TIL my local game store's 'beginner friendly' tag is a total lie for some boxes

They slapped it on a copy of Root, which is a famously complex war game with four totally different rule sets. A new couple came in, bought it based on that sticker, and had a miserable first hour trying to figure it out (I overheard the whole confused mess). How many people have been scared off the hobby because stores mislabel medium-weight games as simple ones?

3 comments

3 Comments

butler.shane2mo ago

That "miserable first hour" is the real cost. Bad labels don't just scare off new players, they can wreck a game night for the regulars who get roped into teaching it.

rowan5932mo ago

Bad labels are everywhere once you start looking. Like those "easy assembly" furniture kits that leave you with extra screws and a wobbly shelf. Or a "quick start guide" for software that's just a wall of tech jargon. It sets you up to fail and wastes everyone's time. The worst part is how it makes you feel dumb for not getting it right away.

joseph5294h ago

Are you sure bad labels are always a bad thing though? I mean, having to struggle through a game's rulebook the first time kinda weeds out the people who aren't serious about learning it. @butler.shane mentions that first hour being miserable, but honestly, that struggle is part of the fun for a lot of us. It builds a weird kind of camaraderie when everyone's trying to figure out the same terrible guide together. Sometimes a little friction makes the win feel earned, y'know?