Since the creation of the first board game over 5,000 years ago in Egypt, humans have developed thousands of complex and strategic games, not just as competitive forms of entertainment, but as social tools to build relationships with friends and family. In the current era of digitalization, many among the younger generations have turned to alternate forms of entertainment, with one of the most popular being GamePigeon. The mobile app functions as an extension on iMessages, allowing players to compete with friends in classic games.
GamePigeon offers a wide selection of mostly two-player games, with some of the most popular being adaptations of classics like 8 Ball (Pool), Sea Battle (Battleship) or Four in a Row (Connect 4). While the app is only available for Apple device users, it has remained free on the App Store since its release in 2016.
This large rise in popularity was especially noticeable during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the social distancing and quarantine restrictions forced many to find alternatives to typical social activities.
“It feels like playing a real game except you’re on your phone, so it’s not as socially demanding as a normal game would [be], but I feel like you still get the same friendly experiences out of it,” said Jaslyn Tsai (‘27), an avid GamePigeon Word Bites player.
In addition to the high-quality gameplay aspect of GamePigeon, many users find the app useful for its ability to reduce awkwardness in conversations over text. One common sentiment is that the competitive nature of the gameplay, along with the shared frustrations over near wins and losses, helps create a comfortable and playful atmosphere.
“For me, it’s hard to make conversations, so when I first started talking to people, I would send GamePigeons,” said Anna Yang (‘27), who has been playing for over six years. “It created a fun atmosphere that allowed me to open up.”
Others simply appreciate GamePigeon for its convenience and accessibility for having fun during free time, especially for students who may not have access to the games’ physical versions during school hours or outside of the house.
“It’s all on your phone, it keeps your score so you can brag about it, and you get to beat your friends,” Tsai said, “and it’s also very casual, and it doesn’t take up that much storage.”
However, GamePigeon also runs the risk of diminishing in-person interactions and taking away from the benefits of the games’ physical versions. It can become far easier to use GamePigeon for its accessibility, even when physical games are available, which can take away from the bonding experience that’s unique to in-person interactions.
“GamePigeon is great … but physical [games] are still much better because it’s a lot more fun when you can see people’s real reactions,” Tsai said. “I feel like there’s more banter when you’re face-to-face, and I think that’s more fun.”
With its four-star rating, roughly 219,000 reviews and presumably millions of downloads on the App Store, GamePigeon possesses a substantial foothold in teenage culture. Despite its occasional downsides, GamePigeon certainly stands as a beneficial and highly accessible social tool that teenagers can use to bond, even when not face-to-face.
