In February 1996, Ravensburger (Otto Maier Verlag) planned to take a share in the games and card company F.X. Schmid (vereinigte Menchener Spielkartenfabriken GmbH & Co. KG’), because of F.X. Schmid’s financial problems as a result of increasing production costs and competition in the international games-market. Both parties saw this move as a strategic allegiance. However, later that year, the companies decided that Ravensburger would produce all of F.X. Schmid games, and, eventually, Ravensburger took over Schmid. They bought a new press for 2.5 million DM ($1.4 million US) and renovated buildings at 0.5 million DM ($280,000 US). The production of cards moved to Altenburg, where an additional 50 people were employed.
Ravensburger has had a presence in the US games market for a long time. Then, in late 1997, F.X. Schmid/Ravensburger USA made a determined move to compete intensively in the American games market: the company released a series of games that had been very successful in Germany. New English-language entries included Call My Bluff (the same as Liar’s Dice and Bluff, in Germany, with great, new artwork); Dance of the Witches (Hexentanz, in Germany); Cheeeese Please (Alles Fur Die Katz, in Germany); Burger Battle (Hac Mac, in Germany); and Take it Easy, Games magazine’s pick for the best family game of that year. Schmid games were sold only in specialty stores in the U.S., such as Gamekeeper and Learningsmith, and through specialty catalogs such as “Bits & Pieces.”
The F.X. Schmid name is now gone forever.
Note: Schmidt Spiele (notice the “t”) is in no way connected to F.X. Schmid.