us, without cutting back in other areas," says Michael Wegner, Managing Director of planetlan.

Games for Families is a roadshow event series launched by planetlan in 2011. Originally focused solely on video games, the concept has since been expanded to include additional product groups like board games and trading cards. Organized as part of regional consumer fairs across Germany, the events draw large crowds – 264,000 visitors attended the Mannheimer Maimarkt in 2024. However, due to the diverse interests of attendees, participating in these shows is often not worthwhile for traditional game publishers or developers.

That said, Games for Families is, as the name implies, not suited to every game genre. To avoid stricter youth protection regulations, such as those in place at gamescom, only titles with an age rating of 12 and under are permitted at the event. Following the Mannheim Maimarkt, planetlan is planning further Games for Families tour stops at offerta in Karlsruhe and spielraum in Dresden.

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