How many board games are there?

It's impossible to give an exact number for how many board games exist. Here's why:

* No Central Registry: There's no official database that tracks every single board game ever created.

* Constant New Releases: New board games are constantly being designed and released.

* Independent Creators: Many games are made by independent designers and never get commercially published, making them difficult to track.

* Definition of "Board Game": What counts as a board game is subjective. Does it include card games, party games, or even video games with board game elements?

However, some estimates exist:

* BoardGameGeek: The popular website BoardGameGeek has over 200,000 entries for board games, but this is likely just a fraction of the total number.

* Other Estimates: Some estimates suggest there are millions of board games out there, including those never published or commercially available.

In short, the number of board games is vast and constantly growing. It's impossible to know for sure, but it's safe to say there are many, many more than you might imagine!