Board games stay afloat among the rising online gaming industry

Graphic by Shirina Cao

When the world is turning more digital than ever, with children often online gaming during their free time, how are board games staying afloat?

Crowded around the little square game board of “Clue” with five of my friends during spring break, I kept my cards close to my chest, only taking small peeks when I was sure no one was watching. When the candlestick was revealed to be the weapon, a lightbulb went off in my head as I realized who the murderer was. 

I bounced eagerly in the chair, awaiting my next turn to guess the killer, weapon and room where the murder took place. However, one of my friends beat me to it, revealing my suspicions as the correct answer. The room erupted in loud chatter and grumbles as the winner gloated about her newfound victory. Through the uproar, I noticed the smiles plastered on everyone’s faces and I couldn’t help but adopt a smile of my own. 

Moments like this are the best part of traditional board games. For me, however, they have never been my first choice for entertainment, as I have found it too complicated to find time and gather a large group of people to play the game. Still, whenever I play with friends or even just my family, a board game has never failed to start shouting matches and, of course, a lot of laughs. 

With the rise of online video games in the past couple of decades, it may seem like board games would fade away as a relic of another time. However, the board game industry continues to stay afloat, as a study of the estimated global board game market values from 2022 to 2030 shows a steady increase. The board games market worldwide is projected to grow 8.87% by 2027.

One of the biggest appeals of board games is the way they physically bring people together. Unlike solitary activities like video gaming or scrolling through social media, board games encourage face-to-face interaction, emphasizing communication, cooperation and friendly competition among players.

According to BoardGameGeek, there are two main types of board games: mainstream games and hobby games. Mainstream games, such as Pictionary, Risk and Twister, are popular and widely recognized, considered to be the first ones that easily come to mind. The rules tend to be less restrictive, aiming for ease of play during parties. Hobby games often have more complex rules, intended for a more specific audience. These hobby games have their own die-hard enthusiasts. 

But by specifically marketing toward their audiences, both kinds of board games keep steady sales. Amazingly, chess continues to be the best-selling board game, with over 3 million sets sold yearly in the U.S.

To appeal to a wider audience, companies have created online versions of board games like Monopoly. By bringing those games online, companies make it easier for individuals to play together without having to meet in person. The digital space also makes for a lot more creative freedom. Monopoly, for example, provides a variety of unique boards with different visuals for players to choose from.

Along with just aesthetics, digital board games provide ease with set up, clean up and scoring. For games with numerous little components, it is much more ideal to sort the pieces with one click. 

Though many digital versions of games have been successful, they are not yet living up to their physical counterparts. Part of the joy of having a physical board includes getting to move the pieces around and noticing the expressions and reactions of opponents. When the online version of a board game takes away the joys of playing physically and doesn’t provide any new positive experiences, then they aren’t worth playing over the original. So, when another long break rolls around and you find yourself bored and stuck at home, consider a game night to socialize and spend some time away from devices. You won’t regret it!