Michael says it's time for boardgaming to go digital.
Date: Thursday, January 14, 2010
Author: Michael Barnes
Ti3 on Vassal
The argument for board games, sadly, is not that great at this point for those who aren’t already involved in them at a hobby level. So maybe a sea change in thinking among hobby design and publication that embraces and acknowledges the digital age in a more significant way would not only bring more new gamers into the hobby, but also open up new ideas that would lead to more growth and evolution.
I always want to see game designers do more, push more, and take hobby gaming into new concepts for gameplay. And I think that embracing electronics in a wider, more meaningful way could be a real kick in the pants for the hobby. But it takes some open-mindedness, willingness to experiment, and getting over this idea that board games are a shelter from the modern world. The technology available for gaming purposes today is exciting and the time is now. I want to see 2010 be the year that forward-thinking designers and publishers like Fantasy Flight Games, Z-Man, Asmodee, GMT, and others step up and start exploring how to bring hobby gaming into the 21st century. At this point, it’s ten years behind schedule.
