To the Bitter End - board games don't have to finish (Topic Discussion)

We are all so very conditioned to play board games to the end. Most games have some sort of end game trigger and a form of end game scoring. They want us to play them all the way through. Yet, when a player’s win is all but guaranteed, continuing to the end seems pointless. The enjoyment of a game often matters more than strictly following the rules. Adapting play to the situation and the group’s mood can keep board gaming fun and engaging. I want to look at this in some more detail and explore why so many of us insist on playing to the very end.

Read the full topic discussion article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2025/09/23/to-the-bitter-end-board-games-dont-have-to-finish-topic-discussion/

Useful Links

• Brass: Birmingham review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/07/06/brass-birmingham-saturday-review/
• Tapestry review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/10/26/tapestry-saturday-review/
• Ovsiankina Effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovsiankina_effect
• The Crew review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/12/05/the-crew-the-quest-for-planet-nine-saturday-review/
• Prey Another Day review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/05/11/prey-another-day-saturday-review/

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