In those cases, I buy it if I really, really like it, if there isn’t anything similar in my collection, or if I think I can get it played outside the group that there’s a copy floating around in. Usually takes a combination of those three factors, as I try to keep a lean collection since I’ve got friend who seem to own just about everything.

For a long time I found myself pretty hesitant to buy games others already have, prefering to borrow. But then I see how among my friend there are a lot of duplicates: We have two copies of Factory Funner, Thunderstone, Spirit Island, Quacks of Quedlinburg and that’s just what I can immediately recall.

So I’m thinking of ammending my “policy”, but it would only makes sense for games that my GF is definitely up for playing. Three of those four games I mentione are or were at some point my games. Both Spirit Island and Factory Funner do now align with her. One I have since rehomed with one of my gaming friends while the other has sat idly except for when we’re in the very specific constellation where the guy who doesn’t like it can’t attend and the other owner of the other copy can’t come either or doesn’t want to bring it. :-(

If I want to play it with a different group, one the people who have it are not part of, then I consider buying it.

I’ve also bought some games that I just had to have because they were just that awesome. And then never played, because other people already have a copy, and sometimes they have more content or whatever. Terraforming Mars, for example, I ended up only playing it a handful of times solo, and then the app came out, and I haven’t opened my copy since. I try to avoid doing this now, because it really doesn’t work out that well.

Although I am considering buying Brass: Birmingham so I can decide when I want it to be available in a meetup. Also Spirit Island, but that’s because I think I can get my kids to play with me.