YouGov Survey: Americans opinion on Board Games

A majority of Americans enjoy playing board games, according to a new YouGov survey. Twenty-one percent of respondents said they love board games, while 44% said they like them. By comparison, 29% described themselves as neutral, and just 6% said they dislike or hate board games.

Younger adults

Younger adults were the most enthusiastic about the hobby. Twenty-eight percent of Americans under 30 said they love playing board games, compared with 23% of those aged 30 to 44, 20% of those aged 45 to 64, and 12% of adults aged 65 and older.

Board games: more frequently played than card games

Although most Americans play board games at least occasionally, relatively few do so frequently. Twenty-two percent said they never play board games, while 48% play rarely. Twenty-eight percent reported playing at least once a month, including 18% who play monthly, 9% weekly, and 2% every day.

Board games are played at least monthly by fewer Americans than mobile games, but at similar rates to computer and console games. They are played more frequently than standard card games, tabletop role-playing games, and collectible card games.

Among respondents who said they love board games, 64% play at least once a month, including 24% who play weekly and 9% daily. By comparison, 30% of those who said they like board games and 5% of those with neutral feelings reported playing at least monthly.

The importance of winning

Winning was considered very important by 13% of Americans when playing board games, while 31% said it was somewhat important. Nineteen percent of adults under 30, 18% of college graduates, and 19% of Republicans were particularly likely to say winning was very important.

Familiarity with 33 board games

The survey also examined familiarity with 33 board games. Monopoly was the most widely played title, with 53% of Americans saying they had played it many times and only 5% saying they had never played it. Other frequently played games included Checkers, Scrabble, Connect Four and Yahtzee.

Modern board games were significantly less familiar. Seventy-six percent of Americans said they had never played Catan or Ticket to Ride, while 84% had never played Carcassonne.

Classics vs. newer games

The survey also highlighted generational differences in game preferences. Older Americans were more likely to have played classic titles such as Monopoly, Yahtzee, Trivial Pursuit and Parcheesi, while younger adults were more likely to have experience with newer games including Cranium, Bananagrams, Catan and Wingspan.

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Source: https://yougov.com/en-us/articles/54943-what-americans-think-about-board-games