The Spiel des Jahres jury reveals its 2026 longlist and shortlist on Tuesday 19 May at 4pm CET, kicking off the run-up to Europe's biggest board gaming prize. If you only follow one award all year, this is the one. Winning a red Spiel des Jahres pawn can sell six figures of additional copies and turn a small studio into a household name overnight.
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Start organising for freeThree categories sit on the slate: Spiel des Jahres (the big family-game prize), Kennerspiel des Jahres (for connoisseur and crunchier enthusiast titles) and Kinderspiel des Jahres (children's games). Each category gets exactly three nominees on the shortlist, while the longlist forms a wider recommendation list of additional games the jury thinks deserve a stamp of approval.
Last year saw Bomb Busters take the headline Spiel des Jahres pawn, while Endeavor: Deep Sea pipped Faraway and Looot for the Kennerspiel prize. Both winners shifted serious volume in UK shops once the trophies landed. With Bomb Busters setting a high cooperative bar, the 2026 nominee list is expected to lean towards inventive co-ops and sleek family weights.
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See how it worksThe recommendation list is where prediction-watchers earn their stripes. Games that didn't quite make the shortlist still pick up a jury nod, and several have grown bigger long-term sellers than the actual nominees. Worth a follow if you like spotting cult hits early.
Winners are crowned at the official ceremony in Berlin on Sunday 12 July at 6pm. Between now and then, expect publishers to ramp demos and reprints of nominated games. Shortlisted titles can sell out fast in the weeks after announcement, so if a favourite sneaks in, grab it quickly.
If you want to play along, mark 19 May in your calendar. Half the fun is seeing the dark horses pip the favourites.
Sources: Spiel des Jahres official | Spiel des Jahres FAQ | BoardGameWire on 2025 nominees
