Imagine…

“It's 3 a.m. The lights are out. You and your group are trying to cross the street to an abandoned supermarket, looking for food and anything else you can grab. You’re listening to the shuffle of dead feet somewhere in the dark corners of the road. Then it happens: someone knocks over a can! The sound rolls across the tarmac like a gunshot. And every shadow turns toward you and the others at once.”

The mood is set.

Zombicide is a cooperative game where you take the roles of Survivors battling waves of Zombies controlled by the game itself. It is about teamwork but also action and reaching victory against impossible odds. Because here's the terrible truth at the heart of the game: the better you fight, the worse things get. Quite the catch-22, right?!?

All players win or lose together. Sure, one could argue that statement when playing the solo version, but let’s not… Only through team spirit will the Survivors give their best, unlocking powerful Skills and gaining access to the best weapons. Cooperation is the key to survival and victory!

Each round has 3 phases. First, you have the Player Phase where you each have 3 actions. Some actions make noise while others don’t, and any unused action is lost. Then comes the Zombie Phase, where Zombies (duh) attack whoever is in their zone, move towards the noisiest area, and new ones spawn. Finally, you remove all noise tokens and brace yourself for the next round.

Zombicide is fast and brutal! It's not about being the hero, it's about making sure everyone makes it out. Give the tutorial a go before you join the battlefield.

https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=zombicidesecondedition

A huge thanks to Raphaël Guiton, Jean-Baptiste Lullien and Nicolas Raoult, the game designers, as well as Asmodee for letting us add the Second Edition of this instant classic to the platform. And let’s celebrate the work of LeSteffen who brought the game to life, so to speak, on BGA.

This was your Wednesday release.

Braaains optional. Teamwork required. Take care and play fair…

For some, the Tarot is a glimpse into what might be. For you, it is a weapon.

In Soothsayers, you aren't just reading the future, you make it yours. You are a powerful mystic in a race against your rivals to control the fate of the universe.

On your turn, choose one of 4 actions. You can earn coins to build your fortune, draft new cards to grow your hand, ascend to higher levels to strengthen your influence, or capture a tarot card to unlock its power. It may look like a simple choice, but every decision shapes your game.

Capture the Empress, the Moon, or even Death itself, and harness the arcane powers of the tarot to bend fate to your will. Each card is a source of raw, mystical energy waiting for someone bold enough to take hold of it. Each tarot card you get grants you a new game-changing ability. On their own, these powers are strong. Combined with your leveled-up actions, they become something much bigger, letting you build unstoppable combos.

You can learn the ropes of the game thanks to the tutorial. Once you’re done, don't just predict the future. Command it.

https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=soothsayers

We should have predicted that this game would come to the platform but not everyone can be a soothsayer so thank you to Jeff Grisenthwaite, the game designer, and Play to Z, the publisher, for letting us use their game.

This was your Monday release.

Now go bend destiny to your will... just don't pull a muscle doing it. Take care and play fair…

Splendor Duel needs no introduction. It offers a tactical head-to-head experience set in the Renaissance, collecting gem tokens to acquire development cards and earn prestige points.

So, what does the Counterfeiters expansion bring to the table? Well, it is time to play a little dirty…

It allows you to “bend the rules” thanks to new tactical powers and abilities, affecting your mid-game strategy. There is a new type of resource, known as paste gems, used in unique ways. And the pool of existing nobles expands with 8 new Royal Cards, offering new special abilities and paths to victory. It’s no longer just about who drafts the best gems. It’s about who can thrive when the rules start to bend.

The Counterfeiters expansion adds a layer of unpredictability, and a little bit of chaos, to the well-oiled and balanced machine that is Splendor Duel.

https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=splendorduel

Our thanks go to Marc André and Bruno Cathala, the game designers, as well as Space Cowboys, the publisher, for letting us add the expansion to the platform. And a tip of the hat to thoun for the BGA adaptation.

This was your Wednesday release.

In the words of Danny Ocean: “You're either in or you're out,” and with these fakes, you’re definitely in. Take care and play fair.

Cathala-Jones, the ranger of the Manee Bikini Reserve, had a brilliant idea: zebras won’t be white with black stripes anymore, but black with white stripes… or white with black spots… the bigger, the better. And that’s what tourists will want to see!

He has charged you, and another adventurer (2-player game yeah!!!), with distributing various animals among the different parts of the reserve: gazelles, crocodiles, elephants, lions and of course, the main attraction, those funny zebras.

The competition will be fierce, because only the one who best demonstrates their expertise will deserve to become his right-hand ranger and run the park! (and therefore, win). Meanwhile, Cathala-Jones keeps an eye on everything until every last space has been filled.

At first, you're placing beautiful Zebras worth a fortune turning them into a celebrity attraction. But your opponent drops a Lion, triggering a panic across the reserve. Or they unleash a crocodile in a sneaky sabotage attempt. A territory that looked like a guaranteed victory turns into a disaster in a single move. And don’t forget, only one of you will be celebrated as the genius who created the reserve everyone came to see.

