UNPLUG & PLAY

Making the Transition from Video Games to Board Games

- Bayard Catron

When video games first rose to prominence in the late 1970s, they were met with a mix of excitement, fear, and derision. There was something about being entertained by a machine that didn't feel quite wholesome. Many dismissed them as a fad, and indeed, in 1983 the video games market - bloated with low-quality imitators and intellectual property cash grabs - crashed spectacularly.

Of course, that wasn't the end of the story. The ongoing advancement and miniaturization of consumer electronics catapulted us from the home computer age to a world where almost everyone carries a tiny, powerful computing device in their pocket. Whether on their cell phone or another platform, one thing almost everyone does is play games.

Growing Industries

The video game industry is nothing short of a behemoth, constantly growing as other forms of entertainment decline. The video game experience is also uniquely immune to the pandemic. In 2020, the industry grew over 25% and made more money than music and films combined. Video games have now been ubiquitous for decades. Like their much older board game siblings, video games have an interactive element that other art forms lack, and it's a big part of their addictive appeal.

Both video games and board games are worthy pastimes. They share much in common: both can be social, played solo or in groups, and meaningful communities have been built around them online and in real life. But if you are a video gamer who's interested in branching out, or if you have a video gamer in your life who isn't clued in to the potential of board games, here are some tips on bringing them into the board game fold.