Monopoly, Scrabble, and Clue are just a few of the classic games that became staples in people's homes or cottages over the years, but the new era of the board game industry is pushing the envelope with what is being offered. Game shop owners in Winnipeg say we are in an era where board games have never been more creative, diverse, and acceptable than ever. "We're truly in a golden age of gaming," said Brian Mitchell, co-owner of in Winnipeg.
"Every year, people iterate and build on what other people have learned. People become passionate with their own ideas, and they want to share them." Ben Shantz, general manager of on Osborne Street, has also seen how the industry has evolved.
"I think today, games have expanded into such a more diverse rule set and themes and appeal to different demographics," he said. "There is a huge diversity, and that's something that you wouldn't have gotten with more classic board games. Classic games still have their place.
We still have shelves devoted to them. People love them. That's great, but there is really new stuff, and it's so much more engaging.
" Olaf Pyttlik co-owns which recently celebrated 10 years in business. He said the magic of games today is how they bring people together. "Either you play games to have a laugh together, or you play games to do a cooperative solving of a puzzle, or you play games just to be together," he said.
With the evolution of the board game industry, CTV News Winnipeg asked Shantz, Pyttlik, and Mitchell to.