Since Rosh Hashannah I have been around the toy shops in my area, the centre of Tel Aviv, to buy for the two ‘giving seasons’ that we have had, to buy for birthdays and to check what I can use for a future family play project.

Novelty is an integral part of the business of toys and games and changes on the shelving in the shops is something to be expected but the drastic changes in the availability of board games is surprising. The reduction in the choice of what is on sale since last year is enormous and the reduction of choice in the past few months is again large.

Though there is paucity of new board games (the new European games are not sold here) there is plethora of games to be played on electronic devices.
Yet there still are board games being offered for sale. Ones which are recognised by the buyers from their own game playing times. The good oldies, well, some of them anyway, (the buyers and the games).
Darwinism in the toy shop; survival of the saleable.