While I do enjoy your coverage and reviews of new games, I appreciate these “real talk” videos much more. These videos are realistic with practical advice. I don’t like all of the games you personally love, but I find myself always respecting your opinion about them and the hobby as a whole. Thank you.
On one hand, it's really counter-productive for Alex, on the other hand I respect the living heck out of his willingness to have the integrity to put out videos like this!
@@FemmeSensei I agree wholeheartedly with you. It’s because of this type of content I easily suggest to others BoardGameCo as a go-to source of board game news, reviews, and introspection.
It’s actually this type of “tough love” that drew me into his channel, then i stayed for the his reviews. It wasn’t until much later that i figured out BoardGameCo was the same name of the store, duh! So i totally agree with everyone here.
Alex, this is a perfectly timed video. Thank you! Recently, I discovered (or became self aware) that I don’t have a ton of time to board game, yet I have maybe 10-15 incoming KS arriving over the next 6-18 months. And I keep pledging. And I have PLENTY of games I either haven’t played yet or want to play more of. About a week ago, I stopped. I cancelled my Tamashii pledge. I cancelled my Jurassic Park Legacy pledge. Thanks for trying to help those of us who have a problem with FOMO or just wanting to collect them all.
Since I reached a good base collection the urge to get the new stuff has certainly died down. It usually gets to theme and mechanics, do I have something similar. But sometimes I still loose control and back something like darkest dungeon or harakiri. The only point I don't agree is that good games get reprints, some great games didn't get a reprint in ages like shadows over camelot.
"Let games settle first" is probably the best purchasing advice I have ever heard and I really need to follow it. Also, I need to stop with kickstarters. All the ones I have backed have ended up being ok at best and their resale value is very low outside from the blockbusters.
Your “cult of the now” segments really do help give perspective to the myriad of great games available available right now rather that having to wait a year and pay a premium for unproven kickstarter games. And sometimes it’s best for us to take a step back and appreciate all that we have already. Thank you as always for the great content and hope you have a wonderful day
@@BoardGameCo I know this is contrary to the theme of this video, but what are your thoughts on Golem? I’m interested in it for obvious reasons. I remember you did a short thing on it a year ago, but nothing since.
This is by far the best subject you have broached on your channel. Thanks. Ive bought 10 games already this year, and 5 more Kickstarters yet to come this year and Ive decided I'm done for a LONG time. Ive got enough games recently that I can enjoy for YEARS!! So I will. And that's plenty for now. Again, great topic and well explained.
In my humble opinion, games are just a medium to build new friendships with new people and strengthen the bonds with the existing friends and family. Stop chasing the rainbow...
This is what I tell my dad. If you only look at the ‘games of the year’ (dice Tower awards, golden geek, etc…)from the previous year, you will be left with nothing but amazing choices.
Disagree. I have some amazing games that I backed that where a fraction of the price of those “amazing choices” and, they only saw a small print run of 100 or 200 copies. These games not only gave me a similar experience but, did it better.
The "stop buying games" message is one I have been sending to my peers for some time now. It is good that there are people willing to stand up to the notion of "stop telling people how to enjoy things", because some people truly need that. There's actually many reasons for this beyond the economic one: 1. Unhealthy pattern of behavior. Stop "collecting" things. Stop associating pleasure with the purchase of games, or anything for that matter. Everything has a purpose, and that purpose is not "to be purchased". The purpose of games is to be played. If your unplayed games shelf is 10s or more deep, you have messed up. Accept that, start selling games, and adjust the pattern of behavior. Play your games. Play them more than once. More than twice. Play them 50 times. A 100 times. If the game doesn't hold up to that, sell it! There are plenty that do. 2. "Cult of the new" exhaustion. The worst part about people that uncontrollably purchase games is that it is not only *their* problem. It is a problem that they inflict upon all of their fellow gamers. This can't be overstated. Even having one person in a group with an unending supply of unplayed games is awful. Every time that person shows up, they are pushing a new game so that they can get the 'played once' checkbox before moving to the next one. When people are first getting into the hobby, this can feel really fun. Ooo and awe at all the new-to-you mechanisms and designs. But eventually, inevitably, you hit a mental wall. Learning new game after new game after new game is truly exhausting. The games start to lose their meaning. They begin to feel like more of a chore than a joy. Anxiety over engaging with games at all starts to develop. And it starts to feel bad when the rare chance comes up that you want to play a new game, yourself, because you don't want to add to the problem. Now imagine when "that person" is 80+% of all gamers in a group. It's dizzying. Experience the magic and joy of bringing out a game that the entire group knows, can set up together, and immediately just begin playing. Be the person that brings the same exact small stack of games to every. single. gaming. meet. There are no perfect games. Stop looking. Find the one(s) that you truly love, and embrace them wholeheartedly.
