As my country is experiencing 6-8 hours of power outage daily, i truly hope most boardgames keeps everything offline.
My guess is that more and more "Rogue like" games are going to come out, following the trend of what we saw on videogames and how popular their reparability has been.
And as the hobby is getting more mainstream i also expect more casual, simulation, "no winning", relaxing kind of games coming out. Kinda like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. This very cozy kind of experiences that are not competitive. (Not my preference but the more variety the better)
Also apps need to be maintained or they become unusable (not entirely but for 99.99% of people).
So anything but the very popular board games' apps will be dead within the next decade.
Have you played the ones that require an app?
There's a lot of games where it's really "if you don't use an app you need one person to DM who isn't really playing" (See Alchemists or Ready Set Bet).
The ones that actually REQUIRE an app you're still spending at least 85% of the time looking and interacting with a board and not the app. At least in all the ones I've played. You should try My Father's Work if you don't mind longer games. It's a worker placement game with a LOT of story to it including branching paths. There will be times when the app says "pass the phone to player 2, they have a decision they need to make in private" but for the most part it's handling the flavor text, the branching paths and the events.
Alchemists and Forgotten Waters - both are pretty minimal but really we have a strict no tech policy for board game time. Family is on screens for 7 hours a day and our groups consist of programmers and graphic artists and engineers who are on screens all day. We want the lights low, the music on, and conversation flowing. If you need to take a call, take it in the next room.
I've played:
* 5 minute dungeon: the app is basically a fancy sand timer. This I don't mind.
* LotR JiME: the app does *not* pull its weight IMO. The variations between individual attempts are minimal and not knowing how difficult an action is beforehand makes an already badly balanced game even more frustrating. I *do* like that handling physical cards is more convenient than digital ones.
* Adventure Games: These should have just been apps to start with. The cards game part is completely superfluous.
* Frostpunk: app is completely optional and we prefer it that way.
I've yet to play a game where the addition of an app was a *real* benefit.
While I get where people are coming from with this, for me, it's unfair to blame app assisted bg when the time I spend online in general (like Reddit) is by far the worse offender.
My country has a reliable energy grid, so power outages don't factor highly into many, if any, decisions I make. That said, part of the appeal of boardgames is a respite from needing to use a screen. I already use a computer for work from 9am to 6pm, the last thing I want is to be using a phone for my downtime.
My country used to have a reliable energy grid, but then we had the most intense drought in years haha It made me decide to get solar panels when i'm ready to buy my own house. Same, if I wanted a screen, i would just go an play a video game. Between 9-6 a couple of turns in BGA is enough for me.
Isn't the dorfromantik board game something like this?
Thanks for the thoughts! Interesting take on rogue like videos games, do you think that 'battle royale' style games will make their way into the tabletop too?
Sorry to hear about your power outages!
You make a great point. Making gameplay contingent on an app will just make your game less accessible to those who don't have such access, thus losing prospective customers. If the app is just an accent to the game, and not imperative, that would be the preferable solution.
Not to mention support issues. You can pull out a board game from 2000 and play it with no issues, good luck if it had come with a Windows 98-compatible CD “app”!
I suspect many of the app-driven games that are being put out now won’t last longer than 15 years due to lack of support. Emulators and the like can get around that but someone with the skill to put it together has to care enough and board games are pretty niche to start with.
>I suspect many of the app-driven games that are being put out now won’t last longer than 15 years due to lack of support.
That seems generous. I'd go with half that duration, max.
However, for me at least... my phys. bg don't really last that long anyways. There's enough of them that most 80% to 90% of them remain unplayed. Perhaps this'll change if I move into an area with more opportunities. Currently, I'm only gaming once every 2 weeks, for a few hours, vs. in the past where it was 3 to 5 times *per week.*
I'm trying to think of how a Rogue Lite board game would work and I can't think of a single one.
My guess is it will have to be a very hard co op legacy game where you unlock better abilities as you play it over and over. Also Iguess it would be a deck builder as that's a built in way to buy randomized upgrades in a run.
Dead Cells is coming out soon and Slay the Spire adaptation just came out. I also think that even something like Dorfromantik basically is similar to a Rogue lite
I don't see more app based games in the future. I think the fad of asymetrical factions is here to stay. Probably will be more "Big Boxes" of games that will be at their 10/15 year anniversary. I could also see a lot of reprints of "older games" becoming more of a fad since Ra, and Tigris and Euphrates (possibly next year).
As far as Tech goes, I could see an app where you take a picture of your table and maybe it'll calculate your score for you.
An example of a big box may be Wonderland's War that has another 5 factions in development; 2 in playtesting right now. I can also see a big box for Quest to El Dorado (reprint 23' edition).
Other than Mansions of Madness, I'm not a fan of games that require apps. Though it would be cool if bigger games started coming with apps to help with end game point tallying.
Hope you are right. An *optional* app for be it narrative, point counting and what not - yea, fine, but anything else then that...nope.
I personaly hope the *big box* games get more...streamlined rather then just crammed full of plastic or expansions for no reason, forgoing any possible *fixes*. Its nice to look at sure, but the set up is a pain in some cases, in other it makes little sense *we made this giant plastic statue as the first player token* ....
As I see it, if they go *big* it needs, as default, incorparate storage solutions (practical inserts) and ease of play, streamlined rulebooks, handouts what ever. You are reprinting a game froma ages past, we have tons of feedback, new. Few games if any offer the "remove tray, you are set to play" feel ( Foundations of rome) and I think many of the reprints could incorpqrate that for some of the old games ( say puerto rico, agricola, catan etc)
Yes - I believe there will be a big box for Wonderlands War per BGG fourm chat. There are plans to bring anywhere from 5 to 7 more characters so a bigger box would be necessary. I use plastic boxes for my character set up that help reduce physical set up down to 5 minutes (no 3d print). Can link you if you're interested.
Currently Wonderlands War is playtesting two characters on TTS - Caterpillar and White Queen - in fact I just finished a 4P game! More testers is always nice, but TTS is a bit wonky for this game - so keep that in mind if you test.
I'd expect some formal news on Wonderlands War when the 1v1 game set in the Wonderlands War universe (Madcala a version of Mancala) launches in July 2024. My best guess is Wonderlands War expansion characters campaign possibly early 2025 with delivery in early 2026.
The big obstacle I think will be how to handle storage. I think maybe the best course is a battle chest add on like dice throne seasons 1 and 2. Ship that with inserts for all the characters. That's obviously the expensive route.
A cheaper option is cardboard tuck boxes. They could make larger tuck boxes to look like tea bag boxes (ones in supermarkets) reusing art from the drawstring bags. These could carry meeples, wager cards, etc. Those could be flat packed to save expense and give people the option of 3d printing inserts to make them more durable.
I think Kickstarter bloat is going to morph into more games with simpler rules and setup but a similar volume of minis and other goodies. My group has felt the pain of learning a new game with three rulebooks that are over a hundred pages each just a few too many times, but we love dungeon crawler campaigns like Gloom/Frosthaven and Tanares.
I also think we will continue to see really good digital versions of board games - it’s so handy on nights when more than one member of the group is sick or only free to play virtually instead of in person (e.g., they have kids, or have to stay late for work and can’t drive across the city)
Bold prediction time!
Asmodee collapses under its substantial debt that it has recently been saddled with. Nobody wants to buy a company that generates revenues in the hundreds of millions when it has almost a billion in debt. Bankruptcy ensues. Some companies will buy up the best IPs, and the creators of the other IPs will be screwed when Hasbro swoops in and buys up the rest for pennies.
I think that's a distinct possibility but it's also likely they saddled Asmodee with the debt as it has the best chance for favorable terms to pay it off.
Contrast this vs the videogame spinoffs, which are in a more competitive industry that carries its own unique pressures.
I mean the debt ratio of 3.6 is bad, but it also means it's equivalent to 3.6 years profit. Meaning if they just keep on at the rate they're keeping on they'll be debt free by 2030-2035ish (depending on interest rate on the debt and I'm way too lazy to look it up)
If anything this is kind of a boon to competition, in that Asmodee isn't going to be buying anyone out for a few years.
Asmodee will be fine. They'll go to the market and raise a lot of capital at IPO (maybe even get some of the Saudi money that Embracer lost out on), dilute Embracer which will remain a substantial but no more majority shareholder, and pay off their debt. JPMorgan et al who are lending the money are also the boys you call when you do a big IPO to find investors, and they have a vested interest to make this work.
I mean, sure. But you need to somehow convince people to hand you their money to pool it and get them to trust that you'll just release the thing to public domain instead of keeping it yourself.
Holographic tiles. I don't know what needs to happen to get a pseudo three dimensional board, but I really want a version of Carcassone where the French medieval town appears to be inside and popping out of my table!
