Game Jargon Definition: “Game Group”
Game Group (noun) - /gām ɡro͞op/
A game group, also known as a “gamer group” or a “gaming group,” is a type of social group that centers around playing tabletop games. Beyond that basic premise, all of the specific traditions, expectations, bylaws, and guidelines are entirely group-dependent.
Typically, game groups schedule to meet on an ongoing basis (e.g., once a week or twice a month) and will meet at a member’s house, a friendly local game store, or some other location. Some game groups will have a more rigid structure with assigned member roles such as host or emcee, president, vice president, treasurer, and so forth. Other game groups will have no specific roles for its members.
Some game groups like to play as many different games as possible, while other game groups prefer to play a smaller subset of games that everyone is familiar with. Similarly, some game groups prefer to play one longer game over a series of sessions, such as a campaign-based role-playing game, while other game groups limit the length of games they play to those that can be completed in a single evening.
A game group may request or require dues to cover the cost of drinks, snacks, and/or the acquisition of new games (which are then owned by the group but may be curated by various members in the group). Some game groups are closed, in that they do not invite new members to play except by consensus of the group, where other groups are open and everyone is welcome.
During the COVID-19 pandemic (which is certainly not over at the time of this writing), meeting in person has made game groups particularly challenging, so more groups began to game in a virtual space.
If you are thinking about starting a game group, just publicize your enjoyment of tabletop games and invite friends to join you if they—or others they know who are solid people—like games. Then find a space and go for it. It may take time for a new group to pick up speed, but if you’re gaming, you’re gaming.
One of the most challenging things about maintaining a game group (aside from finding people who enjoy playing the same types of games as you do and are able to meet consistently while navigating work, family, children, and other obligations) is finding a space to play. We recommend reaching out to friendly local game stores to see if they have play space. There’s no better place to find gamers to play games with than where gamers hang out. Board game cafes are another possibility. However, if there are no friendly local game stores or board game cafes near you that meet the needs of your group, local libraries or town halls often have rooms that can be reserved for free or for a nominal fee.
We also recommend that once you get a gaming group up and running, you discuss some basic rules of etiquette with group members so that everyone is on the same page. Check out our definition of gamer etiquette for a list of suggestions about things a new game group might want to address.
