Losing Balance - the role of balance in board games (Topic Discussion)

Balance in board games is one of those much-talked-about topics
that keeps cropping up. Some people want games to be perfectly
balanced, so that players' only advantage comes from their skill
and hours of practice and graft. Others relish highly unbalanced
games, where it's nigh-impossible to win, but when you do win, it
feels amazing. Yet, balance in board games is much more complex
and subtle than that. In this article, I want to look at the role
that balance plays in board game design.


Read the full article here:
https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2025/12/02/losing-balance-the-role-of-balance-in-board-games-topic-discussion/


Useful Links


Cosmic Encounter Board Game Geek page:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/39463/cosmic-encounter

Votes for Women review:
https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/02/10/votes-for-women-digital-eyes/

Godzilla: Tokyo Clash review:
https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2025/08/09/godzilla-tokyo-clash-saturday-review/

Pandemic review:
https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/01/18/pandemic-saturday-review/

Root review:
https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/02/12/root-a-game-of-woodland-might-and-right-saturday-review/

[1] Cole Wehrle interview on balancing powerful positions
with strategic liabilities, Elevation Games,
https://www.elevation.games/blog/interview-with-cole-wehrle-designer-of-root-john-company-and-pax-pamir

Oath review:
https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2021/11/27/oath-chronicles-of-empire-and-exile-saturday-review/

[2] Cole Wehrle interview on emergent asymmetry in Oath,
Tabletop Gaming,
https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/features/oath-an-interview-with-cole-wehrle/

Doubt is our Product Board Game Geek page:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/401361/doubt-is-our-product






Music


Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot
(⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)


Music: Relaxing Lofi - Ena, produced by Sascha Ende
Link: https://ende.app/en/song/12224-relaxing-lofi-ena


Music: Relaxing Lofi - Dyo, produced by Sascha Ende
Link: https://ende.app/en/song/12225-relaxing-lofi-dyo


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(Photo by Austin Neill on Unsplash)