tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/board-gaming-118333/articlesBoard gaming – The Conversation2024-02-09T04:15:11Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2230852024-02-09T04:15:11Z2024-02-09T04:15:11Z50 years on, Dungeons & Dragons is still a gaming staple. What’s behind its monumental success?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/574592/original/file-20240209-18-rsdk9b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=6%2C6%2C4578%2C2570&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Half a century on from its creation, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) continues to attract millions of players across demographics. </p>
<p>The tabletop role-playing game truly has cemented its position in an increasingly competitive market, valued at more than <a href="https://www.imarcgroup.com/board-games-market">US$15 billion</a> (A$23 billion) in 2022.</p>
<p>How is a fantasy game from 1974 still <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/style/dungeons-and-dragons.html">capturing the imagination</a> of so many people?</p>
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<h2>How to play</h2>
<p>Tabletop role-playing games are driven by players’ own imaginations. They are a collaborative form of storytelling where players collectively control the narrative and “play” their characters through their words and actions.</p>
<p>In D&D, each player creates a character (such as a human, elf or dwarf, to name a few examples) with unique qualities. Do you like spells? You can be a wizard. Interested in sabotage? Become a rogue. Enjoy combat? You may be a barbarian at heart. </p>
<p>Guided by a dungeon master, your party narrates a quest-filled campaign filled with sticky situations and perilous encounters. </p>
<p>Players roll dice, including a 20-sided die, to dictate what actions they can take. The numbers they roll decided their successes and failures, whether they’re casting spells, picking locks, or attacking monsters.</p>
<p>There are abundant rules, minutiae and lore. But, at its heart, D&D is simply a collective effort to tell a great story. </p>
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<h2>A global success</h2>
<p>More than <a href="https://dungeonvault.com/how-many-dnd-players-are-there-worldwide/">50 million people</a> worldwide are estimated to have played D&D. This is immense reach for a game that emerged in the 1970s as a <a href="https://fantasy.bnf.fr/en/understand/dungeons-dragons-when-wargames-are-inspired-fantasy/">fantasy spin-off</a> from strategic war gaming, where predominantly male players used miniatures to simulate military operations.</p>
<p>D&D’s increased popularity, over the past decade in particular, has been driven by the success of the game’s current version (the fifth edition, released in 2014), the growth in online gaming culture, as well as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/style/dungeons-and-dragons.html">increased social acceptance</a> of what have historically been considered “nerdy” or “geeky” interests. </p>
<p>Franchises such as Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings have also helped bring fantasy narratives into the mainstream. </p>
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<p>The current D&D edition hits a sweet spot. It’s complex enough to sustain long-standing players, but approachable enough to draw in new people. Following its 2014 release, celebrities such as Vin Diesel and Joe Mangianello made online appearances playing D&D. </p>
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<p>In 2016, Netflix’s Stranger Things <a href="https://collider.com/stranger-things-season-4-dungeons-and-dragons-dnd-storytelling-explained/">introduced the game</a> to a massive new audience, as a portrayal of 1980s suburban nostalgia for carefree creative adventures. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/satanic-worship-sodomy-and-even-murder-how-stranger-things-revived-the-american-satanic-panic-of-the-80s-186292">'Satanic worship, sodomy and even murder': how Stranger Things revived the American satanic panic of the 80s</a>
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<p>Cultural representations of the game are plentiful, including in the 2023 film <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dungeons_and_dragons_honor_among_thieves">Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves</a>, 2023 videogame of the year <a href="https://theconversation.com/baldurs-gate-3-wins-game-of-the-year-at-2023s-game-awards-an-expert-review-219519">Baldur’s Gate 3</a>, podcasts such as <a href="https://critrole.com/podcast/">Critical Role</a>, and live-streamed D&D campaigns available on YouTube and <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/directory/category/dungeons-and-dragons">Twitch</a>.</p>
<p>But as D&D became mainstream, scrutiny followed. The subculture has its share of controversies, including an element of <a href="http://www.dungeoncrawlersradio.com/episodes/episode-toxic-fan-syndrome">toxic fandom</a> that expresses hostility towards the game’s evolution and diversifying fan base. </p>
