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The makers of the Settlers of Catan usher players into the 21st century with a new game; Photo by Elle Joblin
New rules challenge players to balance economic growth and environmental responsibility.
I’ve been playing Settlers of Catan for nearly 20 years, both with friends and online with strangers. Millions worldwide enjoy this game for its unique blend of skill and luck, including how it elegantly models many aspects of real-world economics — resource scarcity, trading, competition, and development.
I even wrote my senior thesis in economics on Catan, exploring how trade restrictions in the game impacted economic outcomes. Surprisingly, I found that restricted trade scenarios often outperformed free trade scenarios in terms of resource production and game competitiveness, indicating competitive self-interest tends to minimize mutually beneficial cooperation (i.e., win-win deals).
Catan - New Energies: How To Play Video
Photo by Elle Joblin
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