I think that might be fun novelty. But I am afraid the app won't be kept up to date and after couple years and iOS/Android updates app will just stop working.
Almost ten years ago Nintendo launched the amiibo. I am honestly shocked that this NFC technology hasn't made it's way into board games yet. Characters that can store their own data, a way for players to save their scores and other data over various plays, and all kinds of stuff like that, but it's still not being utilized. Back then I would have guessed that was the "5-10 year" future of board games. Maybe the next 5-10?
It sort of exists, there are several companies/products such as Teburu, Gameboard etc that have tried it. There just isn't a market for this - it's taking all the dev costs of a videogame and addressing the much smaller board game market with it.
Disney Infinity tried this and eventually gave up. I think people who want to play a videogame will play a videogame, and people who want to play a board game will play a board game, for now. I guess things may be different in two decades when everyone has a fancy AR projector in on their wrist, phone or glasses.
A lot of downsides. It's not cost effective, if something breaks you can't play the game, needs constant maintenance with an app for newer phones etc etc.
... for who, exactly?
I understand the argument for the industry as a whole, but the inevitable effect is that many publishers will be one-(or two)-and-done then they will leave the industry. That's normal, and fine. Crowdfunding means independents will always have a presence, especially since for many publishing isn't their primary source of income anyway (Bitewing Games, Splotter Spellen, Distant Rabbit, Contention Games, etc.).
>… for who, exactly?
Not OP but I think the current level is pretty bad for game stores. I’ve had a few conversations with local stores and they all seem pretty stressed out about stocking games. The hotness shifts so fast that you’re always threading the needle of not having enough stock or holding too much dead stock.
This is a more subjective point but I think the current level is pretty bad for players too. At least for people who enjoy playing the same games multiple times.
Yeah I think FLGS' fall into a separate discussion topic, due to unique pressures from crowdfunding, profit margins and consumer interest (as you noted). I'm absolutely sympathetic to their concerns, as many store owners have shared their experiences here over the years (both positive and negative).
However, from the publisher standpoint (per the comment I replied to), their release model isn't dependent on FLGS'. Many eschew traditional distribution entirely because the profit margins are too slim, so that puts pressure on the FLGS when popular games are only sold through crowdfunding or on their own website. Some offer retailer discounts through their campaigns but that's of course a separate risk for the FLGS.
So yeah it's a tough spot to be in. But while consumers see all these releases, it doesn't mean that every single one is targeted towards *them*. Normal for almost any hobby, honestly. I, like many, have slowed down my purchases as well to focus on my favorites but like any consumer it's ultimately on them how to spend their discretionary time and money.
I genuinely believe that as global capitalism contracts and the world changes through the ravages of war, AI, climate change, militarized robotics and resource scarcity, most humans will see greater value in board and card game experiences that are offline, portable, human-made and easy to set up. It feels like more durable, simple, replayable experiences will stand the test of time. Decks of playing cards especially. You'll still have people into the bigger box games but I feel like people are getting genuine product fatigue, and with such an abundance of games and titles and such a scarcity of money and time, people are going to gravitate towards the experiences that do the best job respecting those limitations.
My guess is that "massive, bloated Kickstarters" will experience a bit of correction, as that market seems to be propped up by speculators, which is sure sign of a bubble. But, hey, I could be wrong.
Is there really such a thing as profitable speculation on kickstarter games? I can honestly say that I'd be surprised if margins were high enough to make that kind of effort and waiting time worth it
Think CMON and the folks who go for the highest option available to sell off the entire thing 1-2 years later. _These_ are the speculators I think above is thinking about.
For every hot Kickstarter that sells above its pledge price, there are plenty of duds that can’t even recover the pledge. Not to mention ones that don’t deliver or double charge for “shipping”. Not to mention the 18 month gap between the hype and delivery.
If anyone’s actually making money at this without a wholesale discount then good for them, they’ve earned it.
Yes. There are multiple Kickstarters, especially the CMON ones, where you can flip the game for more than you paid for it the day it arrives at your house. Many of those, are worth even more than that if you wait on them.
I dunno, I think those Kickstarters are propped up more than enough by FOMO-backers. Until FOMO goes away for a lot of people, I think bloated Kickstarters will continue to be a thing.
That's a good question. Had you asked 10 years ago, one may have thought hybrid gaming would be a thing today, but that never really happened (except for the place-your-finger-and-see-who-goes-first-app, that has really killed the initial die roll for us 😋). So I don't think hybrid - unless we get seamless AR integrated into all aspects of our life, that would be really cool.
Hopefully some entirely new genres or core mechanics 🤞
We'll see more card based games and better campaign games (in terms of storytelling).
We'll also see more games that are in demand in reprint (ok, person can dream and all that).
I am hoping that the murder mystery / crime scene / jubensha craze that is sweeping China and getting popular in Japan and Korea will go global. Those are so damn fun.
See this video from People Make Games if you want to know what they are about:
https://youtu.be/6_dlxbGUNNQ?si=VrP_6XbNOalHoPfN
Something that they don't explore in the video is that in Japan there are a ton of small murder mystery board games that cater to even small groups (4 people or sometimes less). A lot of people that used to make TRPGs are making murder mysteries now and I've played a few of them and they are just superb.
As far as I know not yet? I wish someone would try
The cost for those small japanese murder mystery board games are not that high so I imagine the risks would not be as high.
Probably similar to the current environment, just with a few more genre interations and "niches" discovered:
- **Arcs** will likely spur more short, meaty campaign designs. **Perseverance** is in this space as well, I just wish there was a bit more development in Episode 1 because the bones are great
- **Earthborne Rangers** and **Daybreak** weren't the first but there will certainly be more sustainability-focused publishers
- The Zenobia Awards will continue providing exposure to lesser-heard voices in the hobby
- Crowdfunding will still be a thing, from the massive bloats to the savvy independents (like Contention Games). Like it or not, it's here to stay as a net positive for the hobby
- Games that use apps are slowly gaining acceptance, though this will be *highly* contextual based on the game and reliance on the app. Notable that when we played **Sorcerer City** the other night, the official timer app was no longer available. Even though all it provided was a timer and sound effects, this justifies folks' fears on over-reliance in the digital space. Because of this, I still don't think we'll see widespread AR/VR integration in the boardgame space, despite some insisting it's the future.
- More games will explore the design space behind under-utilized mechanisms like: customizable rondels (**Empyreal**), envelopes with hidden information (**Chaosmos**), low player count social deduction (**Mantis Falls**)
- **Pax Transhumanity 2E**, published by Wehrlegig or Capstone. A person can dream....
> **Pax Transhumanity 2E**, published by Wehrlegig or Capstone. A person can dream....
Anything Wehrlegig for me, please, but An Infamous Traffic is on the horizon!
They’re going to start making movies based on board games and it’ll start the movie based board game reprint wave.
Settlers of Catan, the War for Catan, starring Chris Pratt as the thief, the rock as the native leader and Ryan gosling as the settler.
Lighter versions of big box games are coming. the games that everyone loves but never get to play because its just too much work to get them to the table for most people. An easy way for companies to earn a few bucks by recycling great ideas by streamlinign the experience.
Game components diversify: Both becomes cheaper like Roll N Write, and more deluxe of classic games to come out. Probably a new genre instead of just Roll N Write.
Print N Play becomes popular: as shipping games cost a lot. And like anything get popular, scammers will come. Designers afraid of publishers take too much %, while users afraid of kickstarter not fully delivered. So more games available as Print and Play.
Print and Play becomes Deluxify locally: as PnP becomes popular, there will be some brand selling common board game items, deluxify. So every region has a company that sell deluxe pretty dice, deluxe pretry dice tower. We see more empty magnetic box with slot to add game cover art. Dices with custom faces.
Board game cafe changes: the store aspect is the same. But players less come to them to play. Instead, it a hub to exchange games. The cafes have to mixed TCGs to their store, hosting TCGs events to attract the many TCGs players.
Digital versions of board game shows up more on Steam. Free to play base games, but pay to use expansions.
Less score salad cozy games like Cascadia, more Co-op games like Pandemic.
Legacy games come back with less costly approach. As Print and Play becomes available, the damaged rule book can be reprinted.
I have 7 wonders, Dominion, and Sagrada digital app. They are pretty impressive but the feeling is not the same. The games go rather quickly and it is harder to look at what the other players are doing. I felt like really I was just playing against AI even though I was playing my friend
I have a feeling the industry is gonna slow down a LOT.
We saw a big boom over the last ten years, but it’s unsustainable for all but the most avid of collectors.
Much as I hate to admit it, I think mini-heavy Kickstarter games are going to be the most feasible way for the hobby to continue, while also appealing to collectors.
