Why Don’t We Play Pandemic? Analog Gaming Communities in Lockdown

Abstract

This short response demonstrates the way in which COVID-19 has impacted analog gamers and their leisure practices. Analog gameplay, often referred to by its moniker – tabletop gaming – is jokingly referred to by many of its players as the perfect activity for self-isolation. As such, throughout this response, I consider the resilience of analog play in the wake of a global crisis, considering the way in which digital technologies, gaming lifestyles and humour provide comfort, social interaction and a level of normalcy to their players in the wake of global uncertainty.

Keywords:

• Community
• motivations
• playfulness

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the forty-eight participants who contributed their opinions to the short survey which aided the formation of this paper. I would also like to thank my wife, Emma, who commented on a draft of this paper and has proved to be a practically perfect lockdown partner.

Notes

1 https://www.airecon.co.uk/

2 Leacock, Matt. 2008. Pandemic. Z-Man Games, Inc (board game): https://bit.ly/3ceWawy; Vaughn, James. 2017. Plague Inc.: The Board Game. Ndemic Creations (board game): https://bit.ly/2RZMYV3.

3 Details taken from an interview with an individual who works for a leading tabletop gaming distributor for my ongoing PhD project Analog UK: Tabletop Gaming in the 21^st Century.

4 Childres, Issac. 2017. Gloomhaven. Cephalofair Games (board game): http://bit.ly/39m5QUS; Daviau, Rob and Matt Leacock. 2015. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1. Z-Man Games, Inc (board game): https://bit.ly/34QI162.

5 The friendly local game store or FLGS is more commonly associated with being more than just a retailer and usually offers an open play space in which individuals can convene, akin to a third space (Oldenburg, 1999).

6 COVID Survival (https://bit.ly/34NuzQE), Corona Battle Against Covid-19 (https://bit.ly/2yoYour) and Infected! – The Covid-19 Board Game (https://bit.ly/3a7rzj2).