The Story Behind GamesUnite

I was looking through old photos of me and my siblings one evening from the 90's, We were sitting around our kitchen table playing a game of handmade chess. The board was made from wallpaper, with black felt for the squares, and the pieces? Lego. Yep — Lego. We could make nothing into something back then.

It got me thinking about how much laughter board games used to bring us. Old favourites like Frustration and Splat filled our home with fun and chaos. And even now, games nights with friends and family are still some of my favourite moments in life. There’s nothing like a good laugh around the table, away from screens and just connecting.

Those photo's stirred something in me. What if… like the old video shop days, but with board games instead? That was my first scribbling in my book of ideas. And not even 24 hours later, I bought my first 3 games — Splat, Kerplunk, and Trivial Pursuit Junior — the exact ones we played growing up. From there, 3 games turned into 10… then 50… then 100. And today? Well, I’ve now got enough to open GamesUnite.

It’s still early days — more of an open idea than a full-blown business — but I’m loving every second of creating it. I’ve got this big dream to bring back that feeling we all remember: walking into a video shop, browsing the shelves, reading the backs of boxes, and heading home with something special. That’s the exact vibe I want with GamesUnite. A game hire shop where families and friends can come in, explore, and leave with a box of joy.

Whether it’s a classic from your childhood, a hidden gem from the 70s, or something brand new you’ve never heard of, I want GamesUnite to be the place you find it. Every game has the power to bring people together, and the more I collect, the more I dream of opening a proper space in my hometown — shelves stacked high, a warm welcome, and memories waiting to be made.

This website is where I’m cataloguing all the games. A growing collection. A way to share the vision. It’s here to build support, stir interest, and show what GamesUnite could become — and what it could bring to you. All those scribbles of ideas, and plenty more still waiting to be turned into something real. One step, one game, one spark at a time.