What is The Open Gateway?

The board gaming community is growing rapidly, but the process of introducing the hobby to someone isn’t always an easy one. The goal of The Open Gateway is to help you to make more informed choices when the time comes to pick up your next game from the store, as well as teach you methods of presenting games to new gamers to ensure that everyone has a better time. Whether you’re an experienced gamer trying to expand your gaming group, or a first-time player just trying to see for yourself what this whole board gaming thing is about, The Open Gateway has you covered.

Helping to nurture a new player’s interest in the hobby from “willing to game” to “wanting to game” can be a tricky one, and making the wrong choice of games on a friend’s first night can put them off the hobby for good. The process is only made more challenging by the fact nearly everyone thinks they know what a night of board games means. With the articles here I hope to pass on what I’ve learned in my experience as a gatekeeper to my friends’ board gaming — what was successful; what was almost comically unsuccessful — to help to grow this amazing hobby I’ve come to know and love.

At the end of the day, I believe that board games are beautiful. They possess an ability to bring a group of people together which is unmatched by any other form of entertainment, and with so many wonderful games being made each year, there’s a game to fit any group’s needs on any given night. So, step on through the board gaming gateway — everyone’s welcome inside.