Bad hot take. If people want to collect games that is their prerogative and not your place to tell them not to. Can you not tell others no? You are over opinionated here and in real life you must be a pushover. You aren't talking about general problems you are talking about your own problems. Your first issue with people collecting seems to be jealousy and the second is that you seem to be spineless. Take some responsibility and control in your own life and you won't have to come to the internet to complain about non-issues.
@@thomgizziz I'll stick to encouraging people to be better, thanks. Nothing else you stated here makes any sense in the context of my post and just comes off as a defensive, petty personal attack.
I agree with a lot of #2. It’s a principle/poison that is running wild in many areas of society #1 overextends. Each person is responsible for assessing their enjoyment. I will never understand collecting sports memorabilia, but I wouldn’t presume to tell someone how many minutes a week they should look at someone’s jersey before adding to their collection. However, I do appreciate your sentiment to help others examine their habits.
@@robertbouley7697 Guilt is a good thing, in proper doses! People have become so averse to it that they will perform all manner of mental gymnastics to not experience it. I maintain that accountability is something that we should have more of -- not less. Outside of the extremely rare event that someone was performing the duties of an archivist whose goal was to maintain a living record of important/rare/all board games, I would recommend anyone else to not hoard them. Board games are for playing. Their enjoyment is not attached to their purchase or ownership. If you attach enjoyment to their purchase or ownership, you are doing it wrong and should stop. I will happily be the person to tell people that. If it helps even a single person to cease contributing to the problems that I originally cited, I will consider my efforts a success.
@@helxis So now you’re beginning to stray. Where is guilt stemming from, and why would you think I’m adverse to it? “If you attach enjoyment to their purchase or ownership, you are doing it wrong and should stop.” Absolutely not. You’re recommendation is only helpful if they’re NOT enjoying their games with this method. Your presumption here only allows for games to be experienced your way. If everyone lived in the same subjective world that would work, but we don’t. I sleeve my cards, but I’m not daft enough to say that everyone else has to. You can offer this thought as a lens for self-exploration, but not much else. I would also advise you not to paint the message with this (thin) coat of self-righteousness that you present. You will reach more people who could benefit from the idea.
I think any kind of artistic experience, like music or books or movies, depends at least somewhat on what you put into it as the listener or reader or viewer. Some more than others, for example books require more from us than movies. Board games are already on the highest end and demand a lot from us as consumers but then they also usually need us to add more people to it too! So, it’s hard to put a number on it but let’s say bringing yourself and your friends and your board game to the table, you’re only able to change 1/3 of the experience by bringing in a new game. That said it’s definitely fun and worthwhile to change up the game. But I think a lot of “us” (ok me) focus too much on trying to find that perfect game when really there may be more gains in learning more about the games we have or simply finding more time to play.
I stopped backing games after CMON's MOTU KS. I have so many big campaign games that are coming still from the COVID delays. I just have too much and simply don't need anymore. I may only back future KS stuff if they are expansions or add-ons to something I already have. I simply lack the time to even play what I have.
I admit to having the issues you discuss about new games. I get excited by hearing others discuss how amazing it is (including you). Something that has helped temper my addiction is watching the "How to play" videos. If they seem too complicated, I am out. It has helped with several games I was on the fence about.
Nice video. I like to pledge on KS but sometimes its better to follow those project until near the end and pledge for $1 to get into pledge manager and have some more time to think before choose to full pledge it base with or without add-on. It’s still better to lose those $1 rather than regret for pledging too much games with full payments. It also help to maintain your budget for a few month to choose which KS that really you want to get. Secondly if you have play group of friends that also buying board games, sometimes it better not to buy the same games as they have. Except if you love it and willingly to play with other group or you want to solo those games, you might consider to buy it.
