The Must-Play Board Games from 2026’s Biggest Board Game Fair
SPIEL Essen attracted a record 230,000 visitors, who came to try new releases and upcoming games. The article highlights seven games the writer played at the fair, spanning established franchises and newer designs, with release plans ranging from next year to a 2027 crowdfunding campaign.
Among them are Mercenaries Wanted, a quicker Gloomhaven spin-off for one to six players, and a cooperative Diablo game built around character classes, loot and repeatable encounters. Other picks include a sea turtle-themed game, a new Forest Shuffle title set by a river, and the Cyberpunk trading card game, whose booth drew a particularly large queue.
In short
- SPIEL Essen drew a record 230,000 visitors.
- Seven featured games include Cyberpunk, Diablo and Gloomhaven spin-offs.
- The Diablo game is planned for Gamefound crowdfunding in Q1 2027.
Explained simply
SPIEL Essen is a major annual board game fair in Germany, where publishers show new titles and visitors can try them out. Many games on display are still in development, so their appearance at the fair does not necessarily mean they are available to buy.
The games mentioned range from spin-offs of established series such as Gloomhaven and Diablo to new designs, including nature-themed games and a Cyberpunk trading card game. Their planned release dates vary, with some expected sooner and others still in development for a later launch or crowdfunding campaign.