The gaming landscape has evolved in the wake of the pandemic.
For instance, during quarantine, long-time gamers found time to teach beginners the mechanics to get started, expanding the footprint of the community.
According to Forbes, “Magic: The Gathering (MTG) had its best financial year of all time in 2020, growing by 27% compared to 2019,” and it continues to rise in 2021.
Also, tabletop role-playing games and competitive card games used to be saved for at-home play. Today, game store owners are bringing players back to the table with a safe, comfortable space to compete and quest.
“Tabletop games have been a popular form of leisure for thousands of years and continue to evolve,” said Tyler Myers, owner of Blue Moon Games. “Then, COVID-19 happened. People were finding themselves stuck inside with nowhere to go and nothing to do. There was a notable surge in games sales, spurring renewed interest in the market.”
Myers, a hobbyist himself, saw this gaming renaissance as an opportunity to open a local game store in Lemoyne. Growing up as a competitive MTG player, Myers spent his young adulthood in game stores—working through college, exploring new game packs and dreaming of one day opening his own place.
“That’s where my passion for Blue Moon Games stems from,” Myers said. “We saw a promising opportunity to fulfill a desire in the gamer community—so we did. We have quickly become a second home to many of our customers.”
Blue Moon Games provides a welcoming environment for all fandoms to peruse and purchase dice, blitz decks, booster packs and miniatures, as well as board games and catalogues of singles. One of their most popular items is the wide selection of trading cards available for purchase or trade.
Myers prides himself on offering a variety of games to choose from, but newcomers are not required to pay to play some of their new and unique titles. There are several demo copies available to take for a spin—no purchase necessary.
“We offer everything you’ll need for MTG, Dungeons & Dragons, Flesh and Blood and Pokémon, as well as classics such as Catan, Ticket to Ride, Descent and more,” Myers said. “We are acquainted with all of our offerings and love to make recommendations at the front desk.”
Ready to play? Inside, you will find spacious game rooms with several tables fitting four to 10 people each. This 3,000-square-foot gaming utopia fits 48 customers comfortably with hopes to expand into a Wizards Play Network Premium location next year.
One of Myers’ main objectives for opening a local game store was to provide an open environment, free from gatekeeping and the all-too-prevalent cliques associated with the gaming community.
“Gaming can be an exclusive environment for many individuals who are just trying to get started and learn the ins and outs,” Myers said. “We have a code of conduct that our players must abide by to participate so everyone enjoys their time together.”
York resident Jackson Shatzer enjoys starting his weekend at Friday Night Magic—an evening of MTG strategy with new and old friends alike, held every Friday at the store.
“I enjoy seeing people I know and meeting new friends around the tables at Blue Moon Games,” Shatzer said. “I am thankful for their friendly atmosphere where competitors and casual players can learn, grow and share in games together.”
Weekly tournaments have quickly grown to include Commander Tuesdays, Pokémon Wednesdays and Flesh and Blood Sundays. Visit their Facebook page to view their weekly schedules and learn about special events like their popular pre-release dates.
Along with their merchandise for sale, Myers has expanded his offerings with three arcade classics—Tekken, Street Fighter II and Galaxian. He hopes to become an arcade hotspot on the west shore.
Guests also are welcome to “bring your own snack” by enjoying local eateries nearby such as Neato Burrito, The Pizza Grille and West Shore Diner. Some establishments even deliver directly to Blue Moon Games.
Invite your dice-rolling enthusiasts or participate in gaming tournaments with community members—the arena is open and ready for all to play.
Blue Moon Games is located at 875 Market St., Suite 101, Lemoyne. For more information, including about gaming leagues, visit www.bluemoongamer.com or their Facebook page.
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