I do this, and consider it like buying an option (as used in the business sense) on the game. I've found that the $1 is worth it to salve my FOMO on those I really want, and in about 3/4 of the time, when the pledge manager arrives I choose to pass. And actually feel better from the choice to pass than to have lost $1.
Great video as usual. I have a very strict filters for my board games. Based on theme, art, engine, type, etc. And that definitely helps me keep it reasonable. Actually that makes me not even being a proper board gamer. Because my collection is pretty small compared to many others. And the games are very specific, so I am not going for a wide spectrum of games. The urge for new stuff is still there tho. But I am fighting myself.
Own about 49 boardgames. About 10 of them haven't even touched. 10 only played solo. When hosting a bg evening my friends tend to lean the ones to know and not willing to learn new rules etc. Understandable
I notice that I've really slowed down on acquisitions this year. I think, do I want to play this new game more than something I already own and love and don't get to play enough of? And then I don't buy it. I have so many I love I don't get to play because I have newer stuff I haven't played yet that I feel obligated to play instead. A smaller collection gets to be more loved and it's really inspiring me to strip my collection in half.
My key principle for exploring new games and enjoying favorites in my collection is keeping my collection size to 40 max (and I’m even thinking of lowering to 30). With such a tight constraint, it takes a LOT for a game to pass muster, in other words, it has to be special and great. At the same time, it gives me the freedom to explore and take a risk on a newer unproven game. If it’s just okay or nor what I was expecting, I can always sell it. On the other hand, If I discover a new favorite, then another tough cull will need to be made.
I was about to say something similar to this, but my number is 100. I've gotten to the point where I'm actually getting rid of really good games to keep the number under 100.
With the overflow of new game releases I think we all have to become more critical about the games in order to keep the number of games we purchase in a reasonable range. 100 ratings is not enough. 100 people might just be the circle around the designers and the publishing company. A few years ago somebody told me 800-1000 ratings is minimum for a reliable rating. Nowadays I think we should use 1000 as minimum if not more.
Great video! And I’ve been very pulled in by your videos about “The Cult of the New.” I would love to see videos about games you have seen that had a lot of hype but significantly seemed to lose value after they “settled” for a year or two.
"Journey before destination" Alex will never be a Knight Radiant, sadly. Kaladin could have used your wisdom. I did notice however, that you clearly channeled your inner Mike DiLisio with your "massive asterisk." Sorry, random ADD thoughts throughout your video. Good content. I basically stopped laying games once we started having unplayed games on the shelf. If and when we play through them (the better half isn't always as interested as I am - avoiding the obvious joke there...) we can decide if/what to buy next. We'll have the benefit of time filtering out the dross and games that were only momentarily hot from the truly excellent games worth looking into. I definitely had Aquisition Disorder when we started getting deep into games. Now that I no longer have a hold at any e-tailer, I can safely ignore everything for the time being.
There's definitely a board game buying addiction within our hobby. Some Facebook pages i'm in have people who post new arrivals on a weekly basis and I always think 'how could they possibly have time to learn and play AND enjoy all of these games'. I pretty much only buy 2 games a year and play them over and over. I also sell games that I haven't played for years (unless they are my favourites).
This is so true. I was very excited about Great western trail and I bought it three years ago. But I still haven't played it. And it's not the only game... I do think I'm going to play it at some point. But like you said.. if you play it a few times.. then each play costs you around 20 dollars. That's not what you want when you spend money on your hobby. I did actually pick up a big box of Istanbul not too long ago for a great deal. The base game and two expansions. So yeah, waiting and then buying a big box is a good strategy as well.
True, I'm taking a little break from crowdfunding. I'm going to focus on the ripe, long standing game known as Bardsung since I have it now. Did you get yours yet??
I usually just skip the first edition, because if it's good, usually it gets a reprint/2nd edition. Which will have fixed errata, usually a better rulebook. Sometimes even balance/gameplay changes based on feedback. And it frequently contains all the stretch goals from previous edition. It might be a bit more expensive, but i find it's well worth the risk. Sometimes i do buy the first edition, but only after if i'm certain i'll like it (after watching reviews and reading the rules).
