The Impact of Cultural and Economic Factors on Play and Purchase Decisions for Tabletop Games

Wiggles 3D is a company that has set its goal to create relevant, inclusive, and entertaining tabletops games that are accessible to all who may find them of interest. However, much of game research has focused on a user group’s life stage or the occasion at which a game is played, while not so much on cultural aspects, such as players’ ethnicity or the cultural context of their lifestyle. This lack of understanding of the impact of cultural differences on attitudes, behaviours, and habits that emerge in tabletop gameplay marks a significant research problem, because in order to create more inclusive and relevant games, it is key to understand cultural differences. In an era where equality and respect remain more difficult to achieve than ever, board and tabletop games can be a medium that allows racial-ethnic diversity and cultural expression.

Faculty Supervisor:

Lennart Nacke

Student:

Derrick Wang;Joseph Tu

Partner:

Wiggles 3D Incorporated

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Arts, entertainment and recreation

University:

University of Waterloo