Spiel des Jahres
The Spiel des Jahres is an award for board and card games, created in 1978 with the purpose of rewarding family-friendly game design and promoting excellent games in the German market. It is thought that the existence and popularity of the award was one of the major drivers of the quality of games coming out of Germany, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. A Spiel des Jahres nomination can increase the typical sales of a game from 500–3,000 copies to around 10,000, and the winner can usually expect to sell as many as 500,000 copies.
Award criteria
The award is given by a jury of German-speaking board game critics from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, who review games released in Germany in the preceding twelve months. The games considered for the award are family-style games. War games, role-playing games, collectible card games, and other complicated, highly competitive, or hobbyist games are outside the scope of the award. Since 1989, there has been a separate award for children's games. The jury is not subject to public scrutiny and members of the public are not offered the opportunity to influence the voting.On occasion, the jury has awarded a special prize for more complex games, such as Agricola in 2008 or World Without End in 2010. Prior to 2011, this award was an exceptional award which was not necessarily awarded annually. In 2011, however, this practice was formalized when the jury created a new category for more complex games called Kennerspiel des Jahres. Along with the nominations, the jury also gives a list of recommended games, and occasionally gives out special prizes for games which will not be considered for the main award. The criteria on which a game is evaluated are:
- game concept
- rule structure
- layout,
- design
Awards and nominees
1979 awards
The games receiving recognition at the 1979 awards were:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Hare and Tortoise | David Parlett | Rio Grande Games |
1980 awards
The games receiving recognition at the 1980 awards were:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Rummikub | Ephraim Hertzano | Pressman Toy Corp. |
1981 awards
The games receiving recognition at the 1981 awards were:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Focus | Sid Sackson | Whitman |
1982 awards
The games receiving recognition at the 1982 awards were:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Enchanted Forest | Alex Randolph and Michael Matschoss | Ravensburger |
1983 awards
The games receiving recognition at the 1983 awards were:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Scotland Yard | Manfred Burggraf and others | Ravensburger |
1984 awards
The games receiving recognition at the 1984 awards were:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Railway Rivals | David Watts | Games Workshop |
1985 awards
The games receiving recognition at the 1985 awards were:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective | Raymond Edwards, Suzanne Goldberg and Gary Grady | Space Cowboys |
1998 awards
The games receiving recognition at the 1998 awards were:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result | Ref |
| Elfenland | Alan R. Moon | Amigo |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Category | Result | Ref |
| Zicke Zacke Hühnerkacke (Chicken Cha Cha Cha) | Klaus Zoch | Zoch Verlag | Children's Game of the Year |
1999 awards
The games receiving recognition at the 1999 awards were:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result | Ref |
| Tikal | Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling | Ravensburger | ||
| Giganten | Wilko Manz | Kosmos | Nomitated | |
| Alan R. Moon | Amigo | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Category | Result | Ref |
| Kayanak | Peter-Paul Joopen | HABA and Nabita World | Children's Game of the Year |
2000 awards
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Torres | Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling | F.X. Schmid | |
| Carolus Magnus | Leo Colovini | Rio Grande Games | Nomitated |
| Ohne Furcht und Adel (Citadels) | Bruno Faidutti | Hans im Glück | Nomitated |
2001 awards
This was the first year the Children's Game of the Year award was given, an award for more simple games:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Carcassonne | Klaus-Jürgen Wrede | Hans im Glück | |
| Das Amulett | Alan R. Moon and Aaron Weissblum | Goldsieber Spiele | Nomitated |
| Zapp Zerapp | Heinz Meister and Klaus Zoch | Zoch Verlag | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Category | Result |
| Troia | Thomas Fackler | Zeitstein Spiele | Historical Game | |
| Der Herr der Ringe (Lord of the Rings) | Reiner Knizia | Kosmos | Literary Game |
2002 awards
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Villa Paletti | Bill Payne | Zoch Verlag | |
| Puerto Rico | Andreas Seyfarth | Alea | Nomitated |
| TransAmerica | Franz-Benno Delonge | Winning Moves Germany | Nomitated |
2003 awards
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Der Palast von Alhambra (Alhambra) | Dirk Henn | Queen Games | |
| Clans | Leo Colovini | Venice Connection | Nomitated |
| Die Dracheninsel | Tom Schoeps | Amigo | Nomitated |
2004 awards
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Zug um Zug (Ticket to Ride) | Alan R. Moon | Days of Wonder | |
| Dicke Luft in der Gruft | Norbert Proena | Zoch Verlag | Nomitated |
| Ingenious | Reiner Knizia | Kosmos | Nomitated |
| Raja: Palastbau in Indien | Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling | Phalanx Games | Nomitated |
| Sankt Petersburg (Saint Petersburg) | Michael Tummelhofer | Hans im Glück | Nomitated |
2005 awards
The nominations for the 2005 award were announced on May 8, 2005, and the winner on June 27, 2005:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Niagara | Thomas Liesching | Zoch Verlag | |
| Verflixxt! | Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling | Ravensburger | Nomitated |
| In 80 Tagen um die Welt (Around the World in 80 Days) | Michael Rieneck | Kosmos | Nomitated |
| Jambo | Rüdiger Dorn | Kosmos | Nomitated |
| Himalaya | Régis Bonnessée | Tilsit | Nomitated |
2006 awards
The nominations for the 2006 award were announced on May 28, 2006, and the winner on July 17, 2006:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Thurn and Taxis | Karen & Andreas Seyfarth | Hans im Glück | |
| Seeräuber | Stefan Dorra | Queen Games | Nomitated |
| Aqua Romana | Martin Schlegel | Queen Games | Nomitated |
| Just 4 Fun | Jürgen P.K. Grunau | Kosmos | Nomitated |
| Blue Moon City | Reiner Knizia | Kosmos | Nomitated |
Along with the nominations, the jury also assigned two special prizes for games which it felt were too demanding to count as 'family style' games:
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Category | Result |
| Schatten über Camelot (Shadows over Camelot) | Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala | Days of Wonder | Fantasy Game | |
| Caylus | William Attia | Ẏstari Games | Complex Game |
2007 awards
The nominations for the 2007 award were announced on May 20, 2007, and the winner on June 25, 2007:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Zooloretto | Michael Schacht | Abacus Spiele | |
| Der Dieb von Bagdad | Thorsten Gimmler | Queen Games | Nomitated |
| Jenseits von Theben | Peter Prinz | Queen Games | Nomitated |
| Die Baumeister von Arkadia | Rüdiger Dorn | Ravensburger | Nomitated |
| Yspahan | Sébastien Pauchon | Ẏstari Games | Nomitated |
2008 awards
The nominations for the 2008 award were announced on May 25, 2008, and the winner on June 30, 2008:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Keltis | Reiner Knizia | Kosmos | |
| Stone Age | Michael Tummelhofer | Hans im Glück | Nomitated |
| Wie verhext! | Andreas Pelikan | Alea/Ravensburger | Nomitated |
| Blox | Wolfgang Kramer, Jürgen P.K. Grunau, Hans Raggan | Ravensburger | Nomitated |
| Suleika | Dominique Ehrhard | Zoch Verlag | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Category | Result |
| Agricola | Uwe Rosenberg | Lookout Games | Complex Game |
2009 awards
The nominations for the 2009 award were announced on May 24, 2009 and the winner on June 29, 2009:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Dominion | Donald X. Vaccarino | Rio Grande Games | |
| FITS | Reiner Knizia | Ravensburger | Nomitated |
| Finca | Ralf zur Linde, Wolfgang Sentker | Hans im Glück | Nomitated |
| Fauna | Friedemann Friese | HUCH & Friends | Nomitated |
| Pandemie (Pandemic) | Matt Leacock | Pegasus Spiele | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Category | Result |
| Gift Trap | Nick Kellet | Heidelberger Spieleverlag | Party Game | |
| Space Alert | Vlaada Chvátil | Heidelberger Spieleverlag | New Game Worlds |
2010 awards
The nominations for the 2010 award were announced on May 31, 2010, and the winner on June 28, 2010:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Dixit | Jean-Louis Roubira | Libellud | |
| Identik | William P. Jacobson and Amanda A. Kohout | Asmodee | Nomitated |
| A la Carte | Karl-Heinz Schmiel | Moskito/Heidelberger | Nomitated |
| Im Wandel der Zeiten: Das Würfelspiel – Bronzezeit | Matt Leacock | Pegasus Spiele | Nomitated |
| Fresko (Fresco) | Marco Ruskowski and Marcel Süßelbeck | Queen Games | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Category | Result |
| Die Tore der Welt | Michael Rieneck, Stefan Stadler | Kosmos | Game of the Year Plus |
2011 awards
