It’s Fun to Be a Board-Game Sociopath
It’s Fun to Be a Board-Game Sociopath
It’s Fun to Be a Board-Game Sociopath
Julie Beck
September, 17, 2025
Summary
The author reflects on how playing board games like Werewolf, Settlers of Catan, Risk and others lets her adopt a “sociopath”-persona: lying, back-stabbing, manipulating friends, all in the service of amusement and victory. While lying and cheating usually carry negative real-life consequences, within the low-stakes realm of games they can produce a “cheater’s high”. Experts quoted note that though players act in unusual ways during gameplay, what often carries over are social-skills such as persuasion and reading others. The author admits that while her game persona is ruthless, she doesn’t bring it into everyday life.
Reference
Beck, J. (2025, September 17). It’s fun to be a board-game sociopath. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2025/09/board-games-lying-friends/684228/