A few nights ago, a small group of my closest friends and I made a crucial choice.
We decided that instead of going out downtown on a chilly Saturday night and spending way too much money on bar covers and poorly made vodka sodas, we would, instead, choose to stay in and play the classic German board game Catan.
Now, some may call me lame, old โ despite only being 21 โ or lazy because of my friend groupโs decision. But regardless of what the critics may think, that night was one of the most fun evenings I have had in college. Between the fun banter, relaxed environment, and exciting gameplay, I had a blast.
And upon reflection and research, I feel that more young Americans should hop on the already booming trend of playing board or tabletop games in an attempt to reestablish in-person communities and help improve their own cognitive and strategic skills.
The global board games market is expected to reach over $39.99 billion by 2028, boosting overall profit percentages by almost a quarter. This estimate can be attributed to factors like innovation within the board games market, the increasing number of businesses promoting the practice of playing board games directly โ i.e. board game cafes โ and the increased value of in-person entertainment following the pandemic.
Due to these factors, more people have recently been gravitating toward tabletop games than in the past, and therefore, college kids should join the cause before itโs too late.
Zachary Horton, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburghโs Department of Film and Media Studies and an avid board games connoisseur and researcher, claims the recent rise in popularity of board games could be partially attributed to the rise in social media.
In a statement made to PittWire, Horton said, โThereโs no way to prove exactly why, but the trend is clear that the rise of board games matches the rise of social media. In the late 2000s onward, thereโs been an enormous resurgence. And the past five years, itโs been blowing up exponentially.โ
Horton believes this correlation is due to people questioning modern digital media and wanting to return to the space of tangible experiences.
Because of this, there is no better time to put down the controller and dust off Candyland.
Fourth-year business major at the University of Iowa and avid board game enthusiast Devin Vorthmann echoed this sentiment.
โ[Board games] are just a good way for friends to hang out and do a fun activity that they normally wouldnโt do,โ Vorthmann said. โThey are a classic way to keep both your mind occupied and your friendships strong.โ
Since 2020 and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in recent years, many have yearned for the opportunity to build more tangible communities through face-to-face social interactions and friendly competitions after being strictly online. This has allowed the board game community to become a haven for young adults to rebuild friendships and have witty in-person interactions regularly.
Moreover, board games have also been known to have positive effects on cognitive function and mental strength in both young adults and the elderly.
As reported by the Journal of Musculoskeletal Surgery and Research, โboard games are a useful tool that can enhance participantsโ comprehension, motivation, and cognitive performance. In a study conducted by Panphunpho et al., individuals who played board games showed improvement in cognitive processes (executive functions, memory, and attention) compared to the control group.โ
This fun factoid is crucial when dealing with a generation that already has an attention deficit problem with the average 18-25-year-old only being able to focus on one thing for around eight and a half seconds. Therefore, through longer and more intense gameplay, players are more likely to be able to focus long-term on projects outside of the world of tabletop performance.
All these factors can help play a pivotal role in reinserting young adults into the board games sphere. And if students are willing to put in the time and effort, I am confident many will reap the benefits of stronger friendships and a sharper mind.