Unpopular opinion: That big board game convention in Essen last year changed how I buy games

I went to Spiel in Essen and bought way too many games based on hype boxes and pretty art... ended up with three duds that cost me $120 total. But the gems I found from smaller publishers at the back tables were way better. Does anyone else feel like the big hall experience makes you buy wrong, or is it just me?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryanm601mo ago

Wait, you spent $120 on three duds? That's rough. I learned that lesson too, smaller publishers are where it's at.

alicemurphy1mo ago

Man, that's so true! I got a buddy who went to Essen two years ago and pretty much did the same thing. He bought this big fancy box from a major publisher because the demo guy was super slick and the art looked amazing on the table. Got it home, played it once, and the rules were a mess, like half the pages were missing in the translation or something. Meanwhile, he stumbled on a little two-person booth near the back selling a card game about building a dune buggy out of scrap parts. He almost walked past it but the lady running it sat him down and taught him a whole round in five minutes. That little dune buggy game is still his go-to for game night, and the big fancy one sits in his closet collecting dust. Your mileage may vary, but hype boxes are a trap for sure.

kaigibson1mo ago

oh man, i feel this so hard. my first time at spiel i grabbed a bunch of stuff from the big booths because the boxes were shiny and everyone was talking about them. ended up with three games that were just okay, nothing special. what i started doing is going straight to the smaller publishers in the back hallways on friday morning, before the crowds get crazy. those folks usually let you try a game right there and will actually tell you if it's not for you. saved me a ton of money and regret since then.