LAKE GENEVA, Wis. — The COVID-19 pandemic, along with popular Netflix series “Stranger Things,” has helped to spike the interest in tabletop games like “Dungeons and Dragons.”
That increased interest has made Gary Con a very popular annual event. Gary Con is an annual gaming convention that celebrates the life of Gary Gygax, the creator of “Dungeons and Dragons.”
Many people turned to tabletop games because of social distancing regulations brought on by the pandemic.
Jess Carrier, head of marketing for Noble Knight Games, said even though the pandemic ended, that interest has continued to climb.
“Once you start gaming, you’re not going to go back so all the people that look for new hobbies and new ways to enjoy themselves and stay at home during the pandemic have discovered the joy that is to be had with gaming and it’s never stopped growing,” said Carrier.
In 2017, the Global Board Game Market was worth $7.2 billion and by 2022, its market size had increased drastically to $18.93 billion.
By 2028, it is expected to be worth almost $40 billion.
Jennifer Fisher has been gaming her entire life, and she said one of the best things about the industry is that there’s room for everyone.
“I think that there’s enough imagination for everybody to go around and I enjoy the fact that we’ve gotten increased popularity from ‘Stranger Things,’” said Fisher.
With thousands upon thousands of board games on the market today, Carrier said there is something for everyone.
“If you’re not into slaying dragons and elves, shooting arrows, we will get you into something where you can hop universes and shoot laser guns or tell stories as good dogs together around a campfire,” said Carrier.