I also start to loath all sorts of boardgame collection photos - like really that is the thing we want to boast with? Having a full wall of unplayed games and the more the better?
I've recently started designing board games, so everybody please don't listen to Alex. Lol. On a sidenote, I haven't bought a game in almost three months and don't plan on doing so any time soon. Great video, btw.
Netflix Syndrome is at fault in some part. We all like the rush of something new happening in front of our eyes. New always seems better, more interesting, more fun. Some people do tend to like finding new stuff more than actually playing them. Now couple that with the relative ease of getting such things and you've got yourself a possible problem. Thanks for the video Alex!
It's been interesting to me to see how boardgaming has changed through the decades. Back before the internet things like this were almost never an issue. You would only buy games that you heard about by word of mouth or that the FLGS would recommend to you. You might occasionally buy something at the store on a whim, but there was none of the FOMO of Kickstarter/Gamefound, BGG, content creators, etc. pushing all the newest games 24/7. I may not always agree with your taste in games (although it's pretty close to mine), but I always appreciate these practical approaches to boardgame purchasing that you bring to the channel. I think videos like this are especially valuable to newer boardgamers getting into the hobby.
The only thing I would add is to even wait on Kickstarters. I very rarely back a kickstarter for a first time game (a whopping 1 so far - maybe soon 2 if you'll count Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies). My kickstarter rule is: If the game is THAT GOOD, it will: 1. Be kickstarted again (potentially with an expansion or two), 2. Be available in retail or 3. You will find a copy on the secondary market. Yes, you might have to spend more money on that specific game but you will save so much more by not kickstarting tons of games.
@@BoardGameCo. Thanks for your opinion! i watched a playthrough of mind mgmt. Pretty good game! I am going also to watch playthroughs of Beast and Sniper Elite and make my decision. I want a game to have fun with my girlfriend. And she doesn't want very heavy games. But i think Mind Mgmt after some plays it will be easier to get to the table.
Alex I needed this video. Thank you for this. Your one of my favourite reviewers likely the top. I did this with Nightmare Cathedral I watched your video on it and backed it right away. Immediately thanks to a good friend re-evaluated and cancelled it. I have so many games and have so many backed games coming soon. “Let it settle” great advice. Appreciate you. -Mike
I absolutely disagree.. buying games is what keeps the industry going. It’s also supporting your favorite developer, cause you want them to keep developing. I also disagree that stuff is available later on, cause it’s not.. some stuff is just impossible to pick up later. I agree that you should not buy stuff because of reviews, but i will always tell you to buy what you love. Even if you will never find the time to play it, your children will probably find the time to play it.. Let people buy what they want and stop criticizing people, that love collecting games..
In the EU it can be a bit different, MGMT wasn't available as deluxe till the second Kickstarter and that price was only a few euro's cheaper than buying premium second hand. I also buy games in my local language for ease of play with others who are not that used to English, and those are usually in single print runs like ark nova which might mean that it's more expensive on the second hand market. But that's only the top 5 really hyped games, others indeed don't really matter when you buy them. But now I don't know what to do anymore first I buy a 100 games of your recommendations and now you say don't buy them.... System overload, resetting to initial set up🤪
I bought Agricola, Settlers of Catan, and Dominion because of the original videos from Tom Vasel and Scott Nicholson. After I got them I realized they weren't any fun.
My goal is to have a bunch of awesome choices on my shelves with cool art! Miniatures with epic stories, dungeon crawlers, and Euros with cool themes. These games tend to be expensive. The FOMO is high and they highly likely won't make retail cause the retail business model doesn't work for them! The rest of the games I get are the ones you propose getting. Consistently and universally played for years.
My taboo is im not buying the games where is dice rolling or any dice activity, also my group doesn't play cooperatives, that allows me to pass 65% of most expensive KS campaigns. Then i apply all other filters like art, price point and is there anything new in this game, but still end up with 2-3 backed campaigns per month.
