This guy at my game night said something that still bugs me

It was at our local cafe's weekly meetup, the one on Maple Street. I was setting up a game of Root, explaining the basics to a new player. This other guy, who I've seen a few times, just leans over and says, 'You know, if you need to teach it, it's a bad game.' He said it like it was a simple fact. I was so thrown I just sort of laughed it off, but it really got under my skin. It wasn't even about the game itself, it was this idea that wanting to share a complex thing with someone is a flaw. That whole night felt off after that. How do you even deal with that kind of gatekeeping? It makes you not want to bring anything new to the table.

2 comments

2 Comments

fiona_sullivan295d ago

Ugh, honestly, I kinda get where that guy was coming from. Some games just have too many rules and it kills the vibe. If you need a whole class before you can play, maybe it's not fun for a casual meetup. He was probably just saying that simple games are better for groups because everyone gets it right away. It's not gatekeeping, it's just wanting to actually play instead of sitting through a lecture. Bringing a super complex game can feel like you're showing off.

the_ben5d ago

Yeah, I've been there... you gotta read the room, @fiona_sullivan29. I usually just bring a couple options, one simple and one with more going on, and let the group pick. Saves the whole vibe from getting weird.