Wingspan's only real flaw, depending on who you ask at game night, is that the full game runs about 70 minutes once you've factored in scoring and the inevitable bird-card analysis paralysis. Stonemaier Games is taking aim at exactly that problem with a small-box, 30-minute Wingspan experience due in Q3 2026, designed by original Wingspan creator Elizabeth Hargrave.
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Start organising for freeStonemaier announced the title alongside its full 2026 line-up back in January, and CEO Jamey Stegmaier has been talking it up through the spring. The game will be standalone (no base box required), play 1-5 players, and feature birds from around the world. Hargrave has described the brief as "could we distil the Wingspan experience into a shorter, streamlined game" rather than chasing a particular box size, although the smaller footprint is an obvious win for travel and shelf space.
Wingspan has shifted over 2.6 million copies since its 2019 release, and the trilogy plus spin-offs drove Stonemaier to a record $25.1m revenue last year. Stegmaier has been clear that the small-box trend in the 2026 line is design-led rather than a hedge against US import tariffs on Chinese-manufactured games, although a tighter MSRP will land well with UK importers either way.
Got a regular group? Create a private community, poll for the best date, vote on games, and let your friends RSVP in one place.
Set up your group for freeThis is the second Wingspan release of 2026, after Wingspan Americas Expansion hit Stonemaier's web store on 21 January. Stonemaier hasn't confirmed a final name, retail price or exact Q3 date for the small box.
For groups who love Wingspan but never quite get to the table on a Wednesday school night, this could be the version that finally fits. Join a Wingspan group on Backseat Gamer now and you'll be first in line when the small box drops.
Sources: Stonemaier Games | BoardGameWire | Stonemaier Revenue
