Overheard a guy at my FLGS say he only buys games with solo modes now

He said he's got a 3 year old at home and his weekly group fell apart, so now he spends more time playing alone than with others. Has anyone else switched to mainly solo gaming and found it changes how you pick new titles?

3 comments

3 Comments

piper9127d ago

...and you know what, it's funny because I actually started buying games with solo modes for a completely different reason. I had a back injury a few years ago that kept me laid up for about four months, and I got really into Mage Knight and Spirit Island during that time. Now even though I'm back on my feet and my group meets regular again, I still find myself grabbing a solo game on a quiet Tuesday night just because I like the pace. It's almost like having a whole different hobby inside the same one.

masonbell7d ago

Huh, I have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. I've tried solo board gaming a few times with some of the same titles you mentioned, but it just never clicked for me. There's something about the social aspect of board games that feels like the whole point, you know? Sitting across from a real person, watching their face when they make a good move or mess something up. Solo mode feels a bit like practicing scales on a piano instead of playing a song with a band. I'm glad it works for you, but I think I'd rather just read a book or put on a movie if I'm going to be by myself on a Tuesday night.

hugo_bennett7d ago

My buddy Dave had a similar thing happen when his second kid was born. He picked up This War of Mine on a whim and ended up playing it like 40 times over six months while the baby slept on his chest. He told me he actually got way pickier about his purchases after that, started looking for games with real depth instead of just stuff that played well with four people. Now he's got this whole shelf of solo-only stuff, and his group games are just the bonus, not the main thing.