<p>As with any growing community, some fans have been concerned with gate-keeping. Some players experience bullying and exclusion, while others find themselves in awkward conversations around the table. This has been a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/16sxr5q/is_sexism_a_problem_in_dd/?rdt=40906">recurring concern for women</a> trying D&D for the first time.</p>
<p>On balance, however, the vast majority of people play to have fun, express their creativity and engage with others. The flexible nature of the game means fans have found endless ways to turn their campaigns into something highly personal and treasured. </p>
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<p>D&D continues to evolve through the rich contributions of its fan base, for whom it has become an important outlet for creativity and self-expression.</p>
<h2>We all need connection</h2>
<p>In challenging times, tabletop games provide inexpensive entertainment, escapism and a way to stay connected to friends and family.</p>
<p>One <a href="https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/81119/">recent Australian study</a>, of community members playing the game over an eight-week period, found playing D&D decreased players’ depression, stress and anxiety, and increased self-esteem. The authors suggest the game could be used as a wellbeing intervention tool or to prevent mental health issues from arising. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.fantasygroundsacademy.com/post/mental-health-benefits-of-role-playing-games">Role-playing games</a> in particular offer <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-17793-4_5">psychological support</a> to people of all ages, helping to combat anxiety and build confidence.</p>
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<p>This is particularly valuable at a time when social isolation is plaguing communities. Australia’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/15/social-cohesion-lowest-on-record-as-australia-reels-from-cost-of-living-inequality-concerns-and-voice-debate">social cohesion index</a> dropped to its lowest level in 2023. People were concerned about rising household expenses and the state of the economy, with almost half of respondents feeling socially isolated some or all of the time.</p>
<p>During the COVID pandemic, many households in lockdown <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/12/24/board-game-popularity/">introduced game nights</a> to entertain themselves. Now, even with restrictions lifted, Australia continues to experience a thriving <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-10/board-game-renaissance-screen-time-shunned-offline-connections/102820392">role-playing and board game movement</a>.</p>
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<h2>The campaign continues</h2>
<p>Around the world, shared public spaces, cafés and pubs offer tabletop gaming spaces to foster community engagement. <a href="https://amazinglibrarydesigns.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Designing-for-the-Future-in-Australia-Report.pdf">Public libraries</a> have included spaces for <a href="https://daily.jstor.org/the-grand-old-tradition-of-gaming-at-the-library/">gaming since the 1850s</a>, starting with billiard tables and puzzles, and now including video games. </p>
<p>New social media communities, such as the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-10/board-game-renaissance-screen-time-shunned-offline-connections/102820392">Latrobe Valley Boardgamers Facebook Group</a>, are frequently popping up for people with shared gaming interests.</p>
<p>In April, the <a href="https://www.seetickets.com/event/dungeons-and-dragons-at-50/british-library/2843072">British Library</a> will host a live-streamed event to celebrate D&D’s 50-year legacy – one of many events to be held this year. A new <a href="https://screenrant.com/dungeons-dragons-rule-changes-one-dnd-2024">rules update</a> is expected later in the year and is sure to entice fans new and old.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-the-basement-to-the-big-screen-how-dungeons-and-dragons-evolved-from-a-game-to-a-multi-media-franchise-203552">From the basement to the big screen: how Dungeons & Dragons evolved from a game to a multi-media franchise</a>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lisa M. Given is a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. She receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Australian Library and Information Association. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah Polkinghorne does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Research shows many of us are lonely. Embracing analogue gameplay could go a long way in helping us become happier, socially connected people.Lisa M. Given, Professor of Information Sciences & Director, Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT UniversitySarah Polkinghorne, Research Fellow, Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1974652023-01-30T11:58:24Z2023-01-30T11:58:24ZYoung people are drinking less – here’s an alternative to try on your next night out<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506347/original/file-20230125-18-p4ov35.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=602%2C787%2C5358%2C3286&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">For many young people, arcades and board game cafes are replacing traditional pubs and bars.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/couple-playing-air-hockey-game-holding-1199753779">Jacob Lund / Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A new leisure trend is providing an alternative to pubs and bars for young people whose alcohol consumption <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1468-4446.12964">has been declining</a> for years. </p>
