Schmidt Spiele GmbH is a German board game publisher based in Berlin. Founded in Munich, the company develops and distributes board games, card games, puzzles, plush and wooden toys for various target groups. With well-known classics such as Mensch ärgere Dich nicht®, Kniffel®, and DOG®, as well as award-winning games like Auf Achse and Qwirkle™, Schmidt Spiele is one of the most traditional providers in the German boardgame industry. The publisher has been part of Good Time Holding since 1997 and regularly participates in major national and international game fairs. In addition to classic products, Schmidt Spiele also offers digital game versions.
History
Historical Development
The origins of Schmidt Spiele date back to 1907, when the lithographer Josef Friedrich Schmidt founded the company Schmidt & Söhne in Munich. In the early years, the publisher specialized in the production and distribution of board games.
The company’s greatest success came in 1914 with the release of Mensch ärgere Dich nicht®, which was developed by Josef Friedrich Schmidt in a small workshop in the Giesing district of Munich. The dice game quickly became a bestseller and evolved over generations into a classic of German gaming culture.
In the following decades, the publisher continuously expanded its range and established itself as one of the leading providers of board games in the German-speaking world.