The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop is a documentary about board game enthusiasts—from casual collectors who never feel like they own enough games, to critics, designers, podcasters, and hardcore players who’d fly across the country for the first-ever World Series of Board Games. It explores the growth of the hobby, from its ancient roots in Mesopotamia to the present day, where this ever-growing phenomenon attracts more people every year. The film does touch on the tournament itself, but its main focus is on the different perspectives of the players.
For them, board games aren’t just entertainment—they’re a source of joy, purpose, and connection. One interviewee even says that in a utopia, all people would want to do is play board games. The film captures this sense of belonging in an enthusiastic way. We see friends gathered around tables, laughing, thinking, competing. One participant says that going to a party “just to talk” feels pointless, while gaming gives them something meaningful. The documentary highlights how board games build community—especially for people who might struggle to connect in more traditional social settings.
The film treats each person interviewed like a character with their own arc. My personal favorites were a philosophy professor and a former musician who became a game designer. It doesn’t dive too deep into the mechanics of the games—we only get brief glimpses of people playing, rarely enough to fully understand what’s happening. That feels intentional, as the focus is less on how the games work and more on the joy surrounding them. It wants you curious enough to try sitting at the table yourself.
As someone already familiar with the board game world (I immediately thought of a friend who could’ve been one of the interviewees), I appreciated seeing the passionate side of the hobby. I didn’t leave the film converted, but I did leave with a better understanding of what makes it so meaningful to the people who love it.