The nominations for the 2011 awards were announced on May 23, 2011, and the winners on June 27, 2011. This was the first year the Connoisseur-gamer Game of the Year award was given, an award for more complex games:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Qwirkle | Susan McKinley Ross | Mindware Spiele | |
| Asara | Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling | Ravensburger | Nomitated |
| Die verbotene Insel (Forbidden Island) | Matt Leacock | Schmidt Games | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Da ist der Wurm drin | Carmen Kleinert | Zoch Verlag | |
| Die kleinen Zauberlehrlinge | Thomas Daum, Violetta Leitner | Drei Magier | Nomitated |
| Monster-Falle | Inka and Markus Brand | Kosmos | Nomitated |
2012 awards
The nominations for the 2012 awards were announced on May 21, 2012, and the winners on July 9, 2012:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Kingdom Builder | Donald X. Vaccarino | Queen Games | |
| Las Vegas | Rüdiger Dorn | Alea/Ravensburger | Nomitated |
| Eselsbrücke | Stefan Dorra and Ralf zur Linde | Schmidt Spiele | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Schnappt Hubi! | Steffen Bogen | Ravensburger | |
| Spinnengift und Krötenschleim | Klaus Teuber | Kosmos | Nomitated |
| Die kleinen Drachenritter | Marco Teubner | HUCH! & friends | Nomitated |
2013 awards
The nominations for the 2013 awards were announced on May 21, 2013, and the Spiel and Kennerspiel winners were announced on July 8, 2013. The Kinderspiel Game of the Year was announced on June 12, 2013:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Hanabi | Antoine Bauza | Asmodée Éditions | |
| Augustus | Paolo Mori | Hurrican | Nomitated |
| Qwixx | Steffan Benndorf | GameFactory | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Die Legenden von Andor | Michael Menzel | Kosmos | |
| Brügge | Stefan Feld | Hans im Glück | Nomitated |
| Die Paläste von Carrara | Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer | Hans im Glück | Nomitated |
2014 awards
The nominations for the 2014 awards were announced on May 19, 2014. The Children's Game of the Year was announced on June 23, and the Game of the Year and Connoisseur's Game of the Year were announced on July 14:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Camel Up | Steffen Bogen | Pegasus Spiele | |
| Concept | Gaëtan Beaujannot and Alain Rivollet | Repos Production | Nomitated |
| Splendor | Marc André | Space Cowboys | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Istanbul | Rüdiger Dorn | Pegasus Spiele | |
| Rokoko | Matthias Cramer, Louis Malt and Stefan Malz | Eggertspiele | Nomitated |
| Concordia | Mac Gerdts | PD-Verlag | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Geister, Geister, Schatzsuchmeister! | Brian Yu | Mattel Games | |
| Flizz & Miez | Klemens Franz, Hanno Girke, Dale Yu | Stadlbauer | Nomitated |
| Richard Ritterschlag | Johannes Zirm | HABA | Nomitated |
2015 awards
The nominations for the 2015 awards were announced on May 18, 2015. The Kinderspiel des Jahres winner were announced on Monday, June 8, 2015, and the Spiel and Kennerspiel winners were announced on Monday, July 6, 2015:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Colt Express | Christophe Raimbault | Ludonaute | |
| Machi Koro | Masao Suganuma | Kosmos | Nomitated |
| The Game | Steffen Benndorf | Nürnberger Spielkarten Verlag | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Broom Service | Andreas Pelikan and Alexander Pfister | Ravensburger | |
| Elysium | Brett J. Gilbert and Matthew Dunstan | Space Cowboys | Nomitated |
| Orléans | Reiner Stockhausen | dlp games | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Spinderella | Roberto Fraga | Zoch Verlag | |
| Push a Monster | Wolfgang Dirscherl, Manfred Reindl | Queen Games | Nomitated |
| Schatz-Rabatz | Karin Hetling | Noris-Spiele | Nomitated |
2016 awards
The nominations for the 2016 awards were announced on May 23, 2016, and the winners on Monday July 18, 2016:| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Codenames | Vladimír Chvátil | Czech Games Edition | |
| Imhotep | Phil Walker-Harding | Kosmos | Nomitated |
| Karuba | Rüdiger Dorn | HABA | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Stone Age Junior | Marco Teubner | Hans im Glück | |
| Mmm! | Reiner Knizia | Pegasus Spiele | Nomitated |
| Leo muss zum Friseur | Leo Colovini | Abacus Spiele | Nomitated |
2017 awards
The nominations for the 2017 award were announced on May 22, 2017. The winner for Children's Game of the Year was announced on June 19, 2017. The winners for Game of the Year and Connoisseur-gamer Game of the Year were announced on July 17, 2017.| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Kingdomino | Bruno Cathala | Pegasus Spiele | |
