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¿Question #61?
jttm: Would you prefer boardgames to remain in its little niche, or to become really popular?

Fribian: I would like them to become really popular because then more people would be buying them and hopefully they'll put out even better games. This might happen with better games for a while. But if they take the same route video games are going... ugh... I don't know. I do think they are becoming more popular in the last few years for sure.
oldhoss: More popular with niche games on the fringe.
Hendal: really popular, which I think is the trend it is going to
Caerid: Doesn't matter if it is fun to ply.
weed131: really popular, that would drive down the cost and increase the number of potential players
beerbear: I would love to go to Target and pick up a good game.
resin: I would love for the hobby to become genuinely popular but would hate for it to become a hipster thing.
HunterJE: I'll claim that I'd like the latter and secretly would be horrified if it came to pass.
bcooperok: I don't know. If they get really popular, would we have to invite Megan Fox to our game sessions?
Chris Page: Niche. Fads tend to seriously distort their subject matter.
Felimid: Either ... but if the latter, I hope it gets more popular than video games, lobbying, politics, greed on Wall Street, "reality" TV, and cable TV.
Woelf: Becoming a little more popular would be good so I'd have more people to play against, but not too popular because then a lot more crappy games would start showing up.
Numskull: Increased popularity would probably be better for the industry, but dammit, I like this comfy little niche.
Harkonnen13: I'm pretty sure boardgames are already really popular. Just not the good ones.
mcpranno: both
Ardos: the later
kirkusmaximus: Really popular.
Lawrence Hung: Little niche. I doubt it ever becomes really popular.
xianrotide: I would enjoy more of a mainstream game industry since that would force designers to be more creative and create better games. However, with the cream comes the crap.
Morgan: Oh, alright....popular.
hancock.tom: I would prefer it to become really popular, but thats about as likely as me winning the lottery, getting struck by lightning, and joining the Indianapolis Colts
Muzza: popular, the more popular the better
Vaughn: I'd rather have them become REALLY popular. The more the merrier.
jredd: As long as I get to play board games I like I'm happy.
DHEK: Become really popular.
clandaith: Really popular.
ben21: Become really popular so more people to play against
nerotora: I don't really care as long as I am able to had a group of people that I can play games with on a regular basis.
Hrothgarrr: niche, baby!
mnv_iii: Really popular! My gaming itch needs to be scratched 24/7
taratr98: I wouldn't mind if board games became more popular with the womenfolk.
Ebon Wendigo: Doesn't matter to me either way.
cluegirl: stay where it's at,..there is something about not being popular!
Csigs: niche is nice!
Cut & Space: Ok like it is
Captain_Physics: The elitist in me wants to say 'in its niche' but the fact is we'd see prices come down, quality of pieces go up, more German games available in the US (Die Macher), and more reprints of games I can't find (1830). So 'really popular'. Although BGG would become an intolerable bunch of 'I liked games when they weren't cool' posers.
Android: Niche. When things become popular they tend to start sucking.
bigbadsteve: somewhere in between. really popular tends to mean really watered down
dmomo: They are a good thing. I would like to see them appreciated more. I don't mind my hobbies being mainstream.
Nekura: Really popular. The more people playing, the more companies make them, the more variety in the marketplace.
vampywife: I think if they gained back popularity it would be easier to find people to get along with.
dwarf: Popular.
skrebs: Really popular so designers could quit their day jobs if they wanted.
Salvadorhardin: really popular
davidwpa: popular
Platinum Dragon: Niche. I'm a geek, I can't go loving something mainstream now can I?
brainrob: Depends on the quality of the games being turned out. They're already starting to become derivative.
Geese: I'm all for popularity, as long as the "eurostyle" designers keep it "eurostyle".
korppu: Yes :)
chrisisapimp: boardgames sux
shizzane: niche
meshuggener: I really don't care.
red turtle: Become really popular
ZombyDawg: I like everybody to be really into doing what I like so that I can always find an opponent or group.
skrutsch: I'm ambivalent. I see reasons for both.
javelin98: Maybe more popular so that we could see more offerings
motoyugota: Become really popular, so then all of the elitists here would have more perfectly fun games to despise
POvidiusNaso: Popular.
scriptorum: Somewhere in the middle.
gt8595b: It's too late. They're already really popular.
mrbeankc: popular
sourwyrm: more popular
The Unbeliever: 42
Reloaded: I wish it could take over the world... people need more love and boardgames...
ssmooth: Not sure. I like them fine in their little niche, while I don't know what it would be like if they became really popular.
jglazier: either way, as long as good boardgames continue being published.
rdmasters: Both, really. I'd like boardgaming to become more popular in general, but for the bleeding edge to remain in its niche, so that I've always got something new to introduce people to. How selfish of me :)
AWildEep: Popular. Games should be cheaper then.
heli: mixed feelings on that
Lord_Prussian: becoming really popular seems like it would be ok
arkibet: Good question! I think oversaturation can kill the market, so I would like a bigger niche.
Nap16: Really popular
jens_hoppe: Well, a bit more popular at least.
erli: Little niche. Really popular = mainstream = possibility of sucking
Basilius: if it gets the general public to actually USE their brains, really popular.
reddogfive: don't care
batman: I'm okay with either
xlorp: Popular of course! Imagine if everyone played games instead of watching TV.
puffinge: more popular but not too popular
2amp: popular
Wintergoblin: Stay in its little niche
Cromaa: Really popular
kennyb: more popular
TiNYTimIDFluffYBunnY: become popular
toulouse: really popular - wider variety of games, more people to play with, and less odd looks when you talk to people about the hobby
AlorielLelyn: Popularity would likely ruin the industry, just like it has with soooo many other things.
fellonmyhead: The $64K question. I don't think popularity will really affect the hobby from my viewpoint other than cheaper purchases, but from the viewpoint of the businesses who manufacture and/or retail the games it could make or break them. A games company whose titles became popular might just find themselves being bought up by the big firms; this would probably mean less creative input from that firm and even the demise of the titles that went along with the sale of the business. But hey, what am I talking about? I know next to nothing about this subject.
echoota: They must have dominion over all
davedanger: TAKING OVER THE WORLD- BURN MONOPOLY, BURN!
solove: Really popular.... so I could still play the niche games in peace
fsumarc: if it was more popular I would have more people to play with!
