Solotober 2026

For the fifth straight year, I participated in the Solotober Challenge where I attempt to have 31 solo game plays in the month of October. This year work was busier than ever and I found myself logging more of my solo plays from online platforms like BoardGameArena than I would have preferred. A lot of it came from a lack of time to get something set up, played, and broken down. But the real killer was just how exhausted I was by the end of the day. After making dinner, cleaning up, and taking a walk, I didn't have the time or energy most nights to play a physical copy unless it was a simpler game.

Simpler games were definitely the theme for this year and helped me once again hit my goal of playing a different game every single day. I didn't get any new to me games in which was very disappointing. On the positive side, I found out a favorite multiplayer game of mine, Fromage, which made the Top 10 New to Me Games of 2025, has a solo variant and is on BGA so I got to try that for the first time. Between regular and solo plays I think it is a prime candidate for my 100 Games 100 Plays list. My goal for next year is to play at least 5 new to me games and/or first time solo plays of games I already enjoy.
This is continues to be an enjoyable gaming tradition that I plan to keep doing year after year. Hopefully I can do a better job in the future balancing everything during a busy work month. If you like solo gaming or are interested in starting, come join us at the 1 Player Guild. The people are some of the nicest and most accepting board gamers you'll find. The challenge is just a fun activity to do as a community that only requires you and whatever time you have available. Happy gaming!

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