Hybrid Game

The addition of a digital element has several advantages, namely,

• Setup is much faster. Because the digital part takes care of most things.
• Learning the rules is faster. Because, again, the digital part takes care of many things.
• People glued to a screen are more inclined to join. They already have their phone in hand anyway.
• The game can do things that regular games can’t. This mixture can do things that both board games and video games can’t do on their own.

The addition of a digital element also has several disadvantages, namely,

• Many people do not want digital elements to ruin their board game experience. We completely understand and feel much the same way, which is why we don’t create a lot of hybrid games, and keep the digital part to a minimum.
• For some people, this actually makes things more complicated. They might not have their smartphone with them, they might not be too familiar with how such a computer element works, and this adds extra pressure and frustration.
• We can’t guarantee they’ll work forever. A board game will always work; the rules and material don’t change. But a digital element might one day stop working because technology has changed so much. Or, you might be unlucky and it might not work right now on your specific device.

You always get a ZIP file. When extracted, it contains,

• The rules PDF
• The material PDF
• The digital element (to open in any browser, be it a computer or phone)
• If needed, a short guide to help you out with this hybrid experience.

Hybrid Games are more of an experimental curiosity thing. I wondered one day if it was possible to merge board games and video games, so I … tried to do it.

Along the way you learn all the advantages and disadvantages, all the pitfalls and strengths, and hybrid games start to make more sense. You can do some really cool things this way. For most experiences, though, a regular board game or video game is still our first choice.