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<p><em>You can listen to more articles from The Conversation, narrated by Noa, <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/audio-narrated-99682">here</a>.</em></p>
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<p>Competitive socialising takes the centuries-old idea of mixing food with games (think <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1229/food-in-an-english-medieval-castle/">medieval banquets</a>) and amplifies it. Options range from reinvented versions of <a href="https://www.allstarlanes.co.uk">bowling</a>, <a href="https://www.draughtslondon.com">board games</a>, <a href="https://flightclubdarts.com">darts</a>, <a href="https://www.bouncepingpong.com">ping pong</a>, <a href="https://playshufl.com">shuffleboard</a>, <a href="https://www.players-social.com/foosball">table football</a>, <a href="https://www.playbirdies.com">mini golf</a>, <a href="https://sixescricket.com">cricket</a>, to <a href="https://whistlepunks.com">axe-throwing</a>, <a href="https://escapehunt.com">escape rooms</a> and <a href="https://www.navrtar.com">virtual reality bars</a>. The common denominator is fun, immersive social experiences served with high quality food and drinks in eye-catching, Instagrammable interiors.</p>
<p>According to market research analysts from <a href="https://store.mintel.com/report/leisure-outlook-uk-autumn-2022">Mintel UK</a>, a quarter of people surveyed about their leisure activities in autumn 2022 said they recently played a social entertainment game. And analysts predict that competitive socialising will remain popular despite ongoing economic uncertainty. </p>
<p>Millennials and Generation Z are <a href="https://store.mintel.com/report/uk-competitive-socialising-market-report">driving the trend</a>. Not only are they drinking less, they are spending <a href="https://pdf.euro.savills.co.uk/uk/commercial---other/competitive-socialising-and-emerging-concepts-in-leisure-2019.pdf">less on commodities and more on experiences</a>.</p>
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<p><em><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</em></p>
<p><em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/should-i-still-go-on-holiday-if-i-have-covid-186185?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Should I still go on holiday if I have COVID?</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/spotify-wrapped-how-sharing-your-music-tastes-can-drive-feelings-of-fomo-196825?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Spotify Wrapped: how sharing your music tastes can drive feelings of Fomo</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/your-dream-wedding-might-not-be-legal-time-to-update-englands-old-fashioned-marriage-laws-187567?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Your dream wedding might not be legal – time to update England’s old-fashioned marriage laws</a></em></p>
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<p>Competitive socialising venues <a href="https://www.mixinteriors.com/property/why-competitive-socialising-is-bigger-than-ever/">have the potential</a> to fill <a href="https://theconversation.com/high-street-strategy-recovery-will-take-more-than-street-parties-and-more-bins-164729">empty stores</a> and drive footfall back to the high street. My soon-to-be-published study of the UK’s social board gaming scene revealed just how much this sector contributes to local communities.</p>
<p>Unique leisure experiences do not just create personal memories, they are also the <a href="https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/43937">social currency</a> of digital capitalism. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337226409_Conspicuous_leisure_The_social_visibility_of_cultural_experiences">Research has shown</a> that being able to impress others with our nights out, holiday trips and festival visits is just as important as the actual quality of these activities. </p>
<p>After months of COVID-19 lockdowns, <a href="https://andjelicaaa.medium.com/is-offline-the-new-luxury-c09760a99eef">being offline is the new luxury</a>. The thirst for multisensory fun and in-person social interaction makes competitive socialising <a href="https://www.knightfrank.com/research/article/2021-10-15-leisure-responding-to-an-experiential-crisis">increasingly appealing</a> not only to young professionals but also to families and corporate clients looking for fresh team-building ideas.</p>
<h2>Reviving local business scenes</h2>
<p>Between June 2021 and September 2022, I visited 24 social board gaming venues in six regions of England and interviewed 50 people who own, organise and attend them. I was initially trying to find out what draws people to analogue games in a digital age and why they choose to play them outside the home. </p>
