How much better for the planet are cardboard components versus plastic components? Should we shrink wrap board games? How does box size impact emissions? What is the end-of-life journey for a typical board game? How many will end up in landfill?
There are no easy answers for to how to “green” board games. In this roundtable session you will hear from the people grappling with the important dilemmas. They will share the strategies they have used to reduce the impact of their games on the planet. This is a debate – so not everyone will agree and there will be some surprises in store. Greening board games doesn’t just mean swapping plastic for cardboard – in fact, sometimes that might not be the right choice!
Come along to this session at the UK Games Expo and explore the whole sustainability journey of games, through design choices, manufacturing, distribution, and, importantly, to think about how we consume and share our board games. There will be opportunities to share your experiences of how you have responded to the climate emergency as a board game designer, manufacturer, or player, and to meet members of the Green Games Guide board and the STRATEGIES [Sustainable Transition for Europe’s Game Industries] research project.
UK Games Expo (UKGE) is the largest Hobby Games Convention in the UK. Now in it's 19th year, 2025 sees the event return to 4 halls of the NEC and the Hilton Hotel.
Speakers
Jean-François Gagné – Head of Studio, Plan B Games, and board member for the Green Games Guide.
Chloé Germaine – Reader at Manchester Metropolitan University, Games and Sustainability researcher for the STRATEGIES project.
Manue Marévéry - Consumer Science Manager, Asmodee
Jess Metheringham – Director of Dissent Games, Chair of Unlock Democracy, and board member for the Green Games Guide.
Chris Priscott – Founder of Unfringed, and designer of Molehill Meadows.
Stéphane Robert - Production Manager, Asmodee
Matt Thrower – Board and Video Games writer and journalist.
Paul Wake – Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University, Scientific Lead for the STRATEGIES project.
STRATEGIES is funded by the European Union under grant agreement No 101094373 and the UK Research and Innovation. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or UK Research and Innovation. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