I've come back to board games about 2 years ago and honestly I was surprised at the rate games were coming out. I think with so many people buying games it's healthier to just go to a friend and play that new board game they have instead of going for the newest shiny thing. And then they can do the same. I feel board games are about the people, and if I focus on that then the search for the "grail game" fades. Another thing I don't particularly like nowadays is games coming with with half a dozen expansions, I like to play a game think about it, repeat play and then if I keep playing it *then* I want to expand on it. There's certainly a healthier way of being in this hobby than what we do sometimes. Remember to have fun with your friends you wonderful people!
Another reason to wait out the hype of a game is that you can usually get a newer edition without any errata. I was waiting to get GWT and then they announced the second edition. I'm glad I waited for that one.
Considering your avocation pursuit relies on folks following new games and cult-of-the-new chasing, or crowdfunding research, your willingness and integrity to put a video like this out there, is simply incredible. Hats off to you friend, you're next level.
Lately I've made an effort to buy games at retail more. To help, I've changed my backing habits to only pledge $1. My hope was that this would help me fight fomo/hype and its been working but not as well as I'd like. Fighting the Kickstarter addiction is hard.
Agree to a point. Some smaller print run games will most likely never see a reprint. These games will rarely show up on places like eBay and, when they do you will pay a premium. Other more popular games you will pick up at cost or cheaper. And overly produced games, well you can usually get the game itself along with expansions in bundles for half the price. Predicting these things is the gamble, sure sometimes it obvious, but... well you get it.
If it's a kickstarter game, I can usually get an idea whether I will like the game or not from a 5-10 minute read of its description on the kickstarter page. Otherwise, there are a gazillion decent game reviewers (like yourself) now on RU-vid, and somebody invariably produces a review video, or even better an explanation and playthrough, of a pre-release, or newly released, game, and once again, I'm pedantic about what I like, and I can make a fairly quick assessment, and rule games out from a 10-20 minute viewing. That way, it's possible to check out many games per day, if necessary, and spend money on only those that I'm certain that I, and our gaming group (I have a pretty good idea of their tastes) will enjoy. Hence I'm grateful to reviewers like yourself for the work that you do. I would be more supportive if I could afford it, but a 'like' and a big thanks is the best that I can do in the meantime. Please take care and stay safe sir.
As time goes by, I realize there is only so much time for so many games. I've become pickier. Why get a new co-op when I have Spirit Island, Arkham LCG, and Sentinels of the Multiverse? Why get a new engine builder when I have Terraforming Mars, Seasons, Innovation, Everdell, Through the Ages, and Race for the Galaxy? Why get a new deck builder when I have Dominion and Dale of Merchants? Why get a new worker placement game when I have Agricola and Viticulture? Why get a new 2-player game when I have Twilight Struggle, Summoner Wars, 7 Wonders: Duel, and Android: Netrunner? Why get a new dudes on a map game when I have Blood Rage, Rising Sun, Root, and Kemet? Why get a new euro game when I have Puerto Rico, Castles of Burgundy, Brass, and all the Splotter Games? This is why I culled my collection down to 50 games (and even that is probably too many). At this point, the only games that catch my attention are Knizia games, Splotter games, and GMT games.
Here you can rent games to try them out. I personally bought the last 2 years : Gloomhaven Kings Domino Stuffed Fables Zombie Kids My City Ankh Namiji Hel : The Last Saga (not yet received : december 22 ??) Zombicide Dead or Alive (not yet received: this summer) Mythic Mischief (not yet received : this summer) Explorer of the Woodlands (Summer 2023) That's 3 - 4 games / year to play, and that's enough for me :) I appreciate the review and advises but i'm only looking for them by the time I'm looking for a new game
Although 6.8? More like 5.0. And didn't mention if it was Average or Geek Rating. Some of my favorite games ever are rated lower than 6.8. Treasure Hunter, Imperius, Grifters, STEM? Don't ignore these games because they aren't highly rated. Treasure Hunter is better than 7 Wonders. Imperius is better than Dune Imperium.
But but but what if I can't find all 5 expansions, the stretch goals box and all the Kickstarter exclusive promos that add little to the game except for some poorly play tested bonus rules all on the secondary market?
Just want to express my gratitude for this video. I'm struggling with spending to deal with hard times and hopefully this advice will stay in my mind to help me regain control. Thank you.