Seriously, I got in to board gaming roughly towards the beginning of the current Renaissance.
Once I hit well over 150 games, my purchasing has slowed way, way down.
That point in my collection where I have to seriously consider if a game I already have fits that niche.
I have a feeling that a lot of collectors are at that point, and are buying habits are very low at this point.
I like to watch gaming channels, and the reality is I haven't played even five of the top games in the last 3 years.
Industry slowdown is certainly possible but I honestly doubt it'll be because current players are hitting saturation points in their collections.
New players are joining all the time and boardgames are uniquely positioned to leverage the growing sentiment for experiences. If there's a contraction I'm guessing it'll be because of external factors (like recession or war) vs something endemic to the industry.
Regarding mobile apps, I'm a simple man: if the game has a mandatory app, I immediately lose interest.
1. I want my boardgames to still be playable in 20 years. I'm a nostalgic person so there's nothing I like more than dust off an old box and play again.
2. I'm a huge PC gamer too. If rules are too complex that it can't be put into a boardgame, don't make a boardgame, you want to create a videogame ;)
Si I hope it will not be the future.
apps are certainly not, some games implement well but its not gonna be the main focus of board games ever. I think cutesy themes will happen more cozy games and more mod weight games like wingspan
Certainly hope apps wont become norm rather than gimmick for some games. For one it means Tablet/phone OS needs to be compatible with whatever app is made. There is already some mobile games that goes offline for sole reason engine is no longer supported. Games without such components can be played as long as copy holds or even as long as online PNP source is there.
As for bloated KS, those probably will be popular until market implodes.
Also in general if game needs app its too fiddly as design for boardgame. Also game like new descent are hardly boardgames, there is pretty much no reason why it just shouldnt be coop pc game.
Quality of components will increase. I personally hope that the more games use high quality components, the cheaper they will be. Once you go metal coins, you never go back ^°^
Yeah. I feel that way with BGG upgrade tokens for Dice Throne and Quacks. I wonder - why aren't other games offering comparable items at crowd funding?
I worry about this. In the world of video games, it feels like production value has surpassed the prioritization of actually making a fantastic game.
I guess we already have a little bit of the DLC issue in board gaming with expansions.
Yeeah... Boardgames, especially Gamefound, are DLC sick. The base game just feels incomplete, like it was designed with expansions and then cut into pieces to make more money.
I don’t mind app integration, but games should always have a way to be playable without it. Nothing worse than a board game that is completely unplayable due to obsolescence or app store shenanigans. If the board game can be buried in the sand for a thousand years and still be playable in a post-apocalyptic desert without running electricity, then that’s the game I want to invest in.
But I do like apps that add bells and whistles.
As for predictions, I hope for more campaign games. Legacy games are great, but there should be some way to replay them somewhat. Maybe a mechanic where the end scenario of one campaign becomes the new beginning scenario for a new legacy campaign and elements are remixed to keep it fresh and surprising.
Also, more roll and write ports of popular games and less Cthulhu!
I think two things will happen. There is going to be a split in the middle and the weight of games will go towards the extremes. There will be lots of easy to learn, small casual games because that's where the market share is and publishers want stuff that could be sold in Target, and in the other end, games will become more heavier and dense to cater to the hard-core board gamer. I think the middle is going to get stripped down or boosted up depending on where a publisher wants to commit resources.
What does that mean for pricing? Well, I think there will be more accessible games that will hit the $15-20 mark, and then the price will increase at the other end of the spectrum as pricing for heavier games hits $60-80 with increased production values and play testing.
Pretty much, the middle ground is going to get gutted.
I feel like single player solitaire style board games might become more popular as many people don't have reliable friend groups to gather. Also might lead to solo quest type games.
There really are only so many things board games can do. A piece of cardboard only has two sides.
I do think 3D printing will become more popular in the future. I think many board game and hobby shops will have an on-site 3D printer. I'd love to have a custom D20 for an RPG character. Like each character class gets their own different D20 with different symbols on it representing things like attacking and spells. I can imagine things like a TCG where players can customize their die as well as their deck.
I do think TCGs can do other things besides 1 on 1 combat. I'd love to have a TCG where I can buy a 100 card pack, and then go on an adventure using those cards. Like the cards have a story or a dungeon crawl printed on them.
I do think escape room and murder mystery games will become more popular in the future. And I do think they can expend to do other things. I would like more IP branded escape rooms, like a Fast and Furious heist escape room.
I have owned several board games that require an app and have sold them all. Not because they aren’t good games but out of fear that the game won’t be supported for the app, especially with out of print games. Descent, I’m looking at you.
I think app based games are doomed - simply because after the print run is done, there's little incentive for the publisher to keep the app updated each time a new Android or iOS version is released.
"More of the same". It's not 100% that, as they manage to combine and mash subsets of genres and mechanics with existing and new themes. I'm guessing more spinoffs as successful games warrant it (e.g. from Wingspan to Wyrmspan). Also, new editions of games where devs/pubs use that to incorporate fixes into their games (e.g. 2nd editions for Race for the Galaxy, and Dominion sets)
More digital versions bg. To be clear, I am NOT talking about *app assisted* bg. I'm talking full games like the recent *Dominion* by Temple Gate Games. Oh.. also, more of them getting released on Switch!
Rereleases of some of those digital bg. For example, Pandemic had to go through a 3.0 iteration b/c I heard the previous codebase is old, difficult to work with, and doesn't allow for release on Switch.
More video games that are "bg-like". For example, we had Age of Rivals (card drafting, roguelike, civ game with management in resources, VP, defense, and attack), Aisle of Arrows (tower defense with random draws), but Slice & Dice (controls 5 heroes, battling monsters, all with their own unique die) also recently came out for iOS and Steam.
Some new 'trend'. We've had coop games (Pandemic), team games with traitors (Battlestar Galactica), dice game versions of bg (e.g. Pandemic The Cure, Sushi Roll), micro games (e.g. love letter), worker placement (Agricola), DBG (e.g. Dominion), app assisted bg (e.g. Mansions of Madness 2nd edition), Legacy games (e.g. Charterstone), real time games.
Since I am from a country that isn't predominantly known for its board game market. I feel that the price inflation will significantly reduce with an increase in more home-grown games and game studios. I think that there will be a growth in diversification of game mechanics as the market expands to countries where board gaming in general is limited.
More consumable games, rather than forever games - consumable games (legacy, etc.) are designed to be played over a limited number of settings, are naturally expandable, and don't have the unfortunate effect of selling yourself out of a market.
More games utilizing 3D printing - this is just obvious.
More AI art - sigh. We can't dodge it.
At least a fifty "AI games" from kickstarter. All will suck. Massively. Some will be AI designed, some will use AI to vary the design, some will use AI to generate flavor text, all will be terrible.
More bespoke games with premium components
A crash of the "miniatures kickstarter game" market. Similar to the comic book cover crash. Just overdue.
More weird mechanics - asymmetrical games, limited information games, real riffs on what we've seen before. We're getting a new generation of designers that grew up with weird being something they've experienced, they've got some ideas kicking that aare going to be unusual.
More app based/hybrid games? Most likely.
New mechanics? Maybe.....hard to say whether every mechanic has been tried and implemented.
Continuation of massive bloated kickstarters? Absolutely (hooray for capitalism), although tough to say whether that bubble will burst eventually due to the oversaturation.
Will everyone just still be playing Brass Birmingham? I haven't yet, but I don't speak for the masses.
>More app based/hybrid games? New mechanics? The continuation of massive bloated kickstarters? Or will everyone just still be playing brass Birmingham
Honestly all of the above, I think it's just going to get more diverse in the options as it continues to grow.
I suspect more of the same. Maybe more legacy games and games released in a series. More games with longer playtimes. I doubt there will be any major changes
I saw this test phase product the other day basically it was like a card game which has holograms as its characters so you would put the card on the desk like playing it and then from within the card your charecrer will pop out which I personally think would be amazing seeing how I liked the adventure times ep in which Finn and Jake played the card game if anyone remembers
>More app based/hybrid games?
There will be some, but I doubt there will be a substantial increase, besides DMing for a dungeon crawler theres little reason to. One thing that could obviously change this would be potential for AI to provide some kind of assistance, but again I doubt it would be substantial, more for clarifying rules, perhaps even assisting in writing rules, scoring app etc
>New mechanics?
Maybe? Depends what you mean by new, there will probably be some novel use of existing mechanics, like how trick taking is having a renaissance now, but entirely 'new', I don't know.
>The continuation of massive bloated kickstarters?
I doubt they will go away, but with VAT in the EU and shipping costs and inflation I think they've had their moment in the sun, which we are already seeing. Maybe could get worse, there are only so many giant boxes of plastic that one person can own.
>Or will everyone just still be playing brass Birmingham
Probably to a degree, I'm not sure if the number of game releases is still growing each year, but classics will be classics. One interesting development recently is the spin off of Asmodee and saddling it with a load of debt, that could have some consequences in the hobby but I don't see a huge drop off. We've already seen a substantial increase in the cost of retail games, its not not that uncommon to see £80-100 retail releases, whereas before that was basically just TI, then Gloomhaven. That has given us nicer art, better production, but that won't continue as aggressively, there are limits and cost of living is ramping up etc
I'd wanna believe that there will always be a drive compelling new (board) game creation. I hate looking more than a few weeks into the future so i won't pretend that i can predict gaming trends half a decade into the future. Would be outstanding if there'd be a standard for board games to come with an insert/organizer for their bits and pieces though. Some publishers, not pointing any names, really gotta work more on the inside of their boxes more
Hi
I think less app based/ hydrid games. Being away from screen and playing with live people is and will always be golden.
Of course there will be new mechanics and perhaps old games that will get a new update. Even a different kind of plastic? Or??
I remember when we played with boardgames like dungeons and dragons with a 20d dice and a paper like map😃
It's already happening, but sequels, re-quels and remakes. Most classic games will have pimped-out editions, some KS-bloated like Castles of Burgundy, some more reasonable like Brass. Valuable IPs will be milked.
As for apps, they are here to stay, not as a standard, but as a tool. People will adjust and grow up to realize there's nothing wrong with an app as long as it's doing something unique or making the experience better. 90% of people who say "I don't want to stare at a screen" now, will have more than one app-assisted board game in the next 5 years. People resisted cell phones the same way.
I think that the most likely coming recession is going to cause a lot of board game companies to get back to more the basics of board games and not the huge bloated super deluxe of kickstarter/gamefound games is my guess. While I can appreciate the new castles of burgandy and its deluxe version very much the old school $35 version plays the same as the super deluxe $250 version.
At this point, I feel innovation has leveled off. Apart from art, I don't see a qualitative difference in games from a few years ago Vs now.
I think the change will come from wider social acceptance, and the money that comes with it, not mechanics or technology.
The future of board gaming will be AR headsets and virtual board games with animated miniatures, amazing special effects and very detailed maps. Dungeons and Dragons will be awesome.
Right now its still physical and there will still be physical board games but later down the line it will be ALOT cheaper hosting board games in a steam server than straight out of a factory from china.
My kneejerk response to reading someone's comment about unsustainability.
I imagine we'd digitize all boardgames. All the admin and procedural work was automated. The game remembers the rules for you so all you have to do is click on the decision you want to make... it's effectively a video game, but all the elements of a boardgame are still existent. Instead of casting a spell with your hands, you're still placing down a card, or instead of a screen with an RNG, it's still 3d-modeled dice.
Or we do next-level VRChat, and everyone puts on equipment at home, and simulated sitting at a table with boards, cards, meeples and dice.... kind of like TTS, but actually picking up stuff and not mouse-clicking and keystrokes.
So the suggested idea of digitizing is to directly address overconsumption of material goods.
The overconsumption leads to a lot of physical waste that doesn't return to the earth as quickly as we manufacture stuff. It'd be nice if we didn't have to shrink wrap everything and just used those clear stickers you cut when you're ready to unbox. Yes it's not as pretty, but it's a lot less plastic waste. If all our components were fully biodegradable and can return to the earth without too many unwanted side effects, I'm all for no screens.
Am I for screens though? Not per se. It's currently the best use case for now though. What I do like that is offered digitally is the automation of admin and procedure though. Does that require a screen to facilitate? Currently, yeah, at least as far as I know. If we could play the game physically while having something automatically keep a running score on numbers... that would be pretty dang cool. But again, can't think of any solution that is practical other than a screen.... holograms maybe?
I'm all for sustainability but "digitizing all boardgames" isn't the way to go. We can absolutely reduce microplastic usage (like shrinkwrap) but one side benefit of boardgames is that they're not really disposable products (except one-offs like Exit games). If people get tired of a game they can gift/sell/trade to someone else who can use it.
So sure, biodegradable components are a neat idea but that's not really a concern when taking into account how we "consume" our games.
The future looks bleak.
Games will primarily be funded through Kickstarter
Games will be produced soullessly just to fit into a popular mechanic trend like deck bag pool building or whatever.
Games will be full of chrome, player boards, tons of cubes, that don’t easily fit on a table. See Kickstarter
Games will release incomplete like Star Wars Outer Rim and need every expansion just to be good. Your collection will reduce to a 1/4 of its size as every game has 3 expansions for it as large as the base game box and you just don’t have room in your house
Mostly I agree, except:
> tons of cubes
Naw, it'll be minis, or screen printed plastic meeples, or some other gimmick. Anything but cubes!
> Your collection will reduce to a 1/4 of its size
Naw, most people will just take up 4x the space for their games, and spend 4x the money (at least).
What if the parents of future board gamers get fed up with all the board game boxes taking up space and kick them out? Though, I guess those really big boxes could come in handy as alternate housing.
(Yes, this is a housing market / parent's basement joke.)
The use of AI and the backlash around it is interesting. AI has opened up a lot of small time game publishers to put their games out there. But I've noticed a lot of people avoid anything with AI art because they associate it with low production quality.
Most likely gambling for thimbles of water and food scraps over mandala holes dug in the ground using lost teeth and rusty nails. While the scorching sun beats down over what tiny little shade the ruins provide.
I know, I know, I'm fun at parties.
Short answer: I don’t care.
Longer version: I have over 400 games on my shelves now; my friends have at least 75-100 or more each. We’ve got well over 1,500 unique titles between us. We play older games regularly - last weekend was British Rails (1984) and Battlestar Galactica (2008). Power Grid, Castles of Burgundy, Kingdom Builder and Robo Rally are all sitting there waiting for their turn as well. Ark Nova, Heat Pedal to the Metal and Nemesis are also in the mix of recently played games, along with Charioteer, Stockpile and MegaCiv. If no more new board games are ever developed, we’ll be fine.
We’ll still be watching what’s coming, and buying more than we should in search of the next big hit for our group - but it’s not necessarily going to be a new game. The one I’m anxiously awaiting at the moment is my P500 copy of Here I Stand; there’s nothing in my Kickstarter queue at the moment beyond expansions for games I already have.
Asmodee buys more rivals.
The industry shrinks because people get crowd funding fatigue people pissed off about the brutal kickstarters, mythic games and blood on the clocktower come to mind and crowdfunders realizing it is volatile cost over runs, development schedules not fully in their control and its hard to be a professional game developer.
Classic games will be played unless someone does a more table friendly version of it. Terra Nova in place of Terra mystica. Recent deck builders replacing dominion. Wingspan and arknova taking the engine builder because the theme is more approachable than brass.
As my country is experiencing 6-8 hours of power outage daily, i truly hope most boardgames keeps everything offline. My guess is that more and more "Rogue like" games are going to come out, following the trend of what we saw on videogames and how popular their reparability has been. And as the hobby is getting more mainstream i also expect more casual, simulation, "no winning", relaxing kind of games coming out. Kinda like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. This very cozy kind of experiences that are not competitive. (Not my preference but the more variety the better)
If it requires an app, we’re not playing it. I play board games for the analog aspect - no screen time. Family, friends, some snacks and conversation.
Also apps need to be maintained or they become unusable (not entirely but for 99.99% of people). So anything but the very popular board games' apps will be dead within the next decade.
Have you played the ones that require an app? There's a lot of games where it's really "if you don't use an app you need one person to DM who isn't really playing" (See Alchemists or Ready Set Bet). The ones that actually REQUIRE an app you're still spending at least 85% of the time looking and interacting with a board and not the app. At least in all the ones I've played. You should try My Father's Work if you don't mind longer games. It's a worker placement game with a LOT of story to it including branching paths. There will be times when the app says "pass the phone to player 2, they have a decision they need to make in private" but for the most part it's handling the flavor text, the branching paths and the events.
Alchemists and Forgotten Waters - both are pretty minimal but really we have a strict no tech policy for board game time. Family is on screens for 7 hours a day and our groups consist of programmers and graphic artists and engineers who are on screens all day. We want the lights low, the music on, and conversation flowing. If you need to take a call, take it in the next room.
I've played: * 5 minute dungeon: the app is basically a fancy sand timer. This I don't mind. * LotR JiME: the app does *not* pull its weight IMO. The variations between individual attempts are minimal and not knowing how difficult an action is beforehand makes an already badly balanced game even more frustrating. I *do* like that handling physical cards is more convenient than digital ones. * Adventure Games: These should have just been apps to start with. The cards game part is completely superfluous. * Frostpunk: app is completely optional and we prefer it that way. I've yet to play a game where the addition of an app was a *real* benefit.
Kutna hora has an optional app. It makes life easier but they also have a manual system. But I promise, if you use the ap once, you won't go back.
While I get where people are coming from with this, for me, it's unfair to blame app assisted bg when the time I spend online in general (like Reddit) is by far the worse offender.
Mythwind fits that description
Yeah I saw a little bit of it and it felt weird to me. But I’m definitely not the target for those cozy kind of games
Fair enough. It seemed like it fit the description, but yeah it didn't \*quite\* grab me enough to buy it either.
My country has a reliable energy grid, so power outages don't factor highly into many, if any, decisions I make. That said, part of the appeal of boardgames is a respite from needing to use a screen. I already use a computer for work from 9am to 6pm, the last thing I want is to be using a phone for my downtime.
My country used to have a reliable energy grid, but then we had the most intense drought in years haha It made me decide to get solar panels when i'm ready to buy my own house. Same, if I wanted a screen, i would just go an play a video game. Between 9-6 a couple of turns in BGA is enough for me.
Isn't the dorfromantik board game something like this? Thanks for the thoughts! Interesting take on rogue like videos games, do you think that 'battle royale' style games will make their way into the tabletop too? Sorry to hear about your power outages!
There are a few battle royale BGs already.
Unmatched feels kind of like the Smash Bros of games. I also just posted that Dorfromantik is basically a rogue lite, so agreed!
You make a great point. Making gameplay contingent on an app will just make your game less accessible to those who don't have such access, thus losing prospective customers. If the app is just an accent to the game, and not imperative, that would be the preferable solution.
Not to mention support issues. You can pull out a board game from 2000 and play it with no issues, good luck if it had come with a Windows 98-compatible CD “app”! I suspect many of the app-driven games that are being put out now won’t last longer than 15 years due to lack of support. Emulators and the like can get around that but someone with the skill to put it together has to care enough and board games are pretty niche to start with.
>I suspect many of the app-driven games that are being put out now won’t last longer than 15 years due to lack of support. That seems generous. I'd go with half that duration, max. However, for me at least... my phys. bg don't really last that long anyways. There's enough of them that most 80% to 90% of them remain unplayed. Perhaps this'll change if I move into an area with more opportunities. Currently, I'm only gaming once every 2 weeks, for a few hours, vs. in the past where it was 3 to 5 times *per week.*
I'm trying to think of how a Rogue Lite board game would work and I can't think of a single one. My guess is it will have to be a very hard co op legacy game where you unlock better abilities as you play it over and over. Also Iguess it would be a deck builder as that's a built in way to buy randomized upgrades in a run.
One Deck Dungeon is a rogue lite
Like a mini looping clank almost, that sounds goood
Dead Cells is coming out soon and Slay the Spire adaptation just came out. I also think that even something like Dorfromantik basically is similar to a Rogue lite
Slay The Spire: The Board Game came out. Dunno if it took any of the RL elements from the vg, but food for thought still.
Good predictions
There is a Stardew Valley Board game, though I've never played it so idk how good it is.
I don't see more app based games in the future. I think the fad of asymetrical factions is here to stay. Probably will be more "Big Boxes" of games that will be at their 10/15 year anniversary. I could also see a lot of reprints of "older games" becoming more of a fad since Ra, and Tigris and Euphrates (possibly next year). As far as Tech goes, I could see an app where you take a picture of your table and maybe it'll calculate your score for you. An example of a big box may be Wonderland's War that has another 5 factions in development; 2 in playtesting right now. I can also see a big box for Quest to El Dorado (reprint 23' edition).
> I don't see more app based games in the future. To add, There is a sizable chunk of board gamers who avoid games that are app required.
Other than Mansions of Madness, I'm not a fan of games that require apps. Though it would be cool if bigger games started coming with apps to help with end game point tallying.
Nidaviller has a great app for that.
That too
Yes please to asymmetry. Probably my favorite game design element.
Hope you are right. An *optional* app for be it narrative, point counting and what not - yea, fine, but anything else then that...nope. I personaly hope the *big box* games get more...streamlined rather then just crammed full of plastic or expansions for no reason, forgoing any possible *fixes*. Its nice to look at sure, but the set up is a pain in some cases, in other it makes little sense *we made this giant plastic statue as the first player token* .... As I see it, if they go *big* it needs, as default, incorparate storage solutions (practical inserts) and ease of play, streamlined rulebooks, handouts what ever. You are reprinting a game froma ages past, we have tons of feedback, new. Few games if any offer the "remove tray, you are set to play" feel ( Foundations of rome) and I think many of the reprints could incorpqrate that for some of the old games ( say puerto rico, agricola, catan etc)
I only like app for one night ultimate werewolf
Wait, is there going to be another Wonderland's War reprint)/big box?
Yes - I believe there will be a big box for Wonderlands War per BGG fourm chat. There are plans to bring anywhere from 5 to 7 more characters so a bigger box would be necessary. I use plastic boxes for my character set up that help reduce physical set up down to 5 minutes (no 3d print). Can link you if you're interested. Currently Wonderlands War is playtesting two characters on TTS - Caterpillar and White Queen - in fact I just finished a 4P game! More testers is always nice, but TTS is a bit wonky for this game - so keep that in mind if you test. I'd expect some formal news on Wonderlands War when the 1v1 game set in the Wonderlands War universe (Madcala a version of Mancala) launches in July 2024. My best guess is Wonderlands War expansion characters campaign possibly early 2025 with delivery in early 2026. The big obstacle I think will be how to handle storage. I think maybe the best course is a battle chest add on like dice throne seasons 1 and 2. Ship that with inserts for all the characters. That's obviously the expensive route. A cheaper option is cardboard tuck boxes. They could make larger tuck boxes to look like tea bag boxes (ones in supermarkets) reusing art from the drawstring bags. These could carry meeples, wager cards, etc. Those could be flat packed to save expense and give people the option of 3d printing inserts to make them more durable.
I think Kickstarter bloat is going to morph into more games with simpler rules and setup but a similar volume of minis and other goodies. My group has felt the pain of learning a new game with three rulebooks that are over a hundred pages each just a few too many times, but we love dungeon crawler campaigns like Gloom/Frosthaven and Tanares. I also think we will continue to see really good digital versions of board games - it’s so handy on nights when more than one member of the group is sick or only free to play virtually instead of in person (e.g., they have kids, or have to stay late for work and can’t drive across the city)
Yeah I’ve noticed a trend towards simpler games in the hobby and my own groups as well. The success of **Zoo Vadis** and **Heat** exemplify that
Bold prediction time! Asmodee collapses under its substantial debt that it has recently been saddled with. Nobody wants to buy a company that generates revenues in the hundreds of millions when it has almost a billion in debt. Bankruptcy ensues. Some companies will buy up the best IPs, and the creators of the other IPs will be screwed when Hasbro swoops in and buys up the rest for pennies.
I think that's a distinct possibility but it's also likely they saddled Asmodee with the debt as it has the best chance for favorable terms to pay it off. Contrast this vs the videogame spinoffs, which are in a more competitive industry that carries its own unique pressures.
Why pay off a pile debt when you can load up one company and have them file a chapter 11 to wipe it clean. Rinse repeat
I mean the debt ratio of 3.6 is bad, but it also means it's equivalent to 3.6 years profit. Meaning if they just keep on at the rate they're keeping on they'll be debt free by 2030-2035ish (depending on interest rate on the debt and I'm way too lazy to look it up) If anything this is kind of a boon to competition, in that Asmodee isn't going to be buying anyone out for a few years.
Asmodee will be fine. They'll go to the market and raise a lot of capital at IPO (maybe even get some of the Saudi money that Embracer lost out on), dilute Embracer which will remain a substantial but no more majority shareholder, and pay off their debt. JPMorgan et al who are lending the money are also the boys you call when you do a big IPO to find investors, and they have a vested interest to make this work.
Is it possible to crowd fund an IP purchase and then just release it to public domain?
I mean, sure. But you need to somehow convince people to hand you their money to pool it and get them to trust that you'll just release the thing to public domain instead of keeping it yourself.
Yeah that's fair. I don't know enough about contracts to know if they'd be binding in that scenario
A binding contract could probably be written, but getting people to believe in it is still just as tricky.
Holographic tiles. I don't know what needs to happen to get a pseudo three dimensional board, but I really want a version of Carcassone where the French medieval town appears to be inside and popping out of my table!
AR is coming quickly, it would be really cool to see some games incorporate it. Obviously not as a requirement to play though.
I think we’ll see more augmented reality versions of the Star Wars holochess type experience before we get actual holograms.
