This week’s article features the return of guest blogger Carson Curva, a quintessential millennial,  with a look at the combination of millenials and board games.

There is a common stereotype about millenials: That all they like to do is stare at the screen of their phones. While it is certainly true that millenials, being the generation that grew up with smartphones, enjoy the company of a backlit LCD, they prefer face-to-face interaction. People are people. No matter how good technology becomes there will always be something missing.

Board games have evolved, like anything else in our society. The staples like Monopoly and Risk, while still popular, are being replaced by a new wave of board games centered less on physical ownership and more on strategy. Owning a property isn’t nearly as satisfying an experience as solving a puzzle, weaving a convincing deception, or crafting a winning strategy. There is more of an intrinsic reward system with these new games.

While online games have certainly shortened the physical distance involved in playing with others, there is one area where video games haven’t reached the level of board games: deception. Being face-to-face with someone makes deceiving them that much more rewarding. It’s easy to lie over a headset, but when they can read your face and emotions, the game becomes that much more immersive and real.

Video games will continue to push the boundaries in visual technology, but until they can conquer the missing human element they will never replace board games entirely. Until that happens gamers of all ages, millennials included, will set aside their small screens in favor of cardboard.