<p>The most popular answers were getting away from the screen, having a tactile experience and being able to socialise without drinking too much. For those who moved towns during the pandemic, visiting a board game social became the easiest and safest way to find new friends. Many people said that board games “add structure to socialising”, which is especially important for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3Fpc2mpE0s&t=155s">neurodiverse people</a> and those dealing with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-your-brain-type-says-about-how-youre-emerging-from-the-pandemic#Ways-to-adjust-to-a-new-normal">post-pandemic social anxiety</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/long-social-distancing-how-young-adults-habits-have-changed-since-covid-183837">Long social distancing: how young adults' habits have changed since COVID</a>
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<p>But as I dug deeper, I realised that social board gaming does even more than that – it also supports local independent business <a href="https://scenescapes.weebly.com">scenes</a>. </p>
<p>Most board game cafes partner with local bakeries, coffee roasters and other food suppliers. Some businesses, like <a href="https://www.strongisland.co/2018/10/19/dice-board-game-lounge-on-albert-road/">Dice Board Game Lounge</a> in Portsmouth or <a href="https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2020/03/11/board-games-cafe-plans-to-open-in-former-brighton-theatre/">Dice Saloon</a> in Brighton, contribute to urban regeneration by breathing new life into underused buildings.</p>
<p>As the UK’s pubs were closing down <a href="https://theconversation.com/british-pubs-are-closing-at-an-alarming-rate-but-the-hospitality-sector-is-fighting-back-193993">at alarming rates in 2022</a>, I saw publicans trying to attract customers by reaching out to local game enthusiasts. Some avid hobbyists host pub game nights in their free time, others have launched <a href="https://www.manchestersfinest.com/articles/the-pop-up-board-game-role-playing-night-taking-manchester-by-storm/">small event companies</a>, running socials in independent venues. Mintel’s recent <a href="https://store.mintel.com/report/uk-pub-visiting-market-report">UK pub market report</a> says 20% of their Gen Z respondents “don’t visit pubs often or at all” – but competitive socialising can be the hook that will drag them in. </p>
<h2>The cost of socialising</h2>
<p>In a world where <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfUS-UUvAHs">leisure time</a> and budgets are constantly shrinking, mixing dining with memorable entertainment offers good value for money. But 2023 will bring economic challenges for everyone, and competitive socialising venues and their patrons are no exception. </p>
<p>Mintel analysts <a href="https://store.mintel.com/report/leisure-outlook-uk-autumn-2022">suggest</a> that while nights out are likely to become less frequent, they also become more of a special occasion, which means consumers will prioritise quality over quantity. And as Nick Frow, the owner of a cocktails and crazy golf experience in London, <a href="https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2022/11/17/how-is-competitive-socialising-impacted-by-recession">put it</a>: “Throughout any period, especially those that require some distraction, people need bread and circuses.”</p>
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<img alt="Two young women playing Jenga in a public cafe" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506159/original/file-20230124-4836-reit37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=260%2C50%2C5346%2C3682&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506159/original/file-20230124-4836-reit37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506159/original/file-20230124-4836-reit37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506159/original/file-20230124-4836-reit37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506159/original/file-20230124-4836-reit37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506159/original/file-20230124-4836-reit37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506159/original/file-20230124-4836-reit37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Competitive socialising venues are changing young people’s social lives – could they save the high street, too?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-beautiful-girls-play-board-game-1095739379">Gankevych / Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>But smaller-scale, more community-oriented businesses based in less affluent areas are <a href="https://www.meepleperk.co.uk/post/the-elephant-in-the-room?fbclid=IwAR3Dra-u3q5_0Mn2eMFVYPiAnO2M1RKSxUbPeidAzyMBkzxiVba7t-RfQdA">not as optimistic</a>. The <a href="https://www.savills.co.uk/research_articles/229130/335145-0">fall in consumer confidence</a> is part of the problem. And because leisure operators use a lot of energy for lighting, cooking, heating and cooling, they are particularly exposed to uplifts in energy prices. </p>
