Americans Yell “Checkmate” to Pandemic Boredom
| Photo by Tanner Mardis on Unsplash
Heath Ledger, Stanley Kubrick and Bob Dylan all had one thing in common. All three men spent their free time playing the queen of all board games: chess. Classic board games such as Scrabble, Monopoly and chess are becoming popular once again in the 21st century. With the stay-at-home mandates in the U.S., families have decided to spend their extra free time playing board games.
Hasbro has reported a 20% growth in sales in the third quarter of 2020 compared to the third quarter of 2019.
“Our core games remain our best sellers, led by Monopoly, Jenga, Trouble, Connect 4, Sorry, The Game of Life and Operation.” said Eric Nyman, Hasbro’s Chief Consumer Officer.
“As communities around the globe went into lockdown last March, we saw an immediate demand for our games increase. We quickly fielded global research to get consumer insights to better understand this change in behavior,” Nyman said.
Amid the pandemic, surveys and discussions reveal that families develop an emotional connection with board games while forced to remain indoors. Mattel also cites data from the marketing company: The NPD Group showing game sales went up 48 percent during the peak of the pandemic.
Why invest in board games to pass the time?
Imad Khachan, the owner of the Chess Forum, explains that strategy games such as chess are more than simply games, especially for growing children.
“It teaches a child two immensely crucial lessons of life: how to win and how to lose,” Khachan said. “It is important to provide a free learning experience for children because we need intelligent citizens who do not fall into the traps of society.”
Ledger, Kubrick and Dylan each perfected their skill in chess playing at the Chess Forum during their time. In the end, they became stars and well-known celebrities. However, the goal for the Chess Forum is not always to create big names but to provide a safe space for people to learn and enjoy themselves.
“Chess is a game similar to martial arts, it can be used as a way of life. It teaches discipline,” Khachan said. “It helps teach you how you see a problem and how to solve it. It is absolutely important to reduce less emotional thinking at an early age and build rational thinking in children.”
Playing games with others provides a learning experience for adults as well. Board games have a level of psychology that poses a challenge when playing face to face with others.
“In front of a screen, the person can choose what he wants to do with the game. He is safe at home,” Khachan said. “Here is a war game against a gladiator. Losing has a different taste or a different feel. For a newcomer who is not comfortable being across from another human being, they leave shocked at the results.”
A Game-Changing Netflix Show
Social distancing made it difficult for the Chess Forum to motivate people to play offline and in person. Fortunately, with the increase of interest in board games, Khachan explains that the show The Queen’s Gambit further encouraged viewers to play.
Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, released last year, helped increase the popularity of chess amid the pandemic. This drama highlights the journey of a girl talented at the game of chess. As a result, viewers piqued interest in the highly strategic board game.
“After the year during COVID getting worse and worse, The Queen’s Gambit gave us a spike in sales,” Khachan said.
Community-Based Gaming Parlors
The more people become interested in playing, the more places like gaming parlors and cafes become almost necessary. Across the street from the Chess Forum, a gaming cafe with a similar love for games also aims to provide guests with a place to play. Greg May founded The Uncommons over seven years ago to open Manhattan's first board game cafe in Greenwich Village. This cafe offers visitors a library of games to choose from while enjoying food or a drink.
“When I moved to New York City, I had joined a few board game meetups but was tired of playing in dark, loud bars,” said May. “So, I saw the need for a brighter spot that is more community-friendly.”
Community is a primary focus of The Uncommons. With the understanding that board games are a social activity, they do their best to provide a social and inviting atmosphere.
“It's all about enjoying time with other people, face-to-face,” said May. “Games are part of the human experience — whether you like Candy Crush, Scrabble or Solitaire.”
During a time when social distancing takes trend, playing board games helps satisfy the human need for social interaction in a COVID-safe manner.
“Games are an inherently social activity that you can do at home,” Ray Adler, global head of games at Mattel, Inc. said. “We have heard so many good stories this year about how games have helped families get through this really tough time. Almost every single game, even if you do not think about it in that way, does provide some sort of social or educational benefit.”
Both at home and in game cafes, board games are uniting families, friends and colleagues.
“We have something for everyone, even if you just want to joke around with friends or have a casual night out with someone you have not seen in a year or so,” May said. “The cards, tokens and Monopoly money are simply tools to help people have fun, build communities and spend time together.”
Throughout the 26 years that the Chess Forum has been operational, people of all ages walk in with the same intention. The Uncommons is proof that games are ageless.