GuyHill: niche is good
Grimwold: I don't mind as long as there are good quality games, and sufficiently interesting people to play them with.
Blackwind: popular so I can find more players.
threlicus: Really popular. Then I can find more opponents more easily, and be social while I get to play.
haraggan: Become really popular. Then perhaps more than 5 people could make a living designing them
Bluenose: Popular. I liek sharing things I enjoy. The police didn't see it that way though.
Mordachai: Is that even a question? Boardgames for everyone, anytime, anywhere!
Dave: If popularity results in more people acting like y'all... niche.
darthcliff: Become popular
onky: A little niche is always nice.
djflippy: Hard to say, since I haven't experienced both situations. I do know that skateboarding, Metallica, and Seattle grunge were all better before they became popular, though.
dakarp: the more gamers, the better.
Kiov: Really popular, as long as the huge gaming community has the same taste as I have ;-)
P.O.G.G.: really popular. I'm very social so I'd love to be able to play games with everybody.
Sky Knight X: Uber popular. The world would be a better place.
geberus: popular
Ludocrazy: Niche
Belash: really popular so I have more people to play with
BobDodgerBlue: Popular
wtrollkin2000: in its niche. Popularity would overplay the mediocre and ignore the great games. Game popularity won't change the fact that most folks can only be interested in very few things.
Randy Cox: Mega popular. I want to see boardgame "how to" shows on TV just like cooking shows.
game_boy: Staggeringly popular around these parts.
cornjob: Its nice that when I meet Geeks, I know they're very committed. So I guess it would be a little sad to gain mass popularity, but then...there are the obvious benefits.
TD2008YDS: popular
snoozefest: popular
Denise: Slightly more popular, just enough so I can find someone to play my Alea games with me.
queequeg: niche
Mike A: Yes.
Jim_P: The more popular, the better.
yossarians: Niche
Draugnar: become popular so I could find more opponents
einbebop: popular
djlg: Don't care either way.
MisterCranky: I'd prefer them to become utterly unnecessary.
WonderCinz: Popular.
Gelatinous Goo: niche is fine, let's not do what Hollywood does to movies
seppo21: It's kind of cool being part of a niche group. I would like it to expand at least a little bit so that gamers were easier to find and people didn't look at you quite so strange.
tragicpoet: Really popular, that way the ones that we have that are OOP become even more valuable
Friendless: Just popular enough to make my FLGS awesome
EYE of NiGHT: I really really really want GERMAN games to break out. To see Monopoly wiped out by Settlers would be a dream come true. I honestly reason it would be for humanity's improvement.
shumyum: popular
Bearcat89: Popular please...more opponents needed.
Kiko: Somewhere in the middle of both.
dietevil: how about halfway between? More popular than now, but not so mainstream it becomes dumbed down.
AnakinOU: Popular is good. Why would you want to keep it a secret?
CDRodeffer: Popular. More players to DOMINATE!!!
shotokanguy: Really popular like NASCAR racing and reality TV? Let's keep it in its niche!
EvilTimmy: Hmmmm. I'm comfy in my niche. Never was a joiner.
Donkey Thong: Either one is fine
nix342: Become really popular
Gregarius: More popular just to have more players, but there are already more games than I can handle
louiseh: More popular
Mndwrm: Really popular--we could expect larger print runs on games, and hopefully this would reduce prices.
disclamer: for the good of mankind, really popular
skelebone: More popular... it'd drive the prices up on the hard-to-find stuff I own.
Spielguy: really popular. We need our own brand of clothing, music, TV specials
rochs77: I like them where they are, but a little more mainstream would be nice.
IngredientX: Really popular. Of course, then I'd pine for the days it was a niche hobby.
tomski: Really popular
chaddyboy_2000: To become really popular.
mdp4828: Really popular
derk: Really, really popular.
BaSL: fairly popular
Zambogirl: More popular!
Snooze_uk: Popular. More potential opponents. More social acceptance!
WasQ: popular
sumo: Niche.
litho: become really popular!
gnomehome: Whatever
Flyspeck23: Popular (it *is* popular where I live).
bbenston: Really popular. Duh.
Septic: more popular, but not "really" popular
Debate: The more popular the better
Fawkes: Doesn't matter
peterk: Really popular
MikeMKH: Stay in its niche
CortexBomb: If they were more popular I would have an easier time finding people to play with, so give me popularity
ynnen: More exposure = more opponents = more games available... But you'd have to sift through more crap to find the good stuff.
kimbo: Remain in a (profitable) little niche. If it ever becomes really popular, the corporations will move in and gaming as we know it today will cease to be.
PghArch: Both.
PopeBrain: popular
janiera: Somewhere in the middle.
ensor: More popular
Shakar: Popular for sure.
darquil: More popular among my close friends
meccaneer: Niche.
HBGlover: I'd like boardgaming to at least become more socially acceptable, if not popular.
jttm: I hope that it doesn't wear itself out too quickly. So I'll say niche.
ValJor: Second option
Aldie: I want the whole world to enjoy these games as much as I do.
ping9x: Really popular
hooded_paladin: Really popular. Bad boardgames are already "really popular." More popularity would just bring more quality.
tiredmind: become really popular