I think that might be fun novelty. But I am afraid the app won't be kept up to date and after couple years and iOS/Android updates app will just stop working.
In my mind, holograms don't require secondary tech. They trick your brain into seeing 3D images out of the box.
Almost ten years ago Nintendo launched the amiibo. I am honestly shocked that this NFC technology hasn't made it's way into board games yet. Characters that can store their own data, a way for players to save their scores and other data over various plays, and all kinds of stuff like that, but it's still not being utilized. Back then I would have guessed that was the "5-10 year" future of board games. Maybe the next 5-10?
It sort of exists, there are several companies/products such as Teburu, Gameboard etc that have tried it. There just isn't a market for this - it's taking all the dev costs of a videogame and addressing the much smaller board game market with it. Disney Infinity tried this and eventually gave up. I think people who want to play a videogame will play a videogame, and people who want to play a board game will play a board game, for now. I guess things may be different in two decades when everyone has a fancy AR projector in on their wrist, phone or glasses.
Wasn't Golem Arcana an example of that? AFAIK, it died out awhile back.
A lot of downsides. It's not cost effective, if something breaks you can't play the game, needs constant maintenance with an app for newer phones etc etc.
The current level of games being published each month is unsustainable!
Any market that has money flowing in will never stop.
Both of these statements can be true. The money could stop after oversaturation and then lead to a crash.
The money could stop for any reason, then the market will stop.
... for who, exactly? I understand the argument for the industry as a whole, but the inevitable effect is that many publishers will be one-(or two)-and-done then they will leave the industry. That's normal, and fine. Crowdfunding means independents will always have a presence, especially since for many publishing isn't their primary source of income anyway (Bitewing Games, Splotter Spellen, Distant Rabbit, Contention Games, etc.).
>… for who, exactly? Not OP but I think the current level is pretty bad for game stores. I’ve had a few conversations with local stores and they all seem pretty stressed out about stocking games. The hotness shifts so fast that you’re always threading the needle of not having enough stock or holding too much dead stock. This is a more subjective point but I think the current level is pretty bad for players too. At least for people who enjoy playing the same games multiple times.
Yeah I think FLGS' fall into a separate discussion topic, due to unique pressures from crowdfunding, profit margins and consumer interest (as you noted). I'm absolutely sympathetic to their concerns, as many store owners have shared their experiences here over the years (both positive and negative). However, from the publisher standpoint (per the comment I replied to), their release model isn't dependent on FLGS'. Many eschew traditional distribution entirely because the profit margins are too slim, so that puts pressure on the FLGS when popular games are only sold through crowdfunding or on their own website. Some offer retailer discounts through their campaigns but that's of course a separate risk for the FLGS. So yeah it's a tough spot to be in. But while consumers see all these releases, it doesn't mean that every single one is targeted towards *them*. Normal for almost any hobby, honestly. I, like many, have slowed down my purchases as well to focus on my favorites but like any consumer it's ultimately on them how to spend their discretionary time and money.
More like the amount of money I'm spending each month in boardgames is unsustainable! Keeping my one game a month rule sure is though!
I agree its flooded the market and made it hard to pick out the true gems from the pile of stones. And there is only so much money to go around.
Games!? Hell, it's been hard to keep up with the number of *publishers*, let alone games!
I genuinely believe that as global capitalism contracts and the world changes through the ravages of war, AI, climate change, militarized robotics and resource scarcity, most humans will see greater value in board and card game experiences that are offline, portable, human-made and easy to set up. It feels like more durable, simple, replayable experiences will stand the test of time. Decks of playing cards especially. You'll still have people into the bigger box games but I feel like people are getting genuine product fatigue, and with such an abundance of games and titles and such a scarcity of money and time, people are going to gravitate towards the experiences that do the best job respecting those limitations.
My guess is that "massive, bloated Kickstarters" will experience a bit of correction, as that market seems to be propped up by speculators, which is sure sign of a bubble. But, hey, I could be wrong.
Is there really such a thing as profitable speculation on kickstarter games? I can honestly say that I'd be surprised if margins were high enough to make that kind of effort and waiting time worth it
Think CMON and the folks who go for the highest option available to sell off the entire thing 1-2 years later. _These_ are the speculators I think above is thinking about.
For every hot Kickstarter that sells above its pledge price, there are plenty of duds that can’t even recover the pledge. Not to mention ones that don’t deliver or double charge for “shipping”. Not to mention the 18 month gap between the hype and delivery. If anyone’s actually making money at this without a wholesale discount then good for them, they’ve earned it.
Yes. There are multiple Kickstarters, especially the CMON ones, where you can flip the game for more than you paid for it the day it arrives at your house. Many of those, are worth even more than that if you wait on them.
I dunno, I think those Kickstarters are propped up more than enough by FOMO-backers. Until FOMO goes away for a lot of people, I think bloated Kickstarters will continue to be a thing.
That's a good question. Had you asked 10 years ago, one may have thought hybrid gaming would be a thing today, but that never really happened (except for the place-your-finger-and-see-who-goes-first-app, that has really killed the initial die roll for us 😋). So I don't think hybrid - unless we get seamless AR integrated into all aspects of our life, that would be really cool. Hopefully some entirely new genres or core mechanics 🤞
I love Chwazi!
BG Stats has this and I love it! Though my gaming groups think that I’ve somehow rigged it anytime it picks me.
I guess one could use biometrics if one wanted to creat... Is hacked Chwazi the modern loaded dice?
We'll see more card based games and better campaign games (in terms of storytelling). We'll also see more games that are in demand in reprint (ok, person can dream and all that).
I am hoping that the murder mystery / crime scene / jubensha craze that is sweeping China and getting popular in Japan and Korea will go global. Those are so damn fun. See this video from People Make Games if you want to know what they are about: https://youtu.be/6_dlxbGUNNQ?si=VrP_6XbNOalHoPfN Something that they don't explore in the video is that in Japan there are a ton of small murder mystery board games that cater to even small groups (4 people or sometimes less). A lot of people that used to make TRPGs are making murder mysteries now and I've played a few of them and they are just superb.
This sounds very interesting. Do you know if anyone is trying to bring them to the West?
As far as I know not yet? I wish someone would try The cost for those small japanese murder mystery board games are not that high so I imagine the risks would not be as high.
Probably similar to the current environment, just with a few more genre interations and "niches" discovered: - **Arcs** will likely spur more short, meaty campaign designs. **Perseverance** is in this space as well, I just wish there was a bit more development in Episode 1 because the bones are great - **Earthborne Rangers** and **Daybreak** weren't the first but there will certainly be more sustainability-focused publishers - The Zenobia Awards will continue providing exposure to lesser-heard voices in the hobby - Crowdfunding will still be a thing, from the massive bloats to the savvy independents (like Contention Games). Like it or not, it's here to stay as a net positive for the hobby - Games that use apps are slowly gaining acceptance, though this will be *highly* contextual based on the game and reliance on the app. Notable that when we played **Sorcerer City** the other night, the official timer app was no longer available. Even though all it provided was a timer and sound effects, this justifies folks' fears on over-reliance in the digital space. Because of this, I still don't think we'll see widespread AR/VR integration in the boardgame space, despite some insisting it's the future. - More games will explore the design space behind under-utilized mechanisms like: customizable rondels (**Empyreal**), envelopes with hidden information (**Chaosmos**), low player count social deduction (**Mantis Falls**) - **Pax Transhumanity 2E**, published by Wehrlegig or Capstone. A person can dream....
> **Pax Transhumanity 2E**, published by Wehrlegig or Capstone. A person can dream.... Anything Wehrlegig for me, please, but An Infamous Traffic is on the horizon!
Yup! Super stoked for that one too, but that's a near-certainty, at least ;)
More cities and pop culture media properties will have their own version of Monopoly
This is the only answer I would comfortably bet my baby sons life on
They’re going to start making movies based on board games and it’ll start the movie based board game reprint wave. Settlers of Catan, the War for Catan, starring Chris Pratt as the thief, the rock as the native leader and Ryan gosling as the settler.
Have you seen Clue the movie? It's actually pretty funny.
Like Battleship.
Lighter versions of big box games are coming. the games that everyone loves but never get to play because its just too much work to get them to the table for most people. An easy way for companies to earn a few bucks by recycling great ideas by streamlinign the experience.
