Customers play a board game at the Nerdvana Table Top Games, in Egg Harbor Township, Wednesday 10 February 2021. Due to the pandemic, nationwide, board game sales have been increasing. Nerdvana also saw an increase in sales in his board games, but Nerdvana saw a larger increase in sales on his card games, role-playing games and miniatures. Edward Lea / Staff Photographer Press from Atlantic City
Steve Davis, 47 Galloway Township customer talks about playing board games at the Nerdvana Table Top Games, in Egg Harbor Township Wednesday February 10, 2021. Due to the pandemic, nationwide, board game sales have been increasing. Nerdvana also saw an increase in sales in his board games, but Nerdvana saw a larger increase in sales on his card games, role-playing games and miniatures. Edward Lea / Staff Photographer Press from Atlantic City
Charlie Heiler owner of Nerdvana Table Top Games, in Egg Harbor Township, Wednesday February 10, 2021. Due to the pandemic, nationwide, sales of board games have increased. Nerdvana also saw an increase in sales in his board games, but Nerdvana saw a larger increase in sales on his card games, role-playing games and miniatures. Edward Lea / Staff Photographer Press from Atlantic City
Customers play a board game at the Nerdvana Table Top Games, in Egg Harbor Township, Wednesday 10 February 2021. Due to the pandemic, nationwide, board game sales have been increasing. Nerdvana also saw an increase in sales in his board games, but Nerdvana saw a larger increase in sales on his card games, role-playing games and miniatures. Edward Lea / Staff Photographer Press from Atlantic City
Steve Davis, 47 Galloway Township customer talks about playing board games at the Nerdvana Table Top Games, in Egg Harbor Township Wednesday February 10, 2021. Due to the pandemic, nationwide, board game sales have been increasing. Nerdvana also saw an increase in sales in his board games, but Nerdvana saw a larger increase in sales on his card games, role-playing games and miniatures. Edward Lea / Staff Photographer Press from Atlantic City
Charlie Heiler owner of Nerdvana Table Top Games, in Egg Harbor Township, Wednesday February 10, 2021. Due to the pandemic, nationwide, sales of board games have increased. Nerdvana also saw an increase in sales in his board games, but Nerdvana saw a larger increase in sales on his card games, role-playing games and miniatures. Edward Lea / Staff Photographer Press from Atlantic City
Customers play a board game at the Nerdvana Table Top Games, in Egg Harbor Township, Wednesday 10 February 2021. Due to the pandemic, nationwide, board game sales have been increasing. Nerdvana also saw an increase in sales in his board games, but Nerdvana saw a larger increase in sales on his card games, role-playing games and miniatures. Edward Lea / Staff Photographer Press from Atlantic City
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – The trading card game “Magic: The Gathering” captured the imagination of Steve Davis nearly 30 years ago and has been holding him back ever since.
After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Davis, 47, from Galloway Township, spent some time working from home, but he has also spent the past 11 months unemployed.
With Davis added time, he visited Nerdvana’s Table Games at the English Creek Shopping Center here, and on a recommendation from one of the shop owners, he purchased the board game “Marvel Splendor”.
Davis will play Splendor while at home with his wife, but he will also play traditional card games with her such as rummy, for example.
“I bought Splendor specifically because of the pandemic,” said Davis, who added that Splendor can be played with only one person, while other games require at least two other competitors. “It’s more of a distraction with everything that’s happening in the world today.”
Last spring, Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner told CNBC that his company was experiencing strong demand during the coronavirus pandemic. In Nerdvana, game sales nearly doubled during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic, said the owner.
The comfortable family has taken a new interest in gaming and that benefits Hasbro and other game sellers. Hasbro, makers of “Monopoly” and “Magic: The Gathering” reported a 21% jump in game sales as a result of homebodies looking for ways to fill their time as reported by CNN Business.