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Most people love to play card or board games with their family or friends, right? It is nothing like getting the excitement going at a holiday event, birthday party or special occasion playing Uno, Monopoly, Spades, Cards Against Humanity, etc. However, when it comes to these particular games, the creators behind all of them are white men.
The underrepresentation within the gaming industry has been going on for years and continues to grace the shelves of big box retailers. When people go into Walmart or Target looking for a game to play with family and friends, they are not automatically thinking, "let me pick up this game because it is created by a Black game maker." Many people just pick up games of familiarity which have been played from generation to generation in their household, something they just recently played with their friends and family, or something they might've heard about on TV or in a social media post. People may not realize that a very small percentage of all games which currently sit on big box retailers shelves are Black-owned. In fact, the only Black-owned card and board games that sit inside a select number of Targets and Walmarts are Phase 10 (Mattel), Black Card Revoked and Rhyme Antics, leaving the rest of the shelves to be overloaded with games mass produced by white men.
In a 2018 study, Tanya Pobuda examined the top 200 and 100 games placed on Board Game Geek's website, assessing the inequality of race and gender in the gaming industry.
Until more representation is created in the industry, check out these awesome and fun Black-owned games that you can support outside of big box retailers:
1. Verified: The Game
Verified takes social media and flips it into a hilarious & entertaining party card game. The game is simple: be the first player to collect 50K likes and 50K followers to win and become verified. It's time to get your game nights lit. Answer questions based off viral sensations and hashtags, to doing those off the wall and entertaining challenges we all have come to love on social media.
Click here to support.
2. Trap Wars
Trap Wars is what your game nights are missing. Unlike most games you play, Trap Wars celebrates Black culture. Get your team to guess the word on your card the quickest without using trap words, or your card might get snatched! Trap Wars is a family friendly, travel-size game that is non-stop fun. Pick up The Original Edition or The Black History Edition, today.
Click here to support.
3. Financial IQ
Financial IQ is a fun and engaging financial flashcard game to help break the generational cycle that hinders us from building generational wealth. When is the last time you had a conversation with your family and friends about income, savings, credit, debt, investing or expenses? The FiQuestions financial flashcard game comes with 69 questions to help normalize the discussion of finances. Break the cycle! Tradition stops with you!
Click here to support.
4. Black Wall Street: The Board Game
Black Wall Street: The Board Game, helps your family increase their financial literacy and Black history knowledge at the same time. This game was inspired by the real businesses and events from early 1900s Tulsa, Oklahoma Black Wall Street — one of the most economically successful communities in American History.
Click here to support.
5. Brilliant or BS?
Brilliant or BS? is the hilarious trivia party game for people who love to call folks out. Get ready to flex your brilliance and your bluffing skills. This family friendly game will test your knowledge and your ability to tell when your fam's lying to you. The crew will be entertained for hours with 80+ trivia questions in fun categories like sports, entertainment and food & Drink. Be sure to check out the new Brilliant and Black expansion pack that celebrates everything we love about Black culture.
Click here to support.
Remember, supporting Black-businesses is more than just a race thing, it is an economical thing. Our support can go further than you think. In order to change the gaming industry, we must come together and force change. And this change starts with you and your support!
