It’s easy to see why this would have widespread appeal in the toxic, deeply divided political climate of the US—under a president obsessed with the concept of winning, who champions the view that inequalities are the result of individual moral failing. Indeed, board games have a history of engaging directly with the question of how social structures influence outcomes. The original version of Monopoly was designed as a liberal critique of capitalism.
Another significant feature of board games is that they require several people to sit down in the same room together and concentrate on a shared experience in real time. That is becoming increasingly rare in a world in which we often see our friends and loved ones more on social media than in real life. A recent Atlantic story outlined the sharp rise in teen isolation as an entire generation sits in their rooms, glued to their smartphones, interacting via app. They report higher levels of depression and anxiety than earlier generations, too. [...]
Beyond Gen Con, adults around the world seem to be increasingly interested in making board games a standard leisure activity for grownups. Sales of board games are booming in the US and around the world, and board games were the single most-funded item on Kickstarter as of 2016. So-called German or “euro games”—like Settlers of Catan or Carcassonne—are leading the board game renaissance. Such games involve a high degree of analytical strategy and operate on a learning curve, which makes them more satisfying each time you play. The games move along quickly because each turn requires interaction with multiple players; you don’t just sit around and wait for your turn to roll the dice.
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