Heard a guy at the local game store say 'real board gamers don't play party games'

I mean, I was at Game Haven in Madison last weekend and this guy was going on about how games like Codenames or Just One aren't for 'serious' hobbyists. He said they're just filler and don't count. Idk, maybe it's just me but I think that's a bad take. My group of friends, some who've been into games for over 10 years, still love to break out Wavelength after a heavy euro. It brings people together. Has anyone else run into this kind of gatekeeping, and how do you handle it?

3 comments

3 Comments

evan_burns951mo ago

Gatekeeping shows up everywhere once you look for it. People try to build their identity by putting others down. It happens with music taste, how people watch sports, even what coffee you drink. Defining a hobby by what you don't do just makes the whole scene feel smaller and less welcoming. Fun is the whole point of games, and dismissing what brings people joy is a sad way to live.

hall.nina1mo ago

I mean evan_burns95 has a point but is it that deep? People just get too into their stuff sometimes, idk if it's always about putting others down.

parkera2223d ago

Ever notice how the loudest gatekeepers are usually the ones who just got into something themselves? Like they learn the rules and suddenly they're the cops. Does that come from being insecure about their own place in the hobby, or is it just a power trip?