Trading card games have exploded in the last few years, yet they have never had a global awards show to call their own. That changes this autumn. The first international TCG Awards land at SPIEL Essen in October, the world's biggest board game convention, and the fan-voted categories are open for the public to decide across July and August, so your favourite game or local shop could take a trophy partly on your say-so.
Run game nights? Backseat Gamer handles RSVPs, waitlists, date polling, and game voting so you can focus on playing.
Start organising for freeThe awards come from Card Sports League and Hana Sports & Entertainment, in partnership with SPIEL Essen. There are 13 categories in all, split into two camps. Nine Community Awards are chosen by fans, covering Game of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Set of the Year, Artwork of the Year, Event of the Year, Local Game Store of the Year, Content Creator of the Year and more. The remaining four Business Awards, including Campaign and Brand Partnership of the Year, are judged by an expert panel. Nominations ran through May and June, voting takes over July and August, and the winners collect their trophies at a ceremony during the show.
SPIEL Essen itself runs from 22 to 25 October and fills all eight of its halls for the first time. The Local Game Store category is a nice touch, a nod to the shops where we actually play. If a convention on that scale is tempting, it is never too early to sort out who else is going and plan a meetup.
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 freeSources: SPIEL Essen | SPIEL Essen News | TCG Awards
