Remember when chess was strictly a quiet pastime for old men in parks, and poker meant smoky rooms filled with people sporting sunglasses indoors? Well, I’m here to report that times have changed! These classic games have survived the jump to the digital age and they’ve come back kicking. Now they’re popping up everywhere from Netflix dramas and reality TV competitions to celebrity livestreams.
Chess: It’s Not Just for Quiet Geniuses Anymore
You wouldn’t be alone in having thought that chess would probably never trend on Twitter. That all changed, didn’t it? The Queen’s Gambit launched onto our screens in 2020 and we could not get enough of it. Millions of us found ourselves utterly invested in a story all about chess. And the reason? Beth Harmon. With her fiery hair and impeccable style, she single-handedly turned a previously sleepy game into a binge-worthy drama.
But it didn’t stop there. Twitch took chess and made it – I can’t believe I’m saying this – cool. Grandmasters started streaming their practice, making lightning-fast moves, trash-talking their opponents, and explaining their strategies in language that finally made sense to the mere plebeian. Hikaru Nakamura was one chess streamer who made a pretty solid career off the back of his insane chess skills and the voracious appetite that popped up after The Queen’s Gambit was released. His streams regularly rack up thousands of viewers, mixing high-level play with laid-back banter. For me, it’s that sort of slightly mindless thing I can watch for hours without even knowing exactly what’s happening – yet I love it.
Chess now lives at this weird intersection of competitive gaming and casual streaming, offering something genuinely new for gamers, something mindless yet fascinating for binge-watchers, and, I’m not sure what it is for everyone in between – but they’re still watching!
Poker Hits the Small Screen (Yes, Again!)
Poker was never exactly camera-shy. Remember those late-night ESPN broadcasts from Vegas? Lately, though, it feels like it’s gotten a pretty impressive reboot. Although it’s a little bit more of a murder mystery than a ‘how to play Texas Hold’em,’ Poker Face, starring Natasha Lyonne, was a veritable triumph. It hits on all those things that bring together the very essence of poker – bluffing, reading people, that constant psychological dance. All of the good stuff is right at the front of the script.
Celebrity poker tournaments have been revamped once more and livestreams have found their groove again. Some of the most popular Twitch poker streams, like those hosted by Lex Veldhuis or Spraggy, have brought about a whole new way to enjoy poker, snacks at hand, chatting with other viewers as the pros casually bluff their way to huge pots of money.
Blackjack is Back in the Spotlight
From Netflix series to celebrity livestreams, traditional games are almost constantly being reimagined as spectator-friendly content. Blackjack, and in particular online blackjack, has seen renewed interest through live-streamed tournaments, app-based competitions, and even a chart-topping documentary.
Take online blackjack platforms: they’re now able to offer sleek, cinematic versions of this popular game. Both titles in the live casino space and RNG tables are looking more futuristic and more lifelike than ever. This alone is gaining online blackjack a fresh audience in both gaming and entertainment spaces.
One documentary that shone a light on the fascinating world of elite blackjack is Inside the Edge: A Professional Blackjack Adventure. It took viewers deep into the high-stakes world of professional blackjack, making a game known mostly for quiet table manners into a gripping tale of risk, reward, and unbelievable nerve. It’s the sort of thing you watch, then find yourself googling blackjack strategy at 2 AM – don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Retro Arcade: Pixels, Nostalgia, and Hollywood Magic
Arcade games were practically built for nostalgia, weren’t they? Rows of machines lined up, flashing lights and blaring synth sounds – there’s nothing quite like it. Even Hollywood agrees, cashing in big on the nostalgia wave. Take Pixels, for instance – a movie literally built around the idea of classic arcade characters invading Earth. Pac-Man munching through city streets and Donkey Kong wreaking havoc in America? Pure cinematic popcorn fun. Sure, it’s silly, but it taps perfectly into the nostalgia and charm of those retro games.
On the smaller screen, Stranger Things took things even further, making the local arcade practically a character in itself. Watching Dustin, Lucas, and the rest battle it out on Dig Dug and Dragon’s Lair was more about reliving your own glory days, huddled around a screen with a pocket full of quarters and dreams of getting your initials into the high-score hall of fame, than it ever was about story building! The arcade may not have been perfect, but it was definitely fun.
Even today, retro arcades are getting digital makeovers, and popping up in virtual reality spaces and gaming apps, proving once again that classics never truly fade… sometimes they just respawn with extra lives.
