Sorry I took so long to get to this comment. I agree that in board games we have more agency to shape themes, but I don’t think that much more. Games can carve out pretty specific zones of meaning, and other forms of art can be interpreted in very viewer-influenced ways. Ultimately I don’t think there’s that much of a difference unless you start defining “the game” as the collection of components that people could do anything with, but then you’re off in your own space.

I think that’s a pretty good metaphor for micro/macro theming. Not perfect, but pretty good.

Found this quite funny :D. Though to take this example seriously, I think that the observable themes should depend on how each game plays out, and therefore changes from game to game. In a movie/book we are the audience observing literary-themes, but in a board game we are in a sense the authors/actors, and therefore have the choice and power to change the story and create our own literary-themes.

Would you say it is accurate that micro theming is about the absence of the board game equivalent of “plot holes” and macro theming is about feeling like you are actually living the role the board game sets you in?