<p>If you want to support your local competitive socialising venue this winter, pay them a visit or follow them on social media. But there is a cheaper way to stay on top of this trend. Perhaps throwing an axe in your backyard isn’t the best idea, but you can always organise a <a href="https://www.meeplemountain.com/articles/how-to-plan-the-ultimate-board-game-night/">game night at home</a>. </p>
<p>There probably won’t be any neon lights, banging beats or a selfie wall, but home parties <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JPMD-03-2014-0006/full/html">create a sense of community and relaxation</a> like no other environment. Invite a few friends, cook together, chip in for a takeaway or <a href="https://medium.com/illumination/how-to-use-a-potluck-spirit-to-cultivate-social-connections-e0d8504b6897">do potluck</a>. Pick some titles from <a href="https://gamenightgods.com/best-game-night-games/">this list</a> or play party games that require <a href="https://funcheaporfree.com/game-night-ideas/">nothing but pen and paper</a> – and have fun.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197465/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alexandra Kviat is working on a research project funded by The Leverhulme Trust. </span></em></p>Younger people are spending more on experiences, and cutting back on alcohol.Alexandra Kviat, Research fellow, University of LeicesterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1863722022-08-07T13:03:44Z2022-08-07T13:03:44ZWomen are too tired and time-strapped for board games due to shrinking leisure time<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474003/original/file-20220713-9184-kmufon.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C0%2C11964%2C8802&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The loss of leisure time is partially attributed to longer work hours and unpaid overtime.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(National Cancer Institute/Unsplash)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Women don’t enjoy as much leisure time as men, and during the pandemic, it’s been particularly bad. According to the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm">American Time Use Survey</a>, women have nearly an hour less leisure time than men each day.</p>
<p>And sadly, the numbers add up. Women <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-25/women-did-three-times-as-much-unpaid-child-care-as-men-during-covid-pandemic#xj4y7vzkg">often did three times as much childcare as men during the pandemic</a>. </p>
<p>The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has been tracking the <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/c18a4378-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/c18a4378-en#section-d1e39678">steady decline of leisure time</a> since the 1970s. North Americans are now spending anywhere from 1.5 to 1.8 times more on paid work than leisure activities, and this loss of leisure is attributed in part to longer work hours and unpaid overtime.</p>
<p>My doctoral research in communication and culture had me interview hundreds of board gamers and game industry professionals who regularly fill their leisure time with gaming — they all said they’d board game more if they had the energy or the time. </p>
<h2>Need more time to board game</h2>
<p>When I asked my research participants what prevents them from gaming more, nearly a quarter cited a lack of time in general, childcare and household and work responsibilities — but there were also other reasons like racism, sexism, bullying, gatekeeping and interpersonal social drama.</p>
<p>The growing leisure gap, according to my research participants — 60.4 percent of my respondents identified as women — has had a huge impact on women’s ability to engage with the board game hobby. </p>
<p>Women reported that they often don’t have the time, nor the energy at the end of a long day to engage with particularly complex or lengthy board games.</p>
<p>They were asked for their relative levels of agreement or disagreement with the statement, “I would board game more if I had the time” and three quarters of participants either agreed or strongly agreed.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474191/original/file-20220714-32651-qngxgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A pie chart showing various percentages of people who would board game if they had more time." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474191/original/file-20220714-32651-qngxgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474191/original/file-20220714-32651-qngxgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474191/original/file-20220714-32651-qngxgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474191/original/file-20220714-32651-qngxgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474191/original/file-20220714-32651-qngxgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474191/original/file-20220714-32651-qngxgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474191/original/file-20220714-32651-qngxgg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">74.6 per cent of respondents would board game more if they had more time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Tanya A Pobuda)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Women are time-strapped</h2>
