Game of the Year 2026 Awards Ceremony Held in Berlin

Berlin is hosting the 2026 "Spiel des Jahres" (Game of the Year) awards ceremony tonight, honoring excellence in board games. Three games are nominated for the prestigious international award: "Cozy Sticker Ville," "Dito!," and "Morty Sorty Magic Shop." The winner will receive the coveted red "Spiel des Jahres" trophy to feature on their game's packaging.

Last year's "Spiel des Jahres" award went to "Bomb Busters," designed by Hisashi Hayashi. In addition to the main award, prizes will also be given for "Kinderspiel des Jahres" (Children's Game of the Year) and "Kennerspiel des Jahres" (Connoisseur's Game of the Year) for more experienced players.

Nominees for "Kinderspiel des Jahres" are "Buh Party," "Die Insel der Mookies," and "Verflixt verzaubert." For "Kennerspiel des Jahres," the nominated games are "Boss Fighters," "Moon Colony Bloodbath," and "Rebirth." The jury selected the winners from approximately 570 new game releases.

"Cozy Sticker Ville," by Corey Konieczka, is a cooperative game for up to six players focused on building a village. "Dito!," by Martin Ang, challenges players to guess their opponents' associations with specific terms. "Morty Sorty Magic Shop," by Markus Slawitscheck, involves strategically stocking a magic shop's shelves.