I had to go check the games I own vs the ratings they have... Ignoring expansions (which is the overwhelming majority of my list) I have Terraforming Mars, Lost Ruins of Arnak, Mansions of Madness 2E, Lord of the Rings: JiME, Zombicide: Black Plague, Star Wars: The Outer Rim, Sword and Sorcery, and Zombicide: Green Horde. That is it for the games that I own above 6.8. My personal favorite game (of the games that I own that I've actually had time to play, only been at the hobby since April of last year and already eaten up quite a lot of shelf space) is 6.0; Aliens: AGDitC. I apparently have a bunch of games as low as 5.5. My least favorite game (which I really DO need to just sell... can't see me ever tabling it again and have only tabled it one time... anyone wanna buy Alone with three expansions? lol) is a 5.9. I do appreciate this video but I definitely can't see myself sticking to 6.8+ rating games. Especially since I only own one that beats an 8. My personal criteria is simply just; gut instinct. X game looks fun at a glance. Let's look at some miniatures (most of what I find myself attracted to seems to be mini-heavy games) and read up on how it plays. After that I'm either definitely interested and I'm looking to buy it, I'm definitely not interested and I move on or I'm on the fence. If the latter I go to youtube for folk like you to get a bit more clarity. You talked me into a few. I don't think you've talked me out of any, yet, but I'm sure you will at some point; you definitely have a point with Jurassic World: Legacy being overly expensive for what it is and I don't disagree but Jurassic Park was probably my favorite movie (and novel) growing up and the movie series is still top ten, book is probably only beaten by A Song of Ice and Fire but if GRRM never finishes that it definitely won't stay at one... but I digress... I need that board game. I need it pretty much as soon as possible and I've never played a legacy game. I may hate it. But I need to try it and I need to try it now. I guess my point is that I don't put a whole lot of stock in BGG ratings. I understand why some would, especially folk that DO try a lot of different stuff and frequently, I'm just not there yet. A game needs to "speak" to me and if it does I'm gonna give it a shot. Eventually. One day I'll get to Shadows of Brimstone and I NEED to. I've spent too much money on all those expansions to NOT.
Each year I often buy 2-3 tops games from that year. For 2020 for example I got Watps edge, under falling skies and ausonia. That it the rest were meh As for 2021 I only bought bullet heat and veilwairth and that is For 2022 I guess I'll just buy after the virus expansion and sterllion and that it What for 2023?i don't know I use filer all the time : solo, card games only do you know how many games a year appealing to me? About 2-3 tops. I research year after year your channel and other channels but you know what? Most of the games are not for me. So I decided (except for an expansion Hers and there) to have only 45 games in my collection to play, some even pnp games and I'm done... Sure some of the times I'll get rid of one and maybe find something cool but most of the time I don't think it will happen. Ark nova? Pfff hell no what a terrible game with hype for nothing
Man, this hits close to home... I've got what would be considered a medium to small(ish) collection over there in the US (around 80 games) but I live in Argentina, and a $60 game here is more than the half the average salary, so here that is HUGE. I had not purchased a game in about 2 years... but received Carnegie and Stroganov a couple of weeks ago, and went back into all the gaming groups and started watching more videos from you and Dice Tower again)... And got the itch to buy new KSs (even though it means waiting for a year+) and getting more games... And I have games that I've played once or twice... I have 70% of Horizon Zero Dawn (didn't get all the expansions) And I haven't played any of the extra boxes besides the Core one... I have the first Nemesis game with all content from the KS, and havent' played it more than 10 times, and even opened the expansions... And I looove that game. I play once or twice a week, sometimes more If I do a solo play, or manage to get a game in with my kids... And after a couple of weeks, of going over games and stuff I'm feeling overwhelmed by all there is out there... At first a couple of your videos felt "too negative" but it's actually sobering and when needs to be said.