| Magic Maze | Kasper Lapp | Pegasus Spiele | Nomitated |
| Wettlauf nach El Dorado | Reiner Knizia | Ravensburger | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| EXIT: Das Spiel | Inka Brand and Markus Brand | Kosmos | |
| Räuber der Nordsee | Shem Phillips | Schwerkraft | Nomitated |
| Terraforming Mars | Jakob Fryxelius | Schwerkraft | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| ICECOOL | Brian Gomez | Amigo | |
| Captain Silver | Wolfgang Dirscherl and Manfred Reindl | Queen Games | Nomitated |
| Der Mysteriöse Wald | Carlo A. Rossi | Iello | Nomitated |
2018 awards
The nominations and the special prize for the 2018 award were announced on May 14, 2018. The winner for Children's Game of the Year was announced on June 11, 2018. The winners for Game of the Year and Connoisseur-gamer Game of the Year were announced on July 23, 2018.| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Azul | Michael Kiesling | Next Move/Plan B Games | |
| Luxor | Rüdiger Dorn | Queen Games | Nomitated |
| The Mind | Wolfgang Warsch | Nürnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Die Quacksalber von Quedlinburg (The Quacks of Quedlinburg) | Wolfgang Warsch | Schmidt Games | |
| Ganz Schön Clever | Wolfgang Warsch | Schmidt Games | Nomitated |
| Heaven & Ale | Michael Kiesling and Andreas Schmidt | Eggertspiele | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Funkelschatz | Lena und Günter Burkhardt | HABA | |
| Emojito! | Urtis Šulinskas | Huch! & friends | Nomitated |
| Panic Mansion | Asger Harding Granerud and Daniel Skjold Pedersen | Blue Orange | Nomitated |
2019 awards
The nominations for the 2019 award were announced on May 20, 2019. The winner for Children's Game of the Year was announced on June 24, 2019| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Just One | Ludovic Roudy and Bruno Sautter | Repos Production | |
| L.A.M.A. | Reiner Knizia | Amigo | Nomitated |
| Werwörter (Werewords) | Ted Alspach | Ravensburger | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Flügelschlag (Wingspan) | Elizabeth Hargrave | Stonemaier Games | |
| Carpe Diem | Stefan Feld | Alea/Ravensburger | Nomitated |
| Detective: Ein Krimi-Brettspiel | Ignacy Trzewiczek, Przemysław Rymer and Jakub Łapot | Portal Games and Pegasus Spiele | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Tal der Wikinger | Marie and Wilfried Fort | HABA | |
| Fabulantica | Marco Teubner | Pegasus Spiele | Nomitated |
| Go Gecko Go! | Jürgen Adams | Zoch Verlag | Nomitated |
2020 awards
The nominations for the 2020 award were announced on May 18, 2020. The award for Children's Game of the Year was announced on June 15, 2020. The winners were announced on July 20, 2020.| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Pictures | Daniela and Christian Stöhr | PD-Verlag | |
| My City | Reiner Knizia | Kosmos | Nomitated |
| Nova Luna | Uwe Rosenberg and Corné van Moorsel | Edition Spielwiese and Pegasus Spiele | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Die Crew: Reist gemeinsam zum 9. Planeten (The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine) | Thomas Sing | Kosmos | |
| Der Kartograph (Cartographers) | Jordy Adan | Pegasus Spiele | Nomitated |
| The King's Dilemma | Lorenzo Silva, Hjalmar Hach and Carlo Burelli | Horrible Guild and HeidelBÄR Games | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Speedy Roll | Urtis Šulinskas | Piatnik | |
| Foto Fish | Michael Kallauch | Logis | Nomitated |
| Wir sind die Roboter | Reinhard Staupe | NSV | Nomitated |
2021 awards
The nominations for the 2021 award were announced on May 18, 2021. The award for Children's Game of the Year was announced on June 14, 2021. The winners were announced on July 19, 2021.| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| MicroMacro: Crime City | Johannes Sich | Edition Spielwiese and Pegasus Spiele | |
| Die Abenteuer des Robin Hood | Michael Menzel | Kosmos | Nomitated |
| Zombie Teenz Evolution | Annick Lobet | Scorpion Masqué | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Paleo | Peter Rustemeyer | Hans im Glück | |
| Die verlorenen Ruinen von Arnak (Lost Ruins of Arnak) | Michaela Štachová and Michal Štach | CGE | Nomitated |
| Fantastische Reiche | Bruce Glassco | Strohmann Games and WizKids | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Dragomino | Bruno Cathala, Marie Fort and Wilfried Fort | Pegasus Spiele and Blue Orange | |
| Fabelwelten | Wilfried Fort and Marie Fort | Lifestyle Boardgames | Nomitated |
| Mia London | Antoine Bauza and Corentin Lebrat | Scorpion Masqué | Nomitated |
2022 awards
The nominations for the 2022 award were announced on May 23, 2022. The award for Children's Game of the Year was announced on June 20, 2022.The winners were announced on July 17, 2022.
