Chances are, if you play board games, you’ve experienced this at least once in your lifetime:
According to a new study, one in five people have banned a board game for causing too many problems on Game Night.
In a recent survey, 20 percent of people said that their game nights with friends or family members are often disrupted by competitive or unfriendly behavior— and according to the results, Monopoly reigns supreme as the most controversial game to break open with loved ones.
Typical antics include someone quitting because they’re losing (46%), someone accusing another player of cheating (44%), and two or more players getting into an argument (44%).
In a surprisingly close second place was Uno followed by Sorry in third.
The top five most frequently banned board games:
Monopoly - 44%
Uno - 37%
Sorry! - 27%
Scrabble - 25%
Jenga - 24%
Age may have an impact, as boomers aged 57 and older were far more likely to say they’re “never” the problem (71%), compared to Gen Xers aged 41 to 56 (57%), millennials aged 25-40 (38%), and Gen Zers aged 18-24 (24%).
According to the study, younger gamers were more likely to report having banned a player in the past — 32% of Gen Z and 24% of millennials, compared to 11% of Gen X and 5% of boomers.
“Competition brings out the best in some people but the worst in others,” says Justin Kemppainen, Director of Brand Management at Z-Man Games, in a statement. “This can manifest in small ways, like low-level grumping and sulking while playing, but it can blow up into shouting and strife, which can ruin a gaming experience. Looking beyond just competitive games could be better for your gaming group to avoid conflict.”
