Tabletop Games Blog · September 23, 2025 · 10 min
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/ Music Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot ( https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/ ) Royalty Free Music: Bensound.com/royalty-free-music License code: SZZLWUJHVBUPJ80V Artist: : Vital Music by Bensound License code: ZBROHOHA7CPSHBMA Artist: : The Fable Music: Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos License code: AFAL3NFGWYHRDT21 Artist: : Lunar Years Support If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below: Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/support/ (Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash)