The Committee on Culture of the Swedish Parliament had an open hearing this week about computer games and boardgames. I watched the recording (in Swedish).
I was curious about what they would say about boardgames. Not much, actually. They mentioned boardgames exactly once in passing. If you have followed my blog you know my passion for boardgames. I play digital games as well. But by far prefer playing face to face with real people.
A more fitting title for the event would be:
"How Swedish companies can make more money on computer games.”
The whole spectacle was extremely disappointing. A more fitting title for the event would be: "How Swedish companies can make more money on computer games.” So sad that culture is valued only by its ability to generate money down the line. So skewed towards commercial success.
But let me give you the highlights so you don’t have to watch it.
The expert opinion
The experts cherished how long term investment in Swedish culture has now made Sweden one of the top countries for creating computer games. Yet the budget for Swedish Kulturhuset was cut from 200 million SEK to 100 million SEK for 2026.
Kulturhuset is an organisation that runs cultural activities all over Sweden. Teaching kids to play instruments, dancing, crafting, creating movies. My youngest participates in two weekly activities run by them. Activities where young people practice and learn that they can create something coming from inside themselves.
An expert stated how important it was that new IPs were created in Sweden to generate long term values through spinoffs. Yet another expert mentioned example successful games he had worked on — all foreign IPs.
Swedish computer games industry made record sales in 2025. 25% of sales on Steam went to Swedish companies. Yet they did massive layoffs. Consolidation they call it.
One expert optimistically cheered that many of the people laid off would move on to create computer games of their own. That the Swedish innovation hubs would support them. That this would lead to new games 3-5 years down the line. Yet they also said that 50% of new employees in the Swedish computer games industry move to Sweden from elsewhere to work here. Given the strict immigration laws, how many of these will not be allowed to stay in Sweden after losing their job?
Then there is the question of funding. The AI bubble is eating up all risk capital at the moment. Who will invest in startups? Help bring a work of passion to commercial success? The big companies with a cash flow from successful titles will be ok. But people new to the industry will be struggling. The current system will favour the incumbents, the big studies. Not the newcomers. Not one critical question around this.
White dudes in suits
Most of the politicians present were awestruck at all they learned. Only one popped a carefully worded question to the only woman in the panel that highlighted that cutting funding with 50% might have consequences.
White dudes in suits bragging about how much money games they worked on made. And hence we should listen to what they say. One woman in the panel, out of five. Yes, she was the one who mentioned boardgames once. Not much for diversity or minority voices.
The majority view seemed to be that culture is some undefined ingredient you add to the start of a process that 3-5-20 years later generate a money rain. To some undefined investors. Especially if regulation does not get in the way.
What the report says about boardgames
I downloaded the underlying report hoping to at least find some mentions of the Swedish boardgames industry. At first I was happy to see 93 hits until I found out that more than half of the occurrences were in general terms like “the computer and boardgames industry”. Particularly ironic to bundle computer games and boardgames in a table stating the impact EU regulation. Computer games is impacted by the toy safety regulation? Really? Boardgames are impacted by the digital services act? Lol.
But the report did talk also specifically about boardgames in some places. The report quoted a survey that said that 27% of Swedes have played a boardgame within the last month (37% for digital games). And 52% within the last 12 months (50% for digital games). Makes you wonder why the hearing exclusively focused on computer games.
One Swedish boardgames publisher estimates in the report that the Swedish boardgames industry is worth 1/7th of the Swedish computer games industry. If we really insist on measuring value in money. I have no idea if this number is correct.
The ghost in the machine
Not only is the narrative around boardgames wildly skewed, the way the report talks about AI is also sadly mis-framed. A quote from the report, my translation to English:
"AI cannot yet test board games because it involves a lot of hands-on interaction. Therefore, [Swedish publisher] believes that AI is less of a problem for the board game industry than for the computer game industry."
"AI cannot yet..."? and “is less of a problem"? Not only are using computers an excellent way to play and test boardgames, it was one of the first applications of computers in Denmark (the game was a variant of NIM created by Piet Hein). Kasparov had no problem playing against an "AI" in the 1990s even if the computer could not move the pieces itself. The very first Chess Automation could in fact move the pieces, using a mechanical arm. Too bad that it also required a chess grand master to hide in the box below the chess board.
This narrative that AI can soon do everything is complete poison and nonsense and it is everywhere. Generative AI based on LLMs is an excellent tool to create and manipulate text and images. Nowhere soon is it going to empty your dishwasher for you.
The value of culture
As all euro gamers know, money is worth little. You spend the entire game to exchange them into real value, measured in victory points.
We don't create culture so we can make money. We make money so we can create culture.
Educate your politicians for the upcoming election. Vote for those who share your values.
Screenshots from the report
