BRIDGEWATER, Va. — This Thursday, a relatively new club met on campus to play what the organizer calls a variety of niche and obscure board games.
“Very, like, just casual, like hang out and spend time with friends and stuff like that,” Kyle Sakai, founder and club president, said.
Sakai, who provides all of the board games, said that BC Game Nights is less formalized and less structured than other clubs and organizations here on campus. He said one thing to note is that it is a community which is very friendly, very easy to join, and more “loosey-goosey.”
Sakai believes that analog games are better for socializing than digital ones. He said that having a common goal leads to community.
Lofi hip-hop music plays in the background, which reflects the more relaxed atmosphere. Students play board games from numerous genres, while others merely spectate. People laugh, joke, and converse over the games.
Sakai said he believes that board games do better than digital games at connecting people and community building.
”There’s just something unique about, like, sitting around a table with other people and just talking and playing, like, a board game physically in front of you,” he said.
Sakai believes that sitting down with someone to play a board game gives them something in common and something to start a conversation over. It gives people something to ultimately bond over.
Sakai reported seeing people who originally did not know each other become friends through this club, and people who were more timid became more social. This aligns with empirical evidence.
According to studies on board games in relation to socializing and interpersonal connections, board games are a positive influence. One study about intergenerational board game playing concludes that board games foster so-called “pro-social behaviors,” especially more competitive board games as opposed to more cooperative ones.
Another study about children at risk of social exclusion concluded that playing modern board games enhances children’s executive functions, especially for children with lower base line levels.
First-year student Jakiyah Moyler attended BC Game Night for the first time that night, because of her friend’s attendance.
“It was a nice experience,” Moyler said.
Angel Humphrey has been a consistent member of this club throughout this Spring 2025 semester.
“I go for the LOLs,” Angel said.
BC Game Nights meets every Thursday night from 8:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M.. in Bowman Hall. They often meet in Bowman 116, yet not every time.
