![]() Hobby games are experiencing the “biggest explosion” right now, said Horton. So much of the media we consume is virtual or digital, so these are continuing to experience the rise in popularity today,” he said. “People get excited about a thing that has a physical presence. The 2000s saw a big interest in miniatures-games that use mini pieces to set the scene on a tabletop, combined with tactical rules, said Horton. “These are more adult-oriented games with simple rules, but complex decision-making strategies.” Some of the most popular that people may be familiar with, he said, are Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne. The trend of warlike games reappeared in the 1960s through the 1980s, said Horton, and contained complex simulations of historical battles.Īnd in the 1990s, Horton said board games from Germany infiltrated the United States and were extremely popular. They continue to be children and family favorites,” he said.Other popular, mass-market games like Connect Four, Candy Land, Monopoly and Trouble, never lost their popularity, even with the invention of video games and mobile apps, said Horton. Manufacturing was on the rise, and it was inexpensive to produce colorful, nice board games.” Horton added that this marked the release of still-popular games like Clue and Risk. “People had more disposable income, and they were looking for family pastimes. And then in the 20th century, post-World War II, Horton said there was a huge boom in board games due to an economic boom. Later, with the advent of the printing press in 15th century, Horton said games became more colorful and narrative based. War games involve tactically moving pieces around-like Chess or Go. “Race games have a lot of luck involved, like you’re racing to the finish. “Ancient games typically fall into one of two categories: race games and war games,” said Horton. Check out this February 2020 BBC article that details what went down, and how the game finally came to an end. He said that the first games recorded in history appeared about five thousand years ago in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.Īccording to a 1961 Pitt News article, the longest game of monopoly was played at Pitt-and lasted a whole five days. ![]() Horton said that board games have been popular for thousands of years around the world-and never truly lost popularity. “This is demonstrated by the rise of hybrid games that use an app as well as a physical board, as well as digital versions of board games like that can be played online,” he said. For most people, it is about social connection and physical interaction-something social media can’t provide,” added Priore, who also founded the nonprofit organization The Queen’s Gambit Chess Institute.īut Horton also stressed the digital and analog aren’t necessarily at odds. “They are cross-generational, unlike digital media, at least for now. “The board game, be it Monopoly or chess, represents something that everyone can take part in, said Ashley Priore, a second-year Dietrich School student majoring in English Literature and political science. “People crave that social connection-which makes this genre completely different than video games.” People are looking for more engaged and social activities as they become more isolated by technology,” said Horton. “The interest in board games is a retaliation against the ubiquity of digital media. It’s the juxtaposition between the digital and the analog that makes this a bit of a rebellion, said Horton. And the past five years, it’s been blowing up exponentially,” said Horton, who also directs Pitt’s Vibrant Media Lab. ![]() In the late 2000s onward, there’s been an enormous resurgence. “There’s no way to prove exactly why, but the trend is clear that the rise of board games matches the rise of social media. ![]() So, why has the popularity sky-rocketed? Horton tracks the resurgence to the rise of social media and smart phones. “Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, people are playing board games with each other remotely during stay-at-home orders. ![]() “It’s a way to release some of the stress from academic research and teaching for sure,” said Horton with a laugh. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |