Today, classic board games are now major collectibles on online marketplaces like eBay, and new titles from emerging companies are fundraised through grassroots campaigns on platforms like Kickstarter. But the industry has skyrocketed over the past couple years thanks to nostalgia, growing online communities and the emergence of indie developers. 'You're seeing a lot of people looking for a richer sort of storytelling experience, where they can immerse themselves in a story with some friends and just casually have some fun.”īoard games in the U.S. have been around since before Catan’s debut in 1995, with Monopoly debuting in 1935 and Scrabble in 1938. “Gaming has been growing since the 70s, but it’s exploded in the last 10 years,' Fenlon said. He’s the CEO of Catan Studios - the company behind Settlers of Catan, which has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. 'It's been sort of the beginning of a renaissance.” “We brought the idea of modern board gaming to America,' Fenlon said. Peter Fenlon knows his way around the long roads of board games. Gen Con is the country’s largest annual gathering of fans and developers of tabletop games.įrom family classics like Settlers of Catan to new games from indie companies, the convention held in Indianapolis showcases some of the biggest players in the $3 billion board game industry as well as their most dedicated fans.

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