The jury has named “Dito! (JinxO),” a fun word association game with a touch of empathy game by Martin Ang, published by Game Factory and Tabletoy, as the Spiel des Jahres 2026.
From the jury statement: “At first glance, ‘Dito!‘ is a competition to score the most points. At its core, however, it brings us together as a group, because we can only succeed by correctly guessing what we have in common. Along the way, we get to know our fellow players better. It’s not about knowledge, but about understanding others’ perspectives—and having a tactical sense for the best placement of the terms.”
It prevailed over the other nominated games: “Cozy Sticker Ville” by Corey Konieczka, published by Unexpected Games, and “Morty Sorty Magic Shop” by Markus Slawitscheck, published by Schmidt.
Kinderspiel des Jahres: “Die Insel der Mookies (Mooki Island)”
The jury named the enchanting island duel “Die Insel der Mookies (Mooki Island)” by Florian Sirieix, published by Kosmos and Scorpion Masqué, as the “Game of the Year” for children. The jury statement reads: With just a few rules, “Mooki Island” creates an exciting duel at the gaming table that children can’t get enough of. The gameplay is elegantly reduced to the essentials, yet it evolves tactically as the children grow. Thanks to its charming design, in just a few minutes the small box doesn’t just transform into an island, but into a whole little world.
Also nominated were “Buh Party (Boo Party)” by Florian Sirieix and Benoit Turpin, published by Loki, and “Verflixt verzaubert (Sam & Mimose)” by Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance, published by Game Factory and Locomuse.
Kennerspiel des Jahres: “Rebirth”
“Rebirth”, with its rewarding placement strategies, was named Kennerspiel des Jahres. The game was designed by Reiner Knizia and published by Frosted Games and Mighty Boards. The jury statement reads: “The simple core principle of “Rebirth” opens up a multitude of tactical possibilities. The ruleset is elegant and forces players to focus on the essentials. The direct competition on the shared board leads to a lively and interactive experience where constructive planning takes center stage.”
Also nominated were “Boss Fighters QR” by Michael Palm and Lukas Zach, published by Pegasus Spiele, and “Moon Colony Bloodbath” by Donald X. Vaccarino, published by Alea and Rio Grande Games.