I remember as a kid, board games were one of the most wanted Christmas gifts for my sister and me. We used to spend hours playing Snakes and Ladders and Ludo, to such a degree that the deck started changing color. When we used to visit our friends, we were amazed when we encountered a rich collection of board games, and I had curiosity about all of them. I wanted to open the boxes, to see the figures and learn about the narrative. I remember especially Dragons & Dungeons, which always caught my interest, but I never really understood how to play.
It is evident that a cultural shift has happened in the last decades, from a time when every household used to have a Monopoly, Scrabble, or UNO for rainy days and family nights, to the rise of video games and online streaming like Netflix. We used to enjoy slower forms of entertainment that enhanced communication, weirdly enough, through the fights that we had over the rules. In that place, we learned for the first time how loss is part of the game, and we experienced the joy of playing the same game again and again.
Board games haven’t died out, but they have lost their dominance in entertainment. They have shifted from a mass culture to a more niche one. The hobby is still alive as it offers an escape from screens and increases face-to-face engagement.
So, where in the World are the Board Games?
Some of them are dusty and forgotten in a closet or a cupboard. Some are still used when friends meet, some could be in cafés, and others are on your digital device. Board game apps (Everdell, Wingspan), online platforms like Board Game Area, and the use of social media spread the word for reviews, events, and bring together common-minded enthusiasts. In the digital era, board games seem to have been adapted and have combined digital culture with analog play.
https://medium.com/@bennett.olivia/the-rise-of-board-games-in-the-digital-age-0c947cfa418f
https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10203/blogpost/171119/top-ten-board-game-apps
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