Ravensburger facts for kids
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| Aktiengesellschaft | |
| Industry | Puzzle, toy |
| Founded | 7 May 1883 |
| Headquarters | |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Owner | Maier family, private company |
Ravensburger AG is a famous German company. They make games, puzzles, and toys. They also publish books. Ravensburger is especially known for being a top company in the world for jigsaw puzzles.
Contents
History of Ravensburger
Ravensburger was started by Otto Robert Maier. He founded the company in 1883. It is located in Ravensburg, a town in southern Germany. Otto Maier first published instruction guides for builders and artists. This helped him build a strong business.
In 1884, Ravensburger released its first board game. It was called Journey Around the World.
Growing the Company
Around the year 1900, Ravensburger started making many different products. These included picture books, children's activity books, and art guides. They also made children's games like Happy Families. In 1900, the company registered its famous blue triangle logo.
By 1912, many Ravensburger games were sold in other countries. They were sent to places like Western Europe and Russia. Before World War I, Ravensburger had about 800 different products.
After the Wars
The company faced challenges during the Second World War. But they continued to make games during the time of rebuilding. Ravensburger then focused on games and books for children. They also made special books about art and hobbies.
From 1962, the company grew a lot. In 1964, Ravensburger started making jigsaw puzzles. In the same year, they opened offices in other countries. These included Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In 1977, the company split into two parts. One part focused on books, and the other on games.
Ravensburger Today
Today, Ravensburger and its other companies offer many products. They have about 1800 books and 850 games. They also sell puzzles and hobby items. Ravensburger products are sold in more than 50 countries.
Some of their other brands include Alea, which makes games for serious players. F.X. Schmid makes games, playing cards, and children's books. Under the F.X. Schmid name, Ravensburger makes special Tarock playing cards. These are used for a game called Cego in the Black Forest region of Germany.
World Records and New Companies
In 2010, Ravensburger set a world record. They made the largest jigsaw puzzle at the time. It had 32,256 pieces and showed art by Keith Haring. The puzzle was huge, measuring about 17 feet by 6 feet. Ravensburger has since made even bigger puzzles. Their "Memorable Disney Moments" and "Making Mickey Magic" puzzles each have 40,320 pieces. However, another company, Kodak, now holds the world record for the largest puzzle.
Ravensburger has also bought other toy companies. In 2015, they bought BRIO, a Swedish company known for its wooden toy trains. In 2017, they bought Wonder Forge, an American game company.
Ravensburger's North American office is in Seattle, Washington. They release about 25 games each year there. One of their most popular games is Villainous, which is based on different Disney characters. In 2018, Ravensburger North America sold around 3 million games.
Ravensburger's Media Companies
Ravensburger Interactive Media
Ravensburger Interactive Media GmbH was a company that made and sold video games. It was part of Ravensburger. This company had two brands. Ravensburger Interactive made games for families and educational software. Fishtank Interactive made games for older players.
In 2002, Ravensburger Interactive was sold to another company called JoWooD Productions.
Ravensburger Film + TV
Ravensburger Film + TV GmbH was a company that made movies and TV shows. It was also part of Ravensburger.
In 1998, Ravensburger made Film + TV a separate company. It was renamed RTV Family Entertainment AG. Ravensburger still owned most of this new company. They also let RTV use the "Ravensburger" brand name. In 2001, RTV launched a "Ravensburger TV" block on the Super RTL channel.
In 2005, Ravensburger sold all its shares in this business. In 2006, the company changed its name again to Your Family Entertainment AG.
Notable Games from Ravensburger
Here are some popular games sold by Ravensburger:
- Das Buch von LuLu
- Dingbats
- Disney Lorcana
- Emoji
- Enchanted Forest
- Havannah
- Horrified
- Java
- Journey through Europe
- Know Interactive Board Game
- Labyrinth (board game)
- Lotus
- Make 'n' Break
- Malefiz
- Mexica
- The Name of the Rose (2008)
- Nobody is Perfect
- Quest
- Reversi
- Rivers, Roads & Rails
- Scotland Yard
- Tactil
- Take It Easy
- Tikal
- Top Secret Spies
- Villainous
- What Do You Hear?
Games sold under the "Alea" label:
- Broom Service
- Castles of Burgundy
- Chinatown
- Las Vegas
- Princes of Florence
- Puerto Rico
- Ra
- San Juan
Games sold under the F.X. Schmid label:
- Auf Achse
- Torres
- Black Forest Cego playing cards
Games sold under the "Ravensburger Digital" label:
- Concentration in various editions
See also
In Spanish: Ravensburger para niños
