Food bretting game: digital update or return to the classic?

Food bretting game: digital update or return to the classic?

The world of board games faces an exciting change, whereby technical innovations are also moving in in this area. While a simple dice game was sufficient to spend an entertaining evening, modern developments show that digital elements are entering the classic games. Apps are increasingly taking on functions, from game leaders to interactive information, and raise the question: Is the future of the board games digital?

at the world's largest public mass for board games in Essen, which takes place from Thursday to Sunday and attracts around 200,000 game enthusiasts, the publishers present their latest developments. There is great interest in new concepts, especially with regard to the target group of 14- to 35-year-olds, which has shown a remarkable interest in board games in recent years. "We are always looking for ideas on how to use digitality as an innovation driver," explains Katrin Seemann from Ravensburger. This generation is technology -savvy and open to new approaches, while at the same time appreciating the traditional board games as a conscious alternative to an increasingly digital world.

tension between innovation and tradition

The integration of digital approaches into board games polarizes the opinions within the industry. Hermann Hutter, chairman of the association of the game publishers, is both optimistic and skeptical. "A lot of what has been tried in this area is already away from the market," he emphasizes. For most, playing together is the heart of the experience. They believe that smartphones and digital tools often disturb the flow of the game when the interaction between the teammates is no longer in the foreground.

Despite these concerns, most games presented at the fair show a clear focus on traditional analog formats. Party and knowledge games stand out as sales racers, especially after a year of weak sales increases of only 0.9 percent.

The added value of digital elements

experts agree that digital elements are only accepted in a game if they actually offer added value. The game scientist Jens Junge says: "An app that simply replaces the cube is more annoying and disturbs the game flow." The challenge for publishers is to integrate digital functions that enrich the game as a whole. An example of this is the party game "Hitter", in which music is recorded via an app and the players have to bring the right cards into the correct order.

Another example offers the quiz game "Know" from Ravensburger. Here the questions remain constant, but the answers change depending on the season and location. Such applications can only be implemented by digital means that offer a more dynamic gaming experience.

In addition, the Huch publishing house presents the communication game "Kosmopolit", where a player hears orders via headphones and guides the teammates, which requires a captivating interaction between the participants.

Despite the growing joy of experimentation in the industry, the game scientist boy believes that the mixture of digital and analog elements remains a niche. "The medium board game is also an alternative to digital society," he explains. Therefore, it remains to be seen how the industry will develop in the coming years and whether digital ideas can be integrated into the everyday life of traditional board game enthusiasts.

In summary, it can be said that the tension between the digital possibilities and the traditional forms in the board game world is high. While the industry is trying out new trends, the core message remains that social interaction and fun in the game have to come first. Whether and how far the game developers will find this balance will be shown in the next few years. Details on this topic are also in a detailed report on www.shz.de to read.