Will Board Games Be Primarily Online in the Near Future?

Board games have always been a popular choice of game for families, children, and, in fact, every generation for as long as anyone alive today can remember. For a style of game to survive in popularity, there must be something pretty special about it. This is most likely why online software providers are now looking to get a piece of the action more so than ever before by taking more and more board games into the online gaming sector.

The History of Boards Games

It is believed that Backgammon is the most ancient board game ever played that we know of to date. It originated roughly 5000 years ago in an ancient land called Mesopotamia. In 177 BC, a Babylonian astronomer wrote the rules on a cuneiform tablet for a game called The Royal Game of Ur, which is how we know about it today and is also believed to be around 4600 years old. In more recent years, board games have often been the center of family get-togethers and evenings, with games available for all ages to play.

Most of these are separated into four main categories; games of displacement (e.g., chess), chase games (e.g., Hnefatafl), space games (e.g., Noughts and Crosses), and race games (e.g., Pachisi), with hundreds now available for each category.

Games that Have Gone Online so Far

Many board games have already been successfully converted into online board games, such as the ever-popular Monopoly, and even MMO RPG games, such as Dungeons and Dragons! Other role-playing board games such as Dark Souls, Star Wars: Rebellion, Scythe, and Pandemic are firm favorites within the board game-playing community and will likely be taken online, too, if they have not been already by certain software creators. It would be silly to miss out on something that could very quickly be a massive money maker.

Some die-hard classic board games that are already widely available online are old-school games, such as Scrabble, Codenames, and Diplomacy. These games have been a huge success since going online and will no doubt spur other game creators to jump on the bandwagon and get their board games into the current era of playing.

The Pros and Cons of Taking Board Games Online

Of course, we need to take a look at the pros and cons of taking these beloved and sometimes historical board games online. Although the future is moving more and more online with each passing year, sometimes it’s best to leave things in their original form or at least transition them so that both can still exist harmoniously alongside each other in the world.

If all board games were to move completely online, a large part of history could be lost and a social past-time erased, which would be sad to see. However, it’s also exciting to see what new features and effects could be added to these fun-time games if and when they do move to a purely online environment.

What the Future Looks Like for Board Games

As time moves forward, more and more games will become available online, as well as in physical board game form, and as long as both manage to co-exist, all types of board game players should be happy. The best of both worlds is always the optimal choice with any change or expansion.

Parents are always more likely to opt for traditional board games for their children as they have been proven to help with brain development, logic skills, dexterity, and some good, old-fashioned, competitive skills. Plus, minimizing screen time is still a concern for the guardians and parents of the younger generation, as everything seems to be moving online. That being said, though, there is definitely a place for online board games when aimed at a certain type of target market.

Ultimately there will always be a place for physical board games as the connection, fun, and laughter that they create in person between players, friends, and family members just cannot be beaten. Whether or not board games will become primarily online in the near future instead of in physical, traditional form, though, is most certainly something that only time will tell, and the players can choose. For now, you can still choose between playing either online at a growing number of sites or playing the physical versions from the comfort of your own home.