Joan The Gamesmistress

she/her. Ambassador for playfulness. Author, speaker, gamesmistress.

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

"The Playful Is Political."

Yes, it's a clickbait-y title. It's also completely true.

I've been going about my life's mission all wrong, for decades now. If you also want to bring play back to prominence in this society, this might be so for you too.

https://t.co/fhT6IZo84J

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

What makes a game funny? Tough question. But I’ve spent a lot of time watching people at play, and combined with some research on the neuroscience of laughter, today’s video will be a big help for anyone who wants their friends to laugh at the game table.
https://t.co/U7CT7IXorO

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

True, text is unengaging. But a good game teacher at the table can get everyone engaged as soon as they sit down. It's my mission to help everyone become better game teachers and solve this problem.

[Nick Bentley 🎲 @Nick__Bentley]

The single biggest problem with board games is their rules.

Imagine if each movie required a manual.

The movie industry would be 1/10th the size.

But we publishers don't act like it's a huge problem, because it's our normal.

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

One of the best things about playing games is that it gives us a chance to be playful. But what exactly is playfulness? Why is playfulness good? And why is it so stigmatized? Tune in and find out!
https://t.co/U9rY8hWgB8

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

For about a year now, Adam Collins has been doing a podcast called "Eat Lunch & Board Game," inspired by his own experiences at work on lunch hour, and by a desire to help more people find time to play. I really enjoyed chatting with him. Thank you, Adam!
https://t.co/vvnilJzljM

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

In part one, we covered the reasons why anxiety comes out at the game table and the ways it can stop us from having fun. Now in part two we talk about solutions, and the rewards they bring.
https://t.co/JSAJlXiER6

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

Okay, let’s talk about play anxiety. If you’re following me, you probably love tabletop games, but you’ve seen how they can make some people feel very vulnerable and anxious. It’s long past time we started seriously addressing why that is.
https://t.co/dY4P6zuJf3

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

New party games come out every holiday season but almost none of them survive to the next year. So what exactly was it about Codenames that made it not only a survivor, but a permanent addition to the canon of party games? Find out in the latest video!
https://t.co/l7t3TJZ0Kx

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

Most card games need you to shuffle before you start, but have you ever really thought about why it matters so much? If you have, you've probably also thought about whether the way you shuffle is good enough to make the game work.
https://t.co/zA99NL9xBn

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

Thank you Eric for all your support and encouragement! For newcomers, please follow me here @JGamesmistress

[Eric Lang (@ericlang .bsky.social) @eric_lang]

My friend Joan has got her Youtube gaming channel up and running, and I highly recommend it.

She examines games from the broader perspective of play, and has a unique POV simultaneously academic and street that I find fresh.

Check out her channel!

https://t.co/rGYL4vXJC6

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

Trick question: what's the difference between a board game and a card game? In our latest video we look into both the theoretical answer (accurate but not especially useful) and some more practical answers (not as accurate but could come in quite handy).
https://t.co/0WtAQtZrPz

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

If you ever want to entertain a group of players with very, very different tastes in games, our first game unpacking video is just what you need! We're unpacking "Incan Gold", a simple game with more going on than meets the eye.
https://t.co/0172WOg6Bn

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

The luck of the dice can be harsh, even cruel. And that can be a problem if you want your time at play to be relaxing and fun. But thanks to the wonders of modern game design, there are ways around that. Today's video is about one of the best.
https://t.co/ubXB9X51Vy

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

The long-overdue conversation about colonialism in board games has reached the pages of The Atlantic magazine. I'm looking forward to hearing the voices of more game players on this, especially those who have suffered under colonialism.
https://t.co/hvmLQgc0EN

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

Have you had a chance to see the magic circle video yet?Let me know in the comments if you also have rituals you use to keep your play space safe and separate from your regular life.
https://t.co/HVDku7ivjO

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

It's the channel's first Bits-Bits-Bits video!
Feeling anxious about being social again? Here's how to use board games to make it easy and fun.

https://t.co/HVDku7ivjO

[Joan The Gamesmistress @JGamesmistress]

Hello world!

https://t.co/BhjYzzvZoM