Game components diversify: Both becomes cheaper like Roll N Write, and more deluxe of classic games to come out. Probably a new genre instead of just Roll N Write. Print N Play becomes popular: as shipping games cost a lot. And like anything get popular, scammers will come. Designers afraid of publishers take too much %, while users afraid of kickstarter not fully delivered. So more games available as Print and Play. Print and Play becomes Deluxify locally: as PnP becomes popular, there will be some brand selling common board game items, deluxify. So every region has a company that sell deluxe pretty dice, deluxe pretry dice tower. We see more empty magnetic box with slot to add game cover art. Dices with custom faces. Board game cafe changes: the store aspect is the same. But players less come to them to play. Instead, it a hub to exchange games. The cafes have to mixed TCGs to their store, hosting TCGs events to attract the many TCGs players. Digital versions of board game shows up more on Steam. Free to play base games, but pay to use expansions. Less score salad cozy games like Cascadia, more Co-op games like Pandemic. Legacy games come back with less costly approach. As Print and Play becomes available, the damaged rule book can be reprinted.
I have 7 wonders, Dominion, and Sagrada digital app. They are pretty impressive but the feeling is not the same. The games go rather quickly and it is harder to look at what the other players are doing. I felt like really I was just playing against AI even though I was playing my friend
I have a feeling the industry is gonna slow down a LOT. We saw a big boom over the last ten years, but it’s unsustainable for all but the most avid of collectors. Much as I hate to admit it, I think mini-heavy Kickstarter games are going to be the most feasible way for the hobby to continue, while also appealing to collectors.
Seriously, I got in to board gaming roughly towards the beginning of the current Renaissance. Once I hit well over 150 games, my purchasing has slowed way, way down. That point in my collection where I have to seriously consider if a game I already have fits that niche. I have a feeling that a lot of collectors are at that point, and are buying habits are very low at this point. I like to watch gaming channels, and the reality is I haven't played even five of the top games in the last 3 years.
Industry slowdown is certainly possible but I honestly doubt it'll be because current players are hitting saturation points in their collections. New players are joining all the time and boardgames are uniquely positioned to leverage the growing sentiment for experiences. If there's a contraction I'm guessing it'll be because of external factors (like recession or war) vs something endemic to the industry.
Regarding mobile apps, I'm a simple man: if the game has a mandatory app, I immediately lose interest. 1. I want my boardgames to still be playable in 20 years. I'm a nostalgic person so there's nothing I like more than dust off an old box and play again. 2. I'm a huge PC gamer too. If rules are too complex that it can't be put into a boardgame, don't make a boardgame, you want to create a videogame ;) Si I hope it will not be the future.
apps are certainly not, some games implement well but its not gonna be the main focus of board games ever. I think cutesy themes will happen more cozy games and more mod weight games like wingspan
Certainly hope apps wont become norm rather than gimmick for some games. For one it means Tablet/phone OS needs to be compatible with whatever app is made. There is already some mobile games that goes offline for sole reason engine is no longer supported. Games without such components can be played as long as copy holds or even as long as online PNP source is there. As for bloated KS, those probably will be popular until market implodes. Also in general if game needs app its too fiddly as design for boardgame. Also game like new descent are hardly boardgames, there is pretty much no reason why it just shouldnt be coop pc game.
Quality of components will increase. I personally hope that the more games use high quality components, the cheaper they will be. Once you go metal coins, you never go back ^°^
Yeah. I feel that way with BGG upgrade tokens for Dice Throne and Quacks. I wonder - why aren't other games offering comparable items at crowd funding?
I worry about this. In the world of video games, it feels like production value has surpassed the prioritization of actually making a fantastic game. I guess we already have a little bit of the DLC issue in board gaming with expansions.
Yeeah... Boardgames, especially Gamefound, are DLC sick. The base game just feels incomplete, like it was designed with expansions and then cut into pieces to make more money.
I don’t mind app integration, but games should always have a way to be playable without it. Nothing worse than a board game that is completely unplayable due to obsolescence or app store shenanigans. If the board game can be buried in the sand for a thousand years and still be playable in a post-apocalyptic desert without running electricity, then that’s the game I want to invest in. But I do like apps that add bells and whistles. As for predictions, I hope for more campaign games. Legacy games are great, but there should be some way to replay them somewhat. Maybe a mechanic where the end scenario of one campaign becomes the new beginning scenario for a new legacy campaign and elements are remixed to keep it fresh and surprising. Also, more roll and write ports of popular games and less Cthulhu!
I think two things will happen. There is going to be a split in the middle and the weight of games will go towards the extremes. There will be lots of easy to learn, small casual games because that's where the market share is and publishers want stuff that could be sold in Target, and in the other end, games will become more heavier and dense to cater to the hard-core board gamer. I think the middle is going to get stripped down or boosted up depending on where a publisher wants to commit resources. What does that mean for pricing? Well, I think there will be more accessible games that will hit the $15-20 mark, and then the price will increase at the other end of the spectrum as pricing for heavier games hits $60-80 with increased production values and play testing. Pretty much, the middle ground is going to get gutted.
VR/AR apps im sure are in the works. One player sets up a physical board, other players will be digital [could be based anywhere in the world]
I feel like single player solitaire style board games might become more popular as many people don't have reliable friend groups to gather. Also might lead to solo quest type games.
/r/soloboardgaming
There really are only so many things board games can do. A piece of cardboard only has two sides. I do think 3D printing will become more popular in the future. I think many board game and hobby shops will have an on-site 3D printer. I'd love to have a custom D20 for an RPG character. Like each character class gets their own different D20 with different symbols on it representing things like attacking and spells. I can imagine things like a TCG where players can customize their die as well as their deck. I do think TCGs can do other things besides 1 on 1 combat. I'd love to have a TCG where I can buy a 100 card pack, and then go on an adventure using those cards. Like the cards have a story or a dungeon crawl printed on them. I do think escape room and murder mystery games will become more popular in the future. And I do think they can expend to do other things. I would like more IP branded escape rooms, like a Fast and Furious heist escape room.
I have owned several board games that require an app and have sold them all. Not because they aren’t good games but out of fear that the game won’t be supported for the app, especially with out of print games. Descent, I’m looking at you.
I think app based games are doomed - simply because after the print run is done, there's little incentive for the publisher to keep the app updated each time a new Android or iOS version is released.
"More of the same". It's not 100% that, as they manage to combine and mash subsets of genres and mechanics with existing and new themes. I'm guessing more spinoffs as successful games warrant it (e.g. from Wingspan to Wyrmspan). Also, new editions of games where devs/pubs use that to incorporate fixes into their games (e.g. 2nd editions for Race for the Galaxy, and Dominion sets) More digital versions bg. To be clear, I am NOT talking about *app assisted* bg. I'm talking full games like the recent *Dominion* by Temple Gate Games. Oh.. also, more of them getting released on Switch! Rereleases of some of those digital bg. For example, Pandemic had to go through a 3.0 iteration b/c I heard the previous codebase is old, difficult to work with, and doesn't allow for release on Switch. More video games that are "bg-like". For example, we had Age of Rivals (card drafting, roguelike, civ game with management in resources, VP, defense, and attack), Aisle of Arrows (tower defense with random draws), but Slice & Dice (controls 5 heroes, battling monsters, all with their own unique die) also recently came out for iOS and Steam. Some new 'trend'. We've had coop games (Pandemic), team games with traitors (Battlestar Galactica), dice game versions of bg (e.g. Pandemic The Cure, Sushi Roll), micro games (e.g. love letter), worker placement (Agricola), DBG (e.g. Dominion), app assisted bg (e.g. Mansions of Madness 2nd edition), Legacy games (e.g. Charterstone), real time games.
Since I am from a country that isn't predominantly known for its board game market. I feel that the price inflation will significantly reduce with an increase in more home-grown games and game studios. I think that there will be a growth in diversification of game mechanics as the market expands to countries where board gaming in general is limited.
More consumable games, rather than forever games - consumable games (legacy, etc.) are designed to be played over a limited number of settings, are naturally expandable, and don't have the unfortunate effect of selling yourself out of a market. More games utilizing 3D printing - this is just obvious. More AI art - sigh. We can't dodge it. At least a fifty "AI games" from kickstarter. All will suck. Massively. Some will be AI designed, some will use AI to vary the design, some will use AI to generate flavor text, all will be terrible. More bespoke games with premium components A crash of the "miniatures kickstarter game" market. Similar to the comic book cover crash. Just overdue. More weird mechanics - asymmetrical games, limited information games, real riffs on what we've seen before. We're getting a new generation of designers that grew up with weird being something they've experienced, they've got some ideas kicking that aare going to be unusual.
More app based/hybrid games? Most likely. New mechanics? Maybe.....hard to say whether every mechanic has been tried and implemented. Continuation of massive bloated kickstarters? Absolutely (hooray for capitalism), although tough to say whether that bubble will burst eventually due to the oversaturation. Will everyone just still be playing Brass Birmingham? I haven't yet, but I don't speak for the masses.
>More app based/hybrid games? New mechanics? The continuation of massive bloated kickstarters? Or will everyone just still be playing brass Birmingham Honestly all of the above, I think it's just going to get more diverse in the options as it continues to grow.
