And yet for millions of people in the United States who are largely isolated because of COVID-19, this is not news, as board games have been a constant lifeline in the months since the start of the pandemic.
For the past five years, I’ve been studying the thriving board game renaissance. According to the online resource BoardGameGeek, more than 5,000 new board games or expansions are released every year. Sales have increased in recent years, and board game stores and cafes have popped up in cities around the country, offering options like delivery and curbside during the pandemic.
World Braces For Another Wave of Coronavirus
Beyond the stalwart Monopoly and Scrabble board game options, modern players are turning to more contemporary classics like Catan, Ticket to Ride and the rather appropriately themed Pandemic. These new games are often heavily themed and complex, and can take hours to play.
As a professor of communication, I’ve published 14 books about the way people experience and use popular culture, including board games, as a significant and meaningful part of their life. For my most recent and forthcoming book, “Board Games as Media” – written before COVID-19 – I surveyed nearly 900 board game players about their experiences in the hobby. They reported they use board games to provide comfort in times of stress.
People in my survey also described how board games have helped them with their mental health and have given them opportunities to overcome anxiety issues. As one participant noted, “Games are a useful tool to teach and practice social skills, especially for those on the autism spectrum.” Another said, “Board games are one of the few things that help alleviate (my) anxiety.”
Continued social isolation during COVID-19, as well as changes to the holiday routine, may exacerbate anxiety disorders. And while board games won’t fix everything, they can help people find social connection, despite physical distance.
Families are dusting off games from the back of the closet and sitting around the table again. Roommates are finding new games – and finding that they have more time to learn the complicated rules. People are playing board games digitally across thousands of miles, using sites like Board Game Arena, Tabletopia or Tabletop Simulator. A relatively easy setup with a Zoom call and a digital board game can give some much-needed connection in the dark winter months.
As a pastime, board gaming has rarely been considered anything other than a minor hobby or a time-wasting exercise. But when millions engage in a particular activity, it can produce profound empathy between participants.
How can board games do this?
My research reveals that three aspects of board games enable this shared empathy. First, board games are challenging, but not insurmountable. As psychologists and game researchers have shown, when challenged at a skill level, many people report growing emotionally. Games offer challenges that players can succeed at, empowering them in new ways.
Second, board games are inherently social. While there are many solo board games (and board gamers) out there, the vast majority of board games require socialization to work. Cooperative games like Pandemic or Forgotten Island require players to work together to solve problems. Competitive games like Lanterns: The Harvest Festival or Carcassonne engage players in friendly rivalry. Games that are both cooperative and competitive, like Betrayal at House on the Hill, offer something for everyone.
And besides, playing games with others gives people something to talk about.
Additionally, board games can transport someone outside themselves. All media allow people to imagine themselves elsewhere. Contemporary board games often have deep themes that function like the best television shows – from the strange new worlds of “Star Trek” to the friendly, small-town charm of “Gilmore Girls,” TV can take people to new worlds and allow them to experience life from a different perspective. Just as fans become deeply invested in these worlds, so, too, do board gamers find themselves taken outside themselves for a few hours.
During this lockdown, it is more important than ever to examine new ways for people to feel socially connected. As COVID-19 surges across the country and we enter the holiday season, communities are enacting restrictions, and officials are urging caution regarding in-person holiday gatherings.
But – like Beth Harmon in “The Queen’s Gambit” – anyone can thrive as they play.