Description
This article is from the German Board
Games FAQ, by Keith Ammann geenius@cifnet.com
1. What are "German" games? What are "family strategy" games?
They're pretty much the same thing.
"German" games are a genre of board and card games that has recently
become popular in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and
elsewhere after years of popularity in Europe. They are commonly called
"German" games because most of them -- including the ones by which many
players have been introduced to the genre -- are designed and produced in
Germany. However, some "German" games come from France, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom or the United States. In its
end-of-year roundup, Games magazine refers to most games in this genre as
"family strategy," which sums up these games' hybrid nature and crossover
appeal.
In response to some dissatisfaction with the "German" label, a poll was
taken in 2001 on rec.games.board in which "family strategy" and "designer"
were favored as leading alternatives. The term "designer" was suggested
because it alludes to the prominence of these games' designers and also
connotes quality, attractiveness and a "connoisseur" market. Neither
"designer games" nor the only other strong finisher in the poll, "social
strategy games," has been widely accepted, and "family strategy" has seen
little use outside Games magazine. "German" has become cemented as the
default term.
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