My own group taught me I was hogging the spotlight at game night

For years I thought I was being helpful by explaining every rule and strategy during our weekly board game sessions. I figured new players wanted the full breakdown so they could enjoy the game properly. But last month after a game of Ticket to Ride, my buddy Mike pulled me aside and said, "You know, sometimes I just want to figure it out myself without being told the best move." That hit me hard because I realized I was robbing people of the fun of discovery. He said it felt like I was playing for everyone instead of letting them explore their own choices. So now I keep quiet unless someone asks a specific question, and our games actually take longer but people seem happier. Has anyone else had a moment where they realized they were accidentally ruining game night for others, and how did you fix it?

2 comments

2 Comments

robert_anderson6914d ago

...and man, I was that guy too but with Catan. I'd be like "oh you should probably build a settlement there" or "actually trading brick for ore is a bad move" thinking I was being helpful. Took my sister telling me to shut up and let her lose her own way before I realized I was basically being a backseat driver the whole night. Now I just sit back and watch people make terrible choices, and honestly it's way more fun because the chaos is entertaining and nobody's mad at me when I win.

blake32214d ago

Yeah, "let her lose her own way" is the key phrase there. My buddy Dave used to do the same thing with Risk, and his girlfriend finally told him he was ruining the whole vibe by treating it like a war college lecture. He said it was a total wake up call. Now we play at his place and he just sits there sipping his beer while someone invades Kamchatka for no reason. The chaos is way funnier when you're not the one trying to control it.