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28 November 2018
Welcome to Purple Meeple Games
A story worth sharing
Walter's Story
My name is Walter and I have a story to share with you.
For myself and my wife, Cathryn, Purple Meeple Games is more than just a website that sells boardgames. The story of why we created the store is not as simple as ‘Boardgames are awesome so let’s sell them’. But perhaps the story begins somewhere you wouldn’t expect.
At the touch of a button on a super computer disguised as a phone in my pocket, I can be connected in an instant to an online virtual world where I can speak to relatives half way around the globe, play a game with a stranger I'll likely never meet, be told of a breaking news story that occurred thousands of kilometres away in a distant town that until that point I have likely never heard about before. But while we are all amazed at what is now available at our fingertips it scares me how much time can be lost to this online world. A world that if we are not careful will have us trapped sending text messages to our best friend in the room next door.
Cathryn and I found ourselves becoming more and more entangled in this new world and before we knew it quality time with friends and family involved a video call or a having a life conversation by text. We would sit at the dinner table on our phones answering work emails, messaging friends and worst of all messaging each other a mere table length away.
For myself and my wife, Cathryn, Purple Meeple Games is more than just a website that sells boardgames. The story of why we created the store is not as simple as ‘Boardgames are awesome so let’s sell them’. But perhaps the story begins somewhere you wouldn’t expect.
At the touch of a button on a super computer disguised as a phone in my pocket, I can be connected in an instant to an online virtual world where I can speak to relatives half way around the globe, play a game with a stranger I'll likely never meet, be told of a breaking news story that occurred thousands of kilometres away in a distant town that until that point I have likely never heard about before. But while we are all amazed at what is now available at our fingertips it scares me how much time can be lost to this online world. A world that if we are not careful will have us trapped sending text messages to our best friend in the room next door.
Cathryn and I found ourselves becoming more and more entangled in this new world and before we knew it quality time with friends and family involved a video call or a having a life conversation by text. We would sit at the dinner table on our phones answering work emails, messaging friends and worst of all messaging each other a mere table length away.
This all changed one fateful day when a friend of mine invited me to his house to play a board game. My initial reaction went something along the lines of ‘You do know you’re a 30+ year old man right? A bit old for boardgames wouldn't you think? But he was a good friend so I accepted the invitation. I arrived at his house with my trusty phone in hand, an easy escape should things go south, and was presented with the strategic game Risk. My interest was sparked, they had found a soft spot, I mean what 26-year-old doesn’t want to take over the world? A few hours later I was on the verge of conquering Asia and had my sights set on Europe, before those pesky enemy armies in Africa decided to rout me via the Middle East – all this and I hadn’t once touched my phone.
I was hooked, how was I to know four men could have so much fun, so much conversation and all that was needed was some cardboard and plastic? I needed to play again so off I went to my local store to buy my first boardgame – Risk Godstorm. I congratulated myself on my impeccable logic – Cathryn would be my unsuspecting playing partner and while she might have been hesitant about waging war and conquering the globe, the game had elephants and Cathryn’s a sucker for all things pachyderm.
I’d like to say that my ploy worked, but it took some pleading and bargaining to get her the table. Two and half hours and countless battles across the mythical world of Godstorm later, Cathryn inflicted the final blow sealing victory, a victory that sparked her interest and love for boardgames.
I was hooked, how was I to know four men could have so much fun, so much conversation and all that was needed was some cardboard and plastic? I needed to play again so off I went to my local store to buy my first boardgame – Risk Godstorm. I congratulated myself on my impeccable logic – Cathryn would be my unsuspecting playing partner and while she might have been hesitant about waging war and conquering the globe, the game had elephants and Cathryn’s a sucker for all things pachyderm.
I’d like to say that my ploy worked, but it took some pleading and bargaining to get her the table. Two and half hours and countless battles across the mythical world of Godstorm later, Cathryn inflicted the final blow sealing victory, a victory that sparked her interest and love for boardgames.
Cathryn and I owe a lot to boardgames. We love that it helps bring our families and friends to the table, putting away the technology that keeps us so busy today. Boardgames fill our lives with laughter, adventure, suspense & intrigue, providing an outlet for us to disconnect and enjoy each other’s company. Now with two young children we want to ensure that gaming becomes a big part of their lives as well. As parents it scares us how easily our children are consumed by technology and if boardgames mean that we can continue to spend quality time together as a family, then it is a story we want to continue.
After reading this, you might consider it ironic that we are setting up a website to sell board games, but for us it is so much more than just an online store. We are sharing this site, this story in the hope that we can give other families the same joy we experience each time we bring a boardgame to the family table. In our busy world these moments are priceless, and we hope our website helps you to find that one game that brings your spouse, your children, your brothers, your sisters, your whole family and friends back to the table.
This is why we have created Purple Meeple Games. We hope you enjoy our store, our stories and our service.
After reading this, you might consider it ironic that we are setting up a website to sell board games, but for us it is so much more than just an online store. We are sharing this site, this story in the hope that we can give other families the same joy we experience each time we bring a boardgame to the family table. In our busy world these moments are priceless, and we hope our website helps you to find that one game that brings your spouse, your children, your brothers, your sisters, your whole family and friends back to the table.
This is why we have created Purple Meeple Games. We hope you enjoy our store, our stories and our service.