GAMA's Origins Awards have shortlisted 50 board games across five categories for 2026, and the list reads like a tour of the past year's biggest releases. Jamey Stegmaier's planet-exploring co-op Vantage, mascot-betting party hit Hot Streak from CMYK, and the lute-making strategy game Luthier all land prominent slots, with winners due at Origins Game Fair in Columbus on 19 June.
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Find events near youThe Heavy Strategy category lines up Vantage against Galactic Cruise (a recent Golden Geek winner), Cyclades: Legendary Edition, the gilded Prohibition-era Speakeasy, and the period heist game Molly House. Light Strategy puts Stonemaier's Wingspan spin-off Finspan up against Days of Wonder's Star Wars: Battle of Hoth and the praised Tag Team. The Co-op/Solo shortlist drops Matt Leacock's Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship alongside Vantage, Kinfire Council and Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons.
For the third year running, GAMA has caught flak for leaving designers off the official finalist announcement, with the Tabletop Game Designers Association calling it "a GAMA policy" rather than an oversight. GAMA's communications director Eric Francis said the omission was unintentional and promised to fix the process for next year.
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Set up your group for freeOrigins Game Fair runs 17-21 June 2026 in Columbus, Ohio, with the Calliope statuettes (the "Callies") presented at the ceremony on the 19th. If any of these finalists are still on your wishlist, find a group near you and book a session before the winners are crowned.
Sources: BoardGameWire | TTRPG Fans | Origins Awards