<p>I interviewed people who spoke to the issues surrounding access to leisure time, with competing work and household responsibilities getting in the way of play and gaming.</p>
<p>Briar (pseudonym) is a parent, and acknowledges that running her own business on top of a full-time job leads to fatigue that impacts her ability to game. Briar shared, “we play at least one game every week and I try to play games with my kids as often as I can, but we’re usually tired.” She added that the competing demands of online learning during the pandemic have impacted her time and inclination to game. </p>
<p>Another parent, Micha (pseudonym), said access to leisure time is a huge factor in her busy life. When she attends gaming conventions she can play for 12 hours a day with only “exhaustion” stopping her, but when she’s at home, it’s another story: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“True leisure time is a massive barrier. Free time to play games with adults is very, very challenging for me to find. You’re rushed or you’re stopping to juggle the kids in the background or you have to fight the kids getting to bed early…”</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman laying in bed" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474309/original/file-20220715-495-elu0py.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474309/original/file-20220715-495-elu0py.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474309/original/file-20220715-495-elu0py.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474309/original/file-20220715-495-elu0py.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474309/original/file-20220715-495-elu0py.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474309/original/file-20220715-495-elu0py.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474309/original/file-20220715-495-elu0py.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Women are often too tired after all their added responsibilities to game.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Kinga Cichewicz/Unsplash)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For Ciel (pseudonym), having a full-time job and a relationship means she doesn’t have the mental energy to play board games: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I am finding it’s not just the time but it’s also the brain power because it is an actively engaged hobby. It takes more from you in terms of commitment than watching TV. I could stick on the <em>Great British Bake Off</em> and watch that. This takes no participation whatsoever from me. Because gaming is active rather than passive, it’s about the time and the energy.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Briar adds that the often-repeated trope of “women don’t like gaming and particularly heavy games” often comes down to ignorance. She says “so-called ‘male games’ are like these heavy games, and then ‘female games’ are like these light games, but it’s not because we can’t handle the heavy games. It’s because that is just not our go-to because we don’t have the time and energy.”</p>
<p>While women have statistically less leisure time, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16142513">they tend to enjoy their limited time for fun and relaxation more</a>. </p>
<p>Health researchers Shota Noda, Kentaro Shirotsuki and Mutsuhiro Nakao examined multiple board gaming studies and found a common thread of benefits: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-019-0164-1">board game play can enhance interpersonal connections, increase players’ motivation and promote learning</a>. Women’s ongoing inability to find the time to rest, relax and engage in play activities such as board gaming has wide-reaching implications to both women’s health and life-long learning. </p>
<p>Could you help any women in your life find more leisure time by sharing the load at work or at home, and perhaps, letting them enjoy a game or two? Food for thought.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/186372/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tanya A Pobuda has previously received the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Graduate School Fellowship.</span></em></p>The growing leisure gap has a huge impact on women’s ability to engage with the board game hobby.Tanya A Pobuda, PhD Candidate, Graduate/Research Assistant, Communication and Culture, Toronto Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1790482022-03-27T12:55:17Z2022-03-27T12:55:17ZWhy is board gaming so white and male? I’m trying to figure that out<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452611/original/file-20220316-7550-yuryh3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4895%2C3200&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Does this lack of representation matter to board gamers?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Board games have been having a bit of a cultural moment. They experienced <a href="https://youtu.be/JrR0-isJV4c">a resurgence of popularity at the beginning of the pandemic</a>. A <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/829285/global-board-games-market-value/">Statista report</a> projected the total overall board game market might reach US$12-billion by 2023.</p>
