For anyone even slightly obsessed with board games, BoardGameGeek (BGG) is practically home turf. It’s where designers, collectors, and casual players alike head to trade opinions, share discoveries, and spend just a little too long debating the finer points of obscure rule sets. It’s a living, breathing encyclopedia of tabletop culture—built almost entirely by its users.
One of the things that keeps BGG alive and buzzing has always been its Q&A threads. Every day, countless players turn to the site to solve rules conundrums, get advice on strategy, or ask for recommendations. But somewhere along the way, the volume of questions began to overwhelm their quality. Repetitive posts piled up. Vague, open-ended questions started cluttering the forums. The conversation began to lose its shape.
That’s the problem BGG hopes to fix with its new initiative: “Question Standards.” It’s not about policing the conversation—it’s about guiding it, making sure the information players share remains clear, valuable, and easy to find.
Why the Change Now?
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve probably noticed: board gaming has exploded over the past decade. Thousands of new titles hit the market every year, and the community around them grows just as quickly. That’s fantastic news for creativity and diversity, but it also means the BGG forums have become a labyrinth of overlapping discussions.
Moderators began noticing patterns:
- The same rule questions being asked multiple times.
- Posts that were more debate than inquiry (“Which game is the best this year?”).
- Threads placed in the wrong categories, making answers harder to locate.
The result? A dense and sometimes confusing web of content. For all its richness, BGG’s biggest strength—its sheer volume of user input—was starting to work against it. The new “Question Standards” are meant to flip that script.
What the New Standards Actually Do
So what’s changing? Think of the new system less as a rulebook and more as a conversation guide. It’s designed to help people ask better questions and get genuinely helpful answers.
- Be clear and specific. The more detail, the better. Instead of a broad prompt like “How does scoring work in Terraforming Mars?”, a better question might be “Do you still score Milestones and Awards at the end of Terraforming Mars if you’ve run out of resources?” That precision helps experts jump straight to the point.
- Check before you post. BGG already hosts an enormous archive of answers. A quick search might show your exact question has already been asked—and answered.
- Ask for facts, not opinions. “What’s the best game of 2024?” may spark debate, but comparing two specific games—how one handles mechanics versus another—leads to richer discussion.
- Put your question in the right place. BGG’s forums are carefully divided—rules, strategy, components, translations, and so on. Posting thoughtfully makes useful answers easier to find.
The Bigger Picture: How It Changes the Experience
The goal is to make BGG feel both more welcoming and more efficient. Clearer questions mean quicker, smarter answers. Over time, that builds a stronger, more reliable knowledge base—the kind of resource that helps both newcomers and veterans get more out of their games.
For newcomers, these standards act as a friendly orientation: how to communicate clearly, where to post, and what makes a question effective. For long-time users, they promise fewer duplicate threads and deeper, more meaningful conversations.
Walking the Line Between Structure and Spontaneity
Not everyone is thrilled by the idea of new rules. Some members worry that structure could intimidate newer players or stifle the organic energy that has always defined BGG. After all, this is a place built on passion and volunteer knowledge-sharing, not bureaucracy.
Moderators are aware of that balance. Their challenge now is to encourage higher quality without shutting anyone out—to maintain that warm, chaotic charm that makes BGG special, while keeping it organized enough to be truly helpful.
A Step Toward a Smarter, Kinder Community
In the end, “Question Standards” might sound procedural, but it’s really about protecting what makes BGG great: smart, curious people coming together over shared obsessions. As the board gaming world grows faster than ever, the community’s conversations need to evolve too.
Because, as every tabletop fan knows, the best games—and the best discussions—run on clear rules, mutual respect, and a little imagination.
So, what do you think? Are these new guidelines the polish BGG needs, or is part of the fun hidden in its glorious, messy sprawl?