Analog games going digital - more convenient for after-work rest

After work, many people want a diversion that is gentle yet engaging. Analog games have long served that purpose: board games, card games, puzzles on a physical table. Recently, digital versions of those analog classics gained momentum because they fit better into short time windows, low friction, and modern devices.

Usually, those popular and widely accepted games go digital more often than analog. There’s a rational explanation for this trend: people who develop such games still need a fair share of users and followers who will come and play on their platforms. It’s no wonder that card games, Monopoly, and chess are among the most common analog games that get their digital counterparts. 

Various card games in physical form require gathering people, chips, etc. But their digital counterparts in the form of apps let you play a hand or two in spare minutes or join tournaments whenever. We can see the example of poker moving digital, where the global poker app market size reached into the billions of dollars; the growth rate is highly likely to be 14‑15% CAGR over the coming years. In the U.S., many users already use mobile devices for playing poker online, where players can join a table within a couple of minutes.

The digital version gives social elements too (chat, video) while removing travel or coordination costs. Also, other card games like solitaire, rummy, hearts, etc, see digital revivals. People enjoy them after work because they can choose speed (fast rummy vs slow), type of opponent (AI vs real person), and whether to play in bursts or longer sessions.

Chess was translated to digital decades ago, but now many apps offer online matches, coaching, puzzles; average daily matches in popular apps often number in the hundreds of thousands. Backgammon likewise; it retains its randomness via rolls, but strategy matters, so many enjoy it online after work to wind down. Word puzzles or games such as crosswords or Boggle‑type games draw people because mental effort is moderate, not taxing, yet satisfying.

Some board games got reinvented as mobile or browser versions. For example, Ludo has massively large download numbers (hundreds of millions globally), people spending 15‑45 minutes per session, depending on game and mode. These games often lean casual, familiar, with simple rules; they let people relax rather than engage in heavy thinking.

Analog games appeal because they combine strategy, sociality, and tactile pleasure. The physical component (touching cards, moving pieces) gives satisfaction. Digital forms preserve much of that, while removing hassles: setting up pieces, finding opponents in person, carrying games. And sometimes, it's the other way around with videogame board games, creating a full circle in the industry and showing how welcoming it is to innovation.

Convenience matters. When someone finishes work and wants to relax for 20 minutes, launching an app or logging in online beats driving to meet people or unpacking a board. Also, digital versions let players pause and resume; many let you play asynchronously with friends, so you don’t all have to be free at once.

Another point: digital versions can adapt difficulty or pace. For example, chess on an app lets you choose a 5‑minute blitz game or a long “correspondence” one. Puzzles or word games let you pick the size or complexity. That flexibility suits varied energy levels after work.

Users often concentrate their play in the early evening hours. For many casual and strategy/board/card digital games, peak activity comes between about 6 pm and 11 pm local time. Those hours correspond to people returning home, wanting to unwind.

In mobile app statistics for the “board games” category, installs and sessions grew globally in recent years, while session length for board/card games tends to be moderate: often 15‑40 minutes depending on game and depth. Some new titles manage large active user numbers from short sessions.

Gaming app trends show that installs in “board game,” “card,” “casual,” and “puzzle” verticals grow at decent rates, though not always as fast as action or hyper‑casual genres. But retention matters: people will drop shallow games quickly; analog games with well-done digital conversion keep users longer.

Also, many games, like Returnal, introduce asynchronous multiplayer, leaderboards, and social features, which help with stickiness. If you can finish your part of a game and leave, then someone else takes over later, which fits with post‑work fragmentary time.

Sometimes digitization loses some tactile satisfaction: handling physical cards, seeing textures, and hearing dice. For many users, that matters. Game designers try to compensate via good graphics, sound design, and haptic feedback. But it does not always replace physical presence.

After a long workday, people often have less cognitive energy. A digital game must balance: too complex, too long, too many menus and ads—users will quit. On the other hand, being too simple can feel trivial or boring. Finding the right pace and interface matters.

Many analog games carry social elements: friends over, physical presence, and banter. Digital games sometimes simulate that via chat, voice, or video. Yet remote interaction feels different. Some users prefer the real presence; sometimes the screen feels isolating. On the flip side, digital removes geographic obstacles; you can play with people far away.

Digital conversion suits the modern schedule. People often don’t get long blocks of free time; they get fragments—half an hour here, fifteen minutes there. Digital forms make those fragments usable. Even when you've taken a cruise to get away from work and have reached a state of mind only the blue ocean can provide, digital games are still there and available for fun.

Also, ease of access helps mental unwinding. No setup, no cleanup, minimal friction. Maybe scrolling through apps, tapping a board game, making a move, and turning off the device. That simplicity matters when the brain is tired.

Analog games going digital offer more flexible, accessible rest options after work. When designers preserve enough of the original’s appeal but reduce friction, people can unwind better. These transformations reshape how many of us relax; they look likely to grow in the coming years.

This article was written in cooperation with BAZOOM