Good one, Alex (a little heavy on the filters, but you‘ve made that point stick, so absolutely ok 😜). Anti-consumersism can‘t be stressed enough, because in the end stuff (whatever it is, not only games) will weigh you down and the thought of „being able to play whatever game whenever I want because it‘s on my shelf“ is an illusion… you‘ll always go back to the same games: the really great ones. The other ones will get played 2-5 times and that‘s it. I myself am down to a 100 games (from 300+) and I‘m doing 1 in 1 out now. Works perfectly. Hurts sometimes to get rid of a good game, I have to admit, but that way, I really have to consider what I‘m buying and what not… let alone the saved space, I mean in the end, we‘re into a very shelf-intensive hobby 😉
Boardgames are just the shows on Netflix, HBO, Prime, Apple and so on. There are many many new shows, some are just shiny on the outside but empty inside or just a rethemed ripoffs or have bad writing. Same with board games, FOMO is strong, these will come with extras, tose will be out of print, etc. I also have 10 games are haven't even played. But I decided to sell all I don't really like or haven't played recently and I probably won't. I'm just waiting for the gems now and trying to know myself better.
I think the starting premise is a bit of a strawman - nobody's setting out trying to play everything and of course its untenable. The thing I expect most people struggle with (of those that struggle) is trying to keep up with the hotness, which might be "only" 10-20 games a year, but still a struggle for most people to give reasonable time and attention to. I also think applying filter after filter to whittle down the selection, while good to get your options down to a much shorter list, also gets you to a very homogeneous short list. Ie. my acquisitions in a year are more likely to be a minis game, a couple of euros, a smattering of party games, etc, so it's impossible to apply a filter method.
I watched this video a few weeks ago and found it brilliant. I vowed to myself not to buy another game this year and save money as well as really appreciate the games I already have (many of which are unplayed). Thank you so much for putting this sort of content out there. Anyway, since then I watched several more of your videos and now own City of Spies, Paris: La Cité de la Lumiére, Watergate, Hadrian's Wall and Encyclopedia all based on your reviews 😂
I don't usually comment on videos, but I have to say this really stuck a chord with me. Kudos to you sir, great video, great advice. I watch a lot of RU-vid videos on board games and for me it is important that I trust the reviewer (even though I can often disagree with that reviewer) and that the reviews are carried out and presented in good faith.On that note, I don't always agree with your reviews, but I trust them, and that's important. I haven't read though the comments, but worth mentioning on this topic is that, depending on where you live, you can sometimes test a game before you buy it - there are a lot of gaming groups out there and your flgs will usually have a game night and there may be a game there that you can borrow for the evening, or someone else attending may have a game you are curious about (maybe not an option with KS and GF stuff, but still). Thanks again and keep up the good work!
Most games I own don't get played four times. They get played once or zero. My rule now is mostly not to buy a game that costs more than $20. If it costs more than $20 I need a very compelling reason to purchase. But when I pay over $100 for a game I'm not paying for plays. I'm paying for an experience. And as long as it's an experience (Good or Bad) I got my money's worth.
It's a closed one.. my objective are trying many games, yes.. but my goal is to make my comunity to play more, to be more active, more fun, more creativity to solve problem between us and discuss it well.. most of my boardgame choice never just about me.. i love to play alone, i got handheld console, i practice bass guitar and other hobby.. but with boardgame i found something more to share
I find myself buying retail games a lot less than I used to because of crowdfunding. FOMO is a major factor of crowdfunding and I hate that. I hate that if I wait to get this crowdfunded game I will be missing out on the exclusive "something". The other problem of crowdfunding is the escalation of components. Bigger, chunkier, shiny, metal, acrylic, minis, etc. makes it less likely these will see retail and be a game one can buy down the road at a store, online, etc. without another crowdfunding campaign for a reprint. This for me is a love/hate relationship with crowdfunding.
Shots fired at Ark Nova hype! If we're being real though, there's a lot of hype and FOMO in this hobby generated by the community. This was a great video to remind everyone to chill out.
Another great game. I sometimes fall to the new shiny. However over the last while I have really gotten to curating games that belong... really belong... in our collection. The challenge SHOULD always be... which amazing game that we own do we want to play today?! With new things being added because they belong here. In fact I've recently taken to buying the expansions for the ones that see a lot of time in the table. The BGG rating is not everything... newer hyped games get 10s from people that have never played them way too often. There are amazing games I don't personally care for. I know why and dodge accordingly.
2 года назад
My buying process: 1. I read the rules and if they are not available I pass 2. I only buy solo games that are designed for solo (same for 2 player games) 3. When the game is for 3+ players, it must not be multi-solo, it must be cute, no individual boards, the math must be right, not too many bits and pieces.
