The surprisingly ancient history of board games
The surprisingly ancient history of board games
The surprisingly ancient history of board games
By BP Perry
Summary
From ancient times to the modern day, board games have been a source of entertainment, education and intellectual stimulus for centuries.
We take a look at the fascinating history of board games.
Board games have proven so useful in the field of military strategy that soldiers have even developed their own games, such as those produced by the Prussian general and military theorist Carl von Clausewitz in the 19th century.
Fantasy games, such as Germany's Settlers of Catan, expanded the boundaries of what board games could be, and instant hits, such as Trivial Pursuit and Pictionary, proved that even as technology advanced at astonishing speed, a good, well-designed board game could still attract millions of players.
The biggest challenge to board gaming emerged with the advent of digital technology, in particular from video games and internet entertainment.
Thanks to the emergence of online board gaming communities such as Tabletop Simulator and BoardGameGeek, board games continue to attract new players keen to experience a physical game.
Today, more new board games are released than at any time before, and it's not just the big publishers controlling what people play.
Reference
Perry, B. (2024). The surprisingly ancient history of Board Games. Sky HISTORY TV channel. https://www.history.co.uk/articles/history-of-board-games