What Types of Games Do Italians Play? Traditional & Modern Gaming Culture

Gaming Culture in Italy

Italians enjoy a rich mix of traditional and modern games.

Traditional Tabletop & Card Games

• Scopa / Scopone: National card game; capture cards matching table values.
• Briscola: Trick-taking with trump suit; popular in bars.
• Tressette: Partnership trick-taking, 40-card deck.
• Burraco: Rummy-style melding game, huge tournament scene.
• Scala Quaranta: Rummy variant, 40-card deck.
• Tarocchi (Tarot): 78-card deck, trick-taking, regional (North).

Board & Social Games

• Bocce / Boccette: Lawn bowling; played in parks, piazzas, dedicated courts.
• Morra: Hand-guessing game (fingers + shout), fast-paced, often with drinks.
• Tombola: Italian bingo; Christmas family tradition.
• Scacchi (Chess) / Dama (Checkers): Widely played, clubs in every city.

Modern Video Games

• Football/Soccer Sims: EA Sports FC (FIFA), eFootball (PES) — massive cultural phenomenon.
• Action/RPG: Assassin's Creed (Italian settings), Elden Ring, GTA V, The Witcher 3.
• Multiplayer: Fortnite, Call of Duty, League of Legends, Valorant.
• Mobile: Clash Royale, Brawl Stars, Pokémon GO.

Modern Board Games (Growing)

• Eurogames: Catan, Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride.
• Party: Dixit, Codenames, The Resistance.
• Italian designs: Vinci, Leonardo da Vinci, Dungeon Fighter.

Gaming in Italy is deeply social — whether arguing over Scopa rules at a bar or coordinating a Fortnite squad on Discord.