Category
Life-Stages
Constructible Franchises
Trend cluster
Category
Low-Tech
Gaming
Classic video games get an offline do-over in the form of board games.
3.0
Trend score
Trend
What is the Low-Tech Gaming trend?
Low-Tech Gaming: Capitalizing on the popularity of classic video games in a fresh way, low-tech board games based on digital franchises are beginning to emerge. Both novel and nostalgic, this approach to fandom appeals to consumers who want to engage with much-loved characters and narratives in a way that they haven't had a chance to before: offline.
Trend themes
Themes within the Low-Tech Gaming trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Low-Tech Board Games
The trend of converting digital franchises into low-tech board games appeals to consumers who want an offline, nostalgic gaming experience.
02
Cooperative Gameplay Mechanics
Games such as Dark Souls: The Board Game and XCOM: The Board Game appeal to players who want to collaborate with other players, creating an opportunity to create new cooperative gameplay mechanics.
03
Deck Building Card Games
The success of the Street Fighter Deck Building Game highlights the opportunity for low-tech versions of digital card games to cater to the growing number of millennials who embrace board games and card games.
Industry implications
What the Low-Tech Gaming trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Gaming Industry
Low-tech board games offer an opportunity for gaming companies to expand their fanbase and cater to nostalgic consumers.
For
Entertainment Industry
The popularity of low-tech board games based on digital franchises creates an opportunity for the entertainment industry to further monetize beloved characters and storylines.
For
Product Design Industry
The success of low-tech board games also highlights an opportunity for product designers to create new, immersive, offline gameplay experiences.
Workshop question
Brainstorm the exact opposite of your service or product; what ideas could you borrow from the result?
Trend signals
Trend signals for Low-Tech Gaming
Trend score 3.0 out of 10, from popularity 32%, activity 49%, freshness 8%.
Popularity32%
Activity49%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha (not a primary audience)
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Evidence
Examples of the Low-Tech Gaming trend
4 featured examples from Jul 20, 2016CategoryTech
Combat-Themed Board Games
'Dark Souls: the Board Game' Brings a Popular Video Game to Life
The success of 'Dark Souls: The Board Game' presents an opportunity for the tabletop gaming industry to create more immersive and engaging experiences based on popular video games.
CategoryTech
Laboratory-Themed Board Games
This Humorous Board Game is Based on the Popular Portal Video Games
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce innovative and unique board games to enhance the overall gaming experience.
CategoryLife-Stages
Arcade-Themed Card Games
The Street Fighter Deck Building Game is Inspired by a Digital Classic
The gaming industry can create and market card games inspired by popular video games, targeting a market of Millennials seeking nostalgic gaming experiences.
CategoryTech
Alien Invasion Board Games
'XCOM: The Board Game' Plays on the Theme of an Alien Invasion
The gaming industry is continually evolving, with new opportunities for innovative game design like the digital-physical hybrid game 'XCOM: The Board Game'.