Just don't wait so long that a game goes out of print. You may well have to pay through the nose to get it then. I had a 10 year stretch where I rarely gamed and made almost no new purchases (sick and dying spouse). When I got back into gaming and identified my "catch up" buys, many were out of print and required beaucoup $$$ to obtain.
Just stumbled on to this video, and I just wanted to say thanks. I had an idea that was sending me down a huge dark hole and would have required me to buy TONs of board games. This has help me reset, redirect, and figure out a better way. So I just wanted to say Thanks.
It helps to have high standards. Reviews and play-throughs are fun to watch, but to make it to my collection a game has to go through a heavy vetting process. I cherish each of my games and don’t regret any of my purchases. Also, selling a game (unless for profit) would be a strong indicator that I have a problem.
@BoardGameCo May you tell me which of your video playlist you would have grouped this under? I want to watch all of the other videos around this topic that you have done. Thanks!
I also do feel that waiting to see what other people think is very misleading. I often like games that AREN'T still popular years later. And often the games I most enjoy or want AREN'T available let alone affordable by the time I've establishd that I really want them.
I agree on the overall but the 2 hard aspects of this is: no, some games are not available through retail or second hand or reprint. Many time you may love games that are not mainstream. I've been chasing games worldwide because no second prints were planned and shops had their play at it and now you're stuck. Or as people mentioned seeing items at racketeering prices because they are just not available anymore. And the KS trend makes some games only interesting in their campaign limited edition... But yes it's better to cut the drug-addict compulsory buy and think wisely.
I wish the good games did get reprints it's often not the case. The stuff that gets expansions and reprints are the games that are popular and those are very often not the good ones. Saying that even very popular games can suddenly go out of print inexplicably. Hype can be dangerous though, I got caught in the Mind MGMT hype and I was very disappointed, first game in ages that I regretted buying.
Hey Alex! Thanks for your reflective videos about board games, I like them alot! In the first minute of the video you mentioned that you made another video on why we should rotate our games but I could not find it. Could share the link with me? Thanks for all the nice thoughts you share with us!
One of my filters is if one of my board game friends own a game, I try to avoid buying it unless I personally rate it 10/10. I can just play their copy on game night.
My system is a simple one. 4 Weeks of game playing. Gives me a max of 28 Board Games. If there is a game that I wouldn't want in that rotation at least once a month it leaves the collection. Only Campaign Games are exempt from this rule and get a at least once a year play or it leaves. Doing that I cut the list down to 14 so now my games get played at least once per two days. I also refined the list to ensure I don't double up on mechanics or theme. There really is no reason to have so many games if you're not playing them. And for me, no more than two campaign games so I can run one whilst the other is on cool down. Tatakais on Bgg
I long did this with video games. I always had plenty to play at the moment, and I just got on a cycle where if I waited a few years, one could get the game for $10; I picked up several of my all-time favorites that way. And since it was largely a solo activity, it didn't matter that I was on a several-year delay (and meant my machine could usually handle anything I threw at it). And aside from having a bit less to chat about with friends, I never felt I missed out. And with board games, the whole point of me buying them and building a collection in the first place is that I don't have a game group that is super-into the boardgaming hobby culture, so no one I play with wants or needs the new hotness. (If they did, I would just let them buy it instead). I can instead craft my collection for the long term (and it is nearly at its stable sustainable size, so I am ready to throttle down)
If everyone is a cheapskate and does not buy new game, at some points no new games will be developed. If you like a designer/kind of board game and want to support them/ want increase the chance of expansions created, then buy them early
With pretty much everything I get, I usually put it on my wishlist first and then wait a while to see if I still want/need it. My mom taught us when we were little by telling us we had to wait a week to see if we still wanted whatever toy we saw a commercial for at that moment. And usually we would forget about it. With board games, nowadays a lot of times I try to play a game first before getting it to see if I actually like it. So instead of buying a new game, I just add it to "want to play" on BGG. With video games, I put them on my wishlist and wait for a good sale, because I don't have enough time to play all the games I already have so I don't need to buy new ones. I guess that's true for board games too, but we also cycle our board game collection a lot.