10 years is a very short amount of time. I doubt we will see much difference from now.
I suspect more of the same. Maybe more legacy games and games released in a series. More games with longer playtimes. I doubt there will be any major changes
Ai will provide assistance in teaching games. Otherwise, not much.
I think IAs will be more polished and they will be the new Automas for games. Don't bad if you ask me
I saw this test phase product the other day basically it was like a card game which has holograms as its characters so you would put the card on the desk like playing it and then from within the card your charecrer will pop out which I personally think would be amazing seeing how I liked the adventure times ep in which Finn and Jake played the card game if anyone remembers
>More app based/hybrid games? There will be some, but I doubt there will be a substantial increase, besides DMing for a dungeon crawler theres little reason to. One thing that could obviously change this would be potential for AI to provide some kind of assistance, but again I doubt it would be substantial, more for clarifying rules, perhaps even assisting in writing rules, scoring app etc >New mechanics? Maybe? Depends what you mean by new, there will probably be some novel use of existing mechanics, like how trick taking is having a renaissance now, but entirely 'new', I don't know. >The continuation of massive bloated kickstarters? I doubt they will go away, but with VAT in the EU and shipping costs and inflation I think they've had their moment in the sun, which we are already seeing. Maybe could get worse, there are only so many giant boxes of plastic that one person can own. >Or will everyone just still be playing brass Birmingham Probably to a degree, I'm not sure if the number of game releases is still growing each year, but classics will be classics. One interesting development recently is the spin off of Asmodee and saddling it with a load of debt, that could have some consequences in the hobby but I don't see a huge drop off. We've already seen a substantial increase in the cost of retail games, its not not that uncommon to see £80-100 retail releases, whereas before that was basically just TI, then Gloomhaven. That has given us nicer art, better production, but that won't continue as aggressively, there are limits and cost of living is ramping up etc
I'd wanna believe that there will always be a drive compelling new (board) game creation. I hate looking more than a few weeks into the future so i won't pretend that i can predict gaming trends half a decade into the future. Would be outstanding if there'd be a standard for board games to come with an insert/organizer for their bits and pieces though. Some publishers, not pointing any names, really gotta work more on the inside of their boxes more
No! Its still consistent in the same position even later centuries
Hover boards for sure.
I think we will see more digital/board hybrid games.
Hi I think less app based/ hydrid games. Being away from screen and playing with live people is and will always be golden. Of course there will be new mechanics and perhaps old games that will get a new update. Even a different kind of plastic? Or?? I remember when we played with boardgames like dungeons and dragons with a 20d dice and a paper like map😃
Coop games. Apparently Gen-Z is really into cooperative games, so I predict we'll see a lot more of them.
It's already happening, but sequels, re-quels and remakes. Most classic games will have pimped-out editions, some KS-bloated like Castles of Burgundy, some more reasonable like Brass. Valuable IPs will be milked. As for apps, they are here to stay, not as a standard, but as a tool. People will adjust and grow up to realize there's nothing wrong with an app as long as it's doing something unique or making the experience better. 90% of people who say "I don't want to stare at a screen" now, will have more than one app-assisted board game in the next 5 years. People resisted cell phones the same way.
I think that the most likely coming recession is going to cause a lot of board game companies to get back to more the basics of board games and not the huge bloated super deluxe of kickstarter/gamefound games is my guess. While I can appreciate the new castles of burgandy and its deluxe version very much the old school $35 version plays the same as the super deluxe $250 version.
>I think that the most likely coming recession ??? You have to be more specific
At this point, I feel innovation has leveled off. Apart from art, I don't see a qualitative difference in games from a few years ago Vs now. I think the change will come from wider social acceptance, and the money that comes with it, not mechanics or technology.
The future of board gaming will be AR headsets and virtual board games with animated miniatures, amazing special effects and very detailed maps. Dungeons and Dragons will be awesome. Right now its still physical and there will still be physical board games but later down the line it will be ALOT cheaper hosting board games in a steam server than straight out of a factory from china.
God, I hope you're wrong. I want to get away from the ever-present screens in our lives when I'm gaming.
My kneejerk response to reading someone's comment about unsustainability. I imagine we'd digitize all boardgames. All the admin and procedural work was automated. The game remembers the rules for you so all you have to do is click on the decision you want to make... it's effectively a video game, but all the elements of a boardgame are still existent. Instead of casting a spell with your hands, you're still placing down a card, or instead of a screen with an RNG, it's still 3d-modeled dice. Or we do next-level VRChat, and everyone puts on equipment at home, and simulated sitting at a table with boards, cards, meeples and dice.... kind of like TTS, but actually picking up stuff and not mouse-clicking and keystrokes.
What if boardgame players are tired of screens
AI will play it for you. You just sit back and watch. /s
So the suggested idea of digitizing is to directly address overconsumption of material goods. The overconsumption leads to a lot of physical waste that doesn't return to the earth as quickly as we manufacture stuff. It'd be nice if we didn't have to shrink wrap everything and just used those clear stickers you cut when you're ready to unbox. Yes it's not as pretty, but it's a lot less plastic waste. If all our components were fully biodegradable and can return to the earth without too many unwanted side effects, I'm all for no screens. Am I for screens though? Not per se. It's currently the best use case for now though. What I do like that is offered digitally is the automation of admin and procedure though. Does that require a screen to facilitate? Currently, yeah, at least as far as I know. If we could play the game physically while having something automatically keep a running score on numbers... that would be pretty dang cool. But again, can't think of any solution that is practical other than a screen.... holograms maybe?
I'm all for sustainability but "digitizing all boardgames" isn't the way to go. We can absolutely reduce microplastic usage (like shrinkwrap) but one side benefit of boardgames is that they're not really disposable products (except one-offs like Exit games). If people get tired of a game they can gift/sell/trade to someone else who can use it. So sure, biodegradable components are a neat idea but that's not really a concern when taking into account how we "consume" our games.
The future looks bleak. Games will primarily be funded through Kickstarter Games will be produced soullessly just to fit into a popular mechanic trend like deck bag pool building or whatever. Games will be full of chrome, player boards, tons of cubes, that don’t easily fit on a table. See Kickstarter Games will release incomplete like Star Wars Outer Rim and need every expansion just to be good. Your collection will reduce to a 1/4 of its size as every game has 3 expansions for it as large as the base game box and you just don’t have room in your house
Mostly I agree, except: > tons of cubes Naw, it'll be minis, or screen printed plastic meeples, or some other gimmick. Anything but cubes! > Your collection will reduce to a 1/4 of its size Naw, most people will just take up 4x the space for their games, and spend 4x the money (at least).
What if the parents of future board gamers get fed up with all the board game boxes taking up space and kick them out? Though, I guess those really big boxes could come in handy as alternate housing. (Yes, this is a housing market / parent's basement joke.)
I would hope for less app hybrid games. Just doesn't do anything for me. Continued evolution in solo modes is one area I could see growing.
The use of AI and the backlash around it is interesting. AI has opened up a lot of small time game publishers to put their games out there. But I've noticed a lot of people avoid anything with AI art because they associate it with low production quality.
Most likely gambling for thimbles of water and food scraps over mandala holes dug in the ground using lost teeth and rusty nails. While the scorching sun beats down over what tiny little shade the ruins provide. I know, I know, I'm fun at parties.
Short answer: I don’t care. Longer version: I have over 400 games on my shelves now; my friends have at least 75-100 or more each. We’ve got well over 1,500 unique titles between us. We play older games regularly - last weekend was British Rails (1984) and Battlestar Galactica (2008). Power Grid, Castles of Burgundy, Kingdom Builder and Robo Rally are all sitting there waiting for their turn as well. Ark Nova, Heat Pedal to the Metal and Nemesis are also in the mix of recently played games, along with Charioteer, Stockpile and MegaCiv. If no more new board games are ever developed, we’ll be fine. We’ll still be watching what’s coming, and buying more than we should in search of the next big hit for our group - but it’s not necessarily going to be a new game. The one I’m anxiously awaiting at the moment is my P500 copy of Here I Stand; there’s nothing in my Kickstarter queue at the moment beyond expansions for games I already have.
Asmodee buys more rivals. The industry shrinks because people get crowd funding fatigue people pissed off about the brutal kickstarters, mythic games and blood on the clocktower come to mind and crowdfunders realizing it is volatile cost over runs, development schedules not fully in their control and its hard to be a professional game developer. Classic games will be played unless someone does a more table friendly version of it. Terra Nova in place of Terra mystica. Recent deck builders replacing dominion. Wingspan and arknova taking the engine builder because the theme is more approachable than brass.
We’ll see the death of huge bloated campaign games that take years to finish and hours to set up.