Their peaceful premises and intricate rule systems are changing the way Americans play—and helping shape an industry in the process.

"Eklund now lives in Germany, where he’s attained the status of cult celebrity. He has no plans to move back to the United States. “One of the reasons I came to this country is because I knew it was the place where people take board games really seriously,” he told me. “The designers have status. They put their name on the box, and people will buy based on their reputation.”

Now a board-game star in Germany, Eklund’s friends include such masterminds as Friedemann Friese, the creator of the game Power Grid, and the legendary Uwe Rosenberg...

Their peaceful premises and intricate rule systems are changing the way Americans play—and helping shape an industry in the process.

"Eklund now lives in Germany, where he’s attained the status of cult celebrity. He has no plans to move back to the United States. “One of the reasons I came to this country is because I knew it was the place where people take board games really seriously,” he told me. “The designers have status. They put their name on the box, and people will buy based on their reputation.”

Now a board-game star in Germany, Eklund’s friends include such masterminds as Friedemann Friese, the creator of the game Power Grid, and the legendary Uwe Rosenberg...