New board games 2026: the winners, the follow-ups and Essen
Which board games are new this year? The award winners of 2026, new parts of games you already know, and what the big games fair in Essen brings in October.
Short answer: The award winners of 2026 are Dito (Spiel des Jahres), Rebirth (Kennerspiel des Jahres) and Die Insel der Mookies (Kinderspiel des Jahres). From 22 to 25 October 2026, SPIEL takes place in Essen, the world’s largest games fair, where more new games appear at once than anywhere else in the year.
Hundreds of new board games come out every year. This guide sets out which games won the big German game awards in 2026, which new parts of well-known games are on the way, and what to expect from the fair in Essen.
The award winners of 2026
The Spiel des Jahres is the best-known award for board games. Every July a German jury of game critics picks three winners: a family game, a game for experienced players (Kennerspiel) and a children’s game. Each winner comes with two other nominated games.
| Award | Winner 2026 | Also nominated |
|---|---|---|
| Spiel des Jahres | Dito by Martin Ang (Game Factory) | Cozy Stickerville, Morty Sorty Magic Shop |
| Kennerspiel des Jahres | Rebirth by Reiner Knizia | Boss Fighters QR, Moon Colony Bloodbath |
| Kinderspiel des Jahres | Die Insel der Mookies by Florian Sirieix | Buh Party, Verflixt Verzaubert |
Dito is a group game in which you score by guessing what the others have in common. Rebirth by Reiner Knizia has, in the jury’s words, a simple core idea with many tactical choices. Die Insel der Mookies is a duel for children with few rules.
Award winners often go on sale in German first. A Dutch or English edition sometimes follows later. A game’s page shows which editions exist and which shops sell them.
Winners and nominees
New parts of games you already know
Besides brand-new games, this year also brings follow-ups and expansions of well-known titles:
- Dorfromantik: The South Seas: a stand-alone follow-up to Dorfromantik, the 2023 Spiel des Jahres. You lay tiles together again, now on a tropical island. The publisher gives 1 to 6 players, ages 10 and up. The English edition comes out in October 2026.
- Bomb Busters: Pro Kit: an expansion for Bomb Busters, the 2025 Spiel des Jahres, with sturdier components and eleven new missions.
- Deckers: Duplicity: the first expansion for the co-operative cyberpunk game Deckers, released in 2026.
You can only play an expansion with its base game. A stand-alone follow-up such as Dorfromantik: The South Seas also plays without the earlier game.
New parts
- Pegasus Spiele
Dorfromantik - South Seas
- Players: 1–6
- Playing time: 30–90 min
- Age: 10+
- 999 Games
Bomb Busters Pro Kit
- Players: 2–5
- Playing time: 30 min
- Age: 12+
- 999 Games
Bomb Busters
- Players: 2–5
- Playing time: 20–40 min
- Age: 10+
- Pegasus Spiele
Deckers: Duplicity
SPIEL Essen 2026
SPIEL is the world’s largest public fair for board games. In 2026 it runs from Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 October at the Messe Essen fairground. According to the organisers, 220,000 people visited in 2025, and 948 exhibitors showed 1,716 new games.
Many publishers save their biggest releases for Essen, so a lot of new games reach the shops in the weeks around the fair, often in German and English first. After the fair it pays to compare prices: in the first weeks they can differ a lot from shop to shop.
How to find new games on BoardGameDrop
Open board games, family games or strategy games and choose the sort order "Newest in the catalogue". Looking for an expansion for a game you own? See expansions or the base game’s page, which lists the expansions that belong to it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Game of the Year 2026?
The Spiel des Jahres 2026 went to Dito by Martin Ang. The Kennerspiel des Jahres 2026 went to Rebirth by Reiner Knizia, and the Kinderspiel des Jahres 2026 to Die Insel der Mookies by Florian Sirieix.
When is SPIEL Essen 2026?
From Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 October 2026, at the Messe Essen fairground.
Are new games available in English right away?
Not always. Many new games come out in German first. An English or Dutch edition sometimes follows later, or not at all. A game’s page shows which editions the shops sell now.
Where does this information come from?
The awards come from the Spiel des Jahres jury, the fair figures from the SPIEL Essen organisers and the game details from the publishers. BoardGameDrop does not test or sell games.
Keep browsing
BoardGameDrop does not sell or test games itself. Player count, playing time and age come from the box and the publisher; the prices are the shops’ prices today.