I have a confession to make.
When it was suggested that I get involved in creating a board game, my first thought wasn’t entirely positive.
Board game?
How old-fashioned. No one plays board games anymore.
Not now we have video games.
Minecraft versus Monopoly?
Sonic versus Scrabble?
Call of Duty versus Cluedo?
Surely in 2024 it’s absolutely no contest.
And yet, some basic desktop research proved how wrong I was.
The global board games market was worth just over $13 billion in 2023 and is predicted to grow to $32 billion by 2032. The UK board games market is expected to grow by almost 14% this decade.
But what’s more intriguing (and exciting for a budding board game inventor) is that research shows that Gen Z are big fans with 38% saying they enjoy playing board games, a bigger% than any other generation.
So, contrary to my initial scepticism, board games, it appears, are booming.
But how come? What accounts for the enduring appeal of board games, in a world seemingly obsessed by the digital version of everything?
In the spirit of 3ology, here’s a Top 3 list of reasons why:
1. Board Games Bring People Together.
This is the big one, the reason often quoted by players.
Board games, and other tabletop games, are social activities (I think Andrew is following this blog with a fantastic example of exactly this fact). You do them with other people who are present in the room.
They fulfill the basic need for human interaction, an antidote to the vast amounts of time we spend alone poring over phones and computers. And since the pandemic, that seems more important than ever.
2. The Challenge.
Play and competition are common to all games, whatever their format. Some games are better than others at stimulating players to develop successful tactics and strategies.
But the fact that board games are played in real time with other people watching you decide on your next move, means they involve a uniquely demanding challenge.
3. Nostalgia.
Many of us grew up playing board games at home with family and friends.
Playing a game now will inevitably summon up memories of loved ones sitting all together around a table, competing happily. Or perhaps not so happily.
Arguments, claims that ‘it’s not fair’, sulky flounces from the room — these are also part of the experience. Either way, it’s a powerful connection to your past.
So my conclusion to the offer of creating a brand new board game?
I am all-in, helped by the proposal being made by an old pal and based around a topic we’d shared across many happy hours over many happy years.
The joy of lists.
In the meantime, here are my ….
Top 3 Board Games
1. Chess — still the most popular, and most challenging
2. Scrabble — simple and classic
3. 3ology — of course
Alan M
CTO
3ology.fun