<p>It makes sense that board games gained popularity during the pandemic. Board games can provide relatively affordable, reusable, home-based entertainment. <a href="https://scrabble.hasbro.com/en-us/history"><em>Scrabble</em> was designed</a> by Alfred Mosher Butts during the Great Depression. Eleanor Abbott <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/candy-land/">created <em>Candy Land</em></a> after her contracting polio and spending extended time in the hospital during the epidemic in the United States.</p>
<p>I have loved board games my whole life and in the last 10 years spent my time browsing shops for the newest releases, growing increasingly addicted to <a href="https://medium.com/@tanyapobuda/board-game-content-creators-to-watch-d18c3f2af8a">watching board game channels on YouTube</a> and collecting games — a collection which has taken over several rooms in my home. </p>
<p>I regularly noticed that these friendly local game shops were filled with mostly white men, often on their own, wandering the stacks. It made me wonder, why is board gaming so white and male? </p>
<p>As a doctoral student at <a href="https://yellowheadinstitute.org/2021/05/11/welcome-to-x-university-an-open-letter-to-the-community-from-indigenous-students/">X University</a> and York University in their joint communication and culture program, I have noticed a lack of contemporary scholarship on board games, as most game scholarship focuses on video games. </p>
<p>To fill this gap, I decided to spend the last four years of my life delving into the industry. </p>
<h2>Socially shaped and constructed</h2>
<p>Board gaming, like many other cultural spheres, has been socially shaped and constructed, with products being created <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2012.705195">for an imagined audience</a>. The imagined audience for board games is, most often, a cis, straight, middle-class able-bodied white man. </p>
<p>The result of this <a href="https://medium.com/@tanyapobuda/social-shaping-of-technology-sst-24db0c5dce1b">social shaping</a> has been that board gaming spaces have, over time, have become an exclusive preserve for this default, imagined audience. Sometimes, this kind of social shaping, intentionally or not, can create a vicious circle of exclusion for other identities.</p>
<p>As I talked to people in board gaming communities and examined the games themselves, I realized that there were big, systemic social, labour and economic issues that were limiting the wide-spread adoption of board gaming and market growth.</p>
<p>My research argues that one of the key factors facing board gaming is the homogeneity of the current board game design labour pool and limited representation on the products themselves. </p>
<p>I found that 92.6 per cent of the designers of the 400 top-ranked board games on <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/">BoardGameGeek</a> were white men.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="There are 540 white male designers listed as responsible for the top 400 BGG-ranked games." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452262/original/file-20220315-15-1jzxng6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452262/original/file-20220315-15-1jzxng6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452262/original/file-20220315-15-1jzxng6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452262/original/file-20220315-15-1jzxng6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452262/original/file-20220315-15-1jzxng6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452262/original/file-20220315-15-1jzxng6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452262/original/file-20220315-15-1jzxng6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">92.6 percent of game designers for the top 400 BoardGameGeek-ranked games were white men.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Tanya Pobuda)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The cover art images on the boxes of the top-ranked 200 BoardGameGeek ranked games with games such as <em>Gloomhaven</em> (2017),<em>Marvel Champions: The Card Game</em> (2019), <em>Terraforming Mars</em> (2016) and <em>Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization</em> (2015) skewed heavily toward white-presenting males. Of the total 1,974 figures analyzed during my board game cover art analyses, white male imagery was predominant. </p>
<p>Images of men and boys represented 76.8 per cent of the human representation on covers, or 647 images in games such as <em>Great Western Trail</em> (2016) and <em>War of the Ring: Second Edition</em> (2012), compared to 23.2 per cent of the images of women and girls, which represented only 195 of the images counted as in games with more gender representation like <em>Arkham Horror: The Card Game</em> (2016) and <em>Pandemic Legacy: Season 1</em> (2015)</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Men and/or boys represented 76.8 percent of the sample or 647 figures. Women and/or girls were represented 23.2 percent of the time or 195 figures in total compared to men" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452264/original/file-20220315-27-83i3b7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452264/original/file-20220315-27-83i3b7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452264/original/file-20220315-27-83i3b7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452264/original/file-20220315-27-83i3b7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452264/original/file-20220315-27-83i3b7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452264/original/file-20220315-27-83i3b7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452264/original/file-20220315-27-83i3b7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Men dominated the covers of the top 200 games on BoardGameGeek.