The name of the game

More than 70 exhibitors from both home and abroad recently joined the fourth annual Dice Con Board Game Convention in Beijing. There, visitors were able to try out a range of board games at tables before deciding whether to buy them. Other activities included the launch of new games.

According to industry analyst Research and Markets, the global board games market is expected to reach values of over $12 billion by 2023, growing at a compound annual growth rate of about 9 percent between 2017 and 2023.

The New York-based Pakistani game designer, Nashra Balagamwala, talked about Arranged!, a board game she created, inspired by her own experiences of avoiding an arranged marriage.

In the game, a matchmaker tries to marry off three teenage girls to every young man they meet, while the girls elude her attempts by pursuing their education or careers. The game ends when all the players are married off, either by their own volition or through the designs of the matchmaker.

"The general public may be tired of reading or hearing about social issues, but they are still open to playing games. Sometimes, a game can be the most powerful method of communication," says the 25-year-old, who graduated from a university in the United States.

"It's interesting to combine serious social issues with board games. You have to find a balance and still make it a fun experience so that people are willing to play it."