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| [Cascadia (board game)|Cascadia (board game)|Cascadia] | Randy Flynn | Flatout Games, AEG, and Kosmos | |
| Scout | Kei Kajino | Oink Games | Nomitated |
| Top Ten | Aurélien Picolet | Cocktail Games | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Living Forest | Aske Christiansen | Pegasus Spiele and Ludonaute | |
| Cryptid | Hal Duncan and Ruth Veevers | Osprey Games/Skellig Games | Nomitated |
| Dune: Imperium | Paul Dennen | Dire Wolf | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Zauberberg | Jens-Peter Schliemann and Bernhard Weber | Amigo | |
| Auch schon clever | Wolfgang Warsch | Schmidt | Nomitated |
| Mit Quacks & Co. nach Quedlinburg | Wolfgang Warsch | Schmidt | Nomitated |
2023 awards
The nominations for the 2023 award were announced on May 22, 2023. The winners were announced on July 21, 2023.| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Dorfromantik: Das Brettspiel (Dorfromantik: The Board Game) | Michael Palm and Lukas Zach | Pegasus Spiele | |
| Fun Facts | Kaspar Lapp | Repos Productions | Nomitated |
| Next Station London | Matthew Dunstan | HCM Kinzel | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Challengers! | Johannes Krenner and Markus Slawitscheck | 1 More Time Games and Z-Man Games | |
| Iki | Koota Yamada | Giant Roc / Sorry We Are French | Nomitated |
| Planet Unknown | Ryan Lambert and Adam Rehberg | Strohmann Games / Adam’s Apple Games | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Mysterium Kids | Antonin Boccara and Yves Hirschfeld | Libellud / Space Cow | |
| Carla Caramel | Sara Zarian | Loki | Nomitated |
| Gigamon | Johann Roussel and Karim Aouidad | Mirakulus / Studio H | Nomitated |
2024 awards
The nominations for the 2024 award were announced on June 11, 2024. The winners were announced on July 21, 2024.| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Sky Team | Luc Rémond | Kosmos / Scorpion Masqué | |
| Auf den Wegen von Darwin | Grégory Grard and Matthieu Verdier | Sorry We Are French | Nomitated |
| Captain Flip | Paolo Mori and Remo Conzadori | Playpunk | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| e-Mission (Daybreak) | Matt Leacock and Matteo Menapace | Schmidt / CMYK | |
| Die Gilde der fahrenden Händler | Matthew Dunstan and Brett J. Gilbert | Skellig Games / AEG | Nomitated |
| Zug um Zug Legacy: Legenden des Westens (Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West) | Rob Daviau, Matt Leacock and Alan R. Moon | Days of Wonder | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Die magischen Schlüssel | Markus Slawitschek and Arno Steinwender | Game Factory / Happy Baobab | |
| Große kleine Edelsteine | Wolfgang Warsch | Schmidt | Nomitated |
| Taco Katze Pizza Junior | Dave Campbell and Thierry Denoual | Blue Orange | Nomitated |
2025 awards
The nominations for the 2025 award were announced on May 20, 2025. The winners were announced on July 13, 2025.| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Bomb Busters | Hisashi Hayashi | Pegasus Games / Cocktail Games | |
| Flip 7 | Eric Olsen | Kosmos / The Op Games | Nomitated |
| Krakel Orakel | 7 Bazis | Topp | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Endeavor: Die Tiefsee | Carl de Visser and Jarratt Gray | Frosted Games / Board Game Circus / Burnt Island Games / Grand Gamers Guild | |
| Faraway | Johannes Goupy and Corentin Lebrat | Kosmos / Catch Up Games | Nomitated |
| Neuland | Charles Chevallier and Laurent Escoffier | Game Factory / Gigamic | Nomitated |
| Game | Designer | Publisher | Result |
| Top the cake | Wolfgang Warsch | Schmidt | |
| Cascadia Junior | Fertessa Allyse and Randy Flynn | Kosmos / AEG / Flatout Games | Nomitated |
| The Mice Gang | Christophe Lauras | Game Factory / Débâcle Jeux | Nomitated |