In Drôles de Zèbres, you’re not just placing animals, you’re building the most legendary safari in Africa.

https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=drolesdezebres

We would like to thank Bruno Cathala, the game designer, and all the “rangers” from Entrejeux for letting us add their game to the platform. A tip of the pith helmet goes to Moof for making this game a reality on BGA.

This was your Monday release.

Let’s hope that polka dots make a comeback after this game! Until then, take care and play fair…

The first season of FlipToons was a certified hit, the surprise nobody saw coming, but everyone's still talking about. So, logically, the studio ordered a season 2, and you're back behind the desk as talent manager, scouting Flip Valley for its next batch of stars. Same gig, same expectations: audition an all-new cast, build your dream lineup, and chase that Critic's Choice trophy like it's there’s no tomorrow.

It's a full reboot though. The old cast got the call no star wants: thanks for your service, see you next time. Peacocks, bears, the whole original ensemble, gone. Who’s to replace them? A fresh crop of unknowns. Gorillas, capybaras (have you seen that face, pure star power), and a roster of new faces ready to fight for airtime. Oh, and the producers snuck in a twist nobody asked for but everyone's going to love: Fish cards, a whole new category of contestant with tricks the original season never had.

The format remains the same: flip, check fame, market and cleanup. Every flip is a gamble: is this one a dud, or a rough diamond that will turn your ragtag lineup into something special?

https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=fliptoons

Our thanks go to Jordy Adan & Renato Simões, as well as the cast from Thunderworks Games as they allowed us to add a new chapter of Fliptoons to the platform. And let’s shine a light on the great work of jordijansen for the BGA port.

This was your Friday release.

The cameras are always rolling so take care and play fair…

Congratulations to all participants and winners from Season 25!

What exactly is "the Arena?”

The Arena is the competitive mode on BGA. If you master a game and want to play it competitively, this is THE mode to use, so you can challenge the best players and get the most experience points.

The Arena is organized in seasons of 3 months each. Achievements are awarded to the best players at the end of each season.

To play in the Arena: select "Play" and then choose "Arena" instead of "Simple game."

Read more about Arena mode

Arena format and Gurus

In the previous seasons the gurus chose the game formats for the Arena: player number, options used, ...

We are very happy to see that this way of doing things contributed to making the Arena more popular: thank you to all gurus for their smart suggestions and their votes!

Rules updates

No Arena rules are changing this season. It does not mean we are 100% satisfied with how the Arena is running, but you seem to appreciate the current rules, so we want to keep them as they are for now. Find out more here.

Season 26 is NOW Launched

The new Arena is now open for its new season.

Some Explanation About: Relegations

At the end of each season, after winners have been awarded, you are relegated.

League relegation is determined by the number of Arena leagues available for each game:

·       For games with 6 leagues: Elite players are demoted to Gold, Diamond players to Silver, and everyone else to Bronze.

·       For games with 5 or 4 leagues: Elite players are demoted to Silver, and everyone else to Bronze.

·       For games with 3 or 2 leagues: Everyone is demoted to Bronze.

Note that some games might not follow these relegation rules, as we might have decided to adjust the number of leagues in between seasons.

It's up to you to find the way to the elite!

May the odds be ever in your favor!

You can find all changes to the Arena Game Formats here!

A great guild isn't built by chance. It's built one hero at a time, where every new champion unlocks powerful synergies, reshapes your strategy, and turns a modest band of recruits into the greatest guild in the land.

In YRO, you’ll need to orchestrate, not just optimize as you would in most engine builders. The challenge isn't just about getting the best cards. It's also about building an organization where everything works together before your opponents get to that point.

Recruit adventurers from the fierce warriors of the Sunrise Islands, from the mystical Wooden Conclave, from the nomadic Wandering Market, the inventive Mining Company, the harmonious Floating City, or the noble Order of the Dragon Knights. All that is missing is a certain friendly mustached neighbor…

Your recruits all strengthen your guild. Some increase your Power, for combat, while others strive in Magic, Technology, or Money. All that to bring you coveted Victory Points (VP). At the end of each round you compare your progress with those of the other players and are rewarded with VP depending on where you stand.

Carefully position adventurers in your 3×3 grid, create faction and profession synergies, balance power, magic, technology and money to build that guild that everyone in the Sunrise Islands will envy.

https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=yro

We want to take a minute to thank Masato Uesugi, the game designer, and everyone from Studio Supernova for letting us add their game to the platform. We’d also like to thank Galeelox for the BGA port.

This was your Wednesday release.

Choose wisely. Take care and play fair…

Ka-ching! That’s the sound of you becoming rich! Easy, right? Especially when you are in control of your own luck. Jackpot