If you've never heard of Shard Bugs, that is about to change. The indie fantasy trading card game, in which armies of intelligent insects fight for cosmic gods, has just been named Fan Favorite Game of the Year at the Origins Awards, revealed by GAMA and the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design on 1 July 2026. Topping a fan vote is no small feat for a small, community-run outfit going up against the big publishers.
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Set up your group for freeShard Bugs is the work of Luis Silva, who goes by 2Fluent and has been collecting and playing card games since 1999. He built it as a deliberately community-first project, with co-designers Nathan Pelchat and Greg Sakoff and artwork by Kundu del Castillo. Each bug pledges itself to one of three Cosmic Avatars, Sol, Luna or Mars, and you win by racking up 20 devotion and seizing control of the table. This is a proper collectible game with expanding sets rather than a boxed one-and-done. Four booster sets are already out through distributor Southern Hobby: Bug-Inning, First Bounty, Infestation and Terraform.
The Fan Favorite category is decided by public vote, which makes it a fair barometer of grassroots buzz rather than critical consensus. That is exactly the kind of word-of-mouth that turns a niche indie into a table staple. If your group likes the collect-and-battle itch of a Magic or a Pokemon but fancies something scrappier off the beaten track, Shard Bugs has just earned itself a look. Gather a few curious mates and it is an easy one to try out at your regular game night.
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Find events near youSources: Origins Awards | ICv2 | Shard Bugs TCG