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Tanya Pobuda)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>White imagery was found on 82.5 per cent of the images or 528 compared to BIPOC imagery which made up only 17.5 per cent of the images, or 112 total images.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="For human representation on cover art, BIPOC people represented 17.5 per cent of the human representation on the box or 112 total figures versus 528 images of white people, which represented 82.5 percent of the sample" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452265/original/file-20220315-13-1p9gftf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452265/original/file-20220315-13-1p9gftf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452265/original/file-20220315-13-1p9gftf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452265/original/file-20220315-13-1p9gftf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452265/original/file-20220315-13-1p9gftf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452265/original/file-20220315-13-1p9gftf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452265/original/file-20220315-13-1p9gftf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Imagery of white people dominated the top 200 BoardGameGeek-ranked games cover art.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Tanya Pobuda)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Representation matters</h2>
<p>A lack of representation sends a message to potential audiences. But does this lack of representation matter to current board gamers?</p>
<p>I conducted an online survey of 320 respondents in late 2020. In total, 70.7 per cent of respondents shared that they play board games at least once a week. More than half (53.5 per cent) of the sample have been board gaming for 11 years or more.</p>
<p>I tried to get a diverse sample through exhaustive recruitment efforts as I was looking to hear from voices that were not often heard from in other board game surveys. </p>
<p>I got back a set of respondents who were mainly from North America (73.8 per cent). The majority of survey respondents identified as women at 60.4 per cent, including trans women which represented 4.9 per cent. More than a quarter of my survey respondents identified as men at 25.3 per cent and 9.4 per cent identified as non-binary.</p>
<p>Most of the respondents were white (74.9 per cent), while 20.4 percent identified as BIPOC. More than half of the sample (52.8 per cent) identified as being part of the 2SLGBTQiIA+ community.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QgA70Xn-75w?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">BoardGameGeek shares the top 10 board games for March.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The survey respondents shared that gender and racial representation did matter to them, in fact it mattered a lot. Respondents agreed or strongly agreed (80.2 per cent) that board gaming has a problem with a lack of equitable gender representation in games design and 84 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that board gaming has a problem with a lack of equitable racial representation in games design. </p>
<p>Another overwhelming majority (83.6 per cent) agreed or strongly agreed that board gaming has a problem with a lack of equitable gender representation in board game artwork. Similarly, 84 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that board gaming has a problem with a lack of equitable racial representation in board game artwork.</p>
<p>The current reality? Despite straight white males making up <a href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2021/population-changes-nations-diversity.html">roughly 25 per cent of the U.S. population</a> — the U.S. being one of the world’s largest consumer markets and straight white males being an even smaller portion of the global market — they currently make up about 80 per cent or more of the representation in board games. </p>
<p>Do these realities — the board game industry’s persistent focus on a small demographic and its skewed representation on the products toward this small population — create the necessary conditions for market growth and expansion of the board game industry? </p>
<p>The answer can only be no.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/179048/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tanya A Pobuda receives funding from Edward S. Rogers Sr. Graduate Student Fellowships.</span></em></p>The board gaming industry needs to be more inclusive if it wants to continue its market growth and expand.Tanya A Pobuda, PhD Candidate, Graduate/Research Assistant, Communication and Culture, Toronto Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.