For most people, the word gaming is usually associated with video games played in front of a computer monitor or TV, or even with a phone.

But at the recent TableCon Quest 2025 held in Singapore in August, a modest crowd of over 9,000 attendees gathered to play a diverse genre of games without any of these – from collectible card games and historical board games to even fantasy war games with beautiful painted miniatures played with rulers and dice.

And with US$967.53 million (S$1.24 billion) revenue in Asia alone, the collectible card games market stands out among these. One of the bigger players in the space, Bushiroad (and its many trading card game titles such as Cardfight!! Vanguard), is the one to watch. Bushiroad Expo 2025, which took place at the event, featured 2,000 players battling it out for special cards awarded to the top players.

"It is very challenging to launch and sustain a new card game, so I think Bushiroad has established a unique position in the market," said Shunichi Taira, Bushiroad International's CEO and Chairman.

"The card game market has really grown the past few years, and there are more new card games coming into the market, so I expect the trend to continue."