When it comes to having fun, games are the best entertainment choices. In this category, the most popular type of game is board games and video games. Previously, the board games were undoubtedly the superior race when it came to entertainment.
It also has been around for a long time. However, with the advent of video games 50 years before, the growth has been tremendous. At present, it is tough to stay whether video games have taken over board games or not. So, what can we expect in 2020? Let’s find out.
In 1962, the first video game named Space War was released. In those days, nobody expected video games to be so popular, and it was considered gimmicky. This is because the technology was in a developing phase in most of the countries back there. On the other hand, the first recorded board game was named Senet from Egypt and dated back to 3500 BC.
With the advancement in technology, everything slowly turned into a digital format. Likewise, board games were slowly kept aside, and the popularity of video games increased tremendously. This doesn’t mean that the board games turned obsolete. Their popularity was still intact. However, video games started to be popular at a massive rate as well.
Board Games Trend
Some of the board games that will go down as the best in history include games like Chess, Monopoly, Bingo, Scrabble, Cluedo, Pictionary, and Battle Ship.
These games were not just modes of entertainment but helped in various other cognitive development processes as well. Everyone can relate to the benefits of playing Chess. It is a game that can teach the users solid thinking ability and help them form strategy. Other board games have also helped in developing communication skills, and games like Words can help a player with increasing vocabulary knowledge.
Apart from Chess, another board game that is immensely popular today is the game of Cards. Humans have come up with literally thousands of different games with these same 52 cards.
Most of these card games also do not come up with official rules, because new games are continually getting developed from the old ones. Since teaching these games are more based on verbal communication than reading manuals, it promotes the inter-personal skills of a person.
Poker board games were another category that is popular even today. At present, various online such as Texas Holdem online has come up with digital online versions. All in all, these poker board games test the thinking capability of a person and help in developing wits.
By the start of the mid 20th century, board games that came up resembling popular characters such as Star Wars became immensely popular. These games generally require four to eight persons to play. All such games were a significant part of the family and social gatherings, and thus, will always be remembered by the previous generation even if they become completely obsolete in the future.
Video Games Trend
After the initial stages, the teenagers and the people in the 20 to 30 age group developed a great knack for video games after discovering it properly. Even if the technology was considerably weak at that time, with games like Snakes & Dots, Donkey Kong, Pacman, and Asteroids, the games became overnight sensations. At a particular time, gaming centers were developed in various places in the city where kids and teenagers paid money to play games on machines.
With gradual development, games in PCs, Laptops, Tablets, Smartphones, and even gaming consoles such as PlayStation and Xbox became so popular that companies had to segregate these brands as separate identities. With time, the advancement in video games has been humongous.
There are various reasons why video games are popular. Firstly, the games are interactive with bright colors and graphics. Secondly, board games often require a partner to play. However, there is no such compulsion in video games. Multiplayer video games came out much later, following the popularity of the first video games.
Since second hand and duplicate gaming consoles are available at a discounted price, many people have tried the video games and have been completely engrossed in it. At present, even Virtual Reality games have come up, and they are being considered to change the texture of the gaming industry in the future.
Conclusion
Even today, board games are supposed to be the main event of family gatherings. However, the younger generation is more engrossed in video games. Ultimately, it all comes down to personal preference, but with the modern trend, it is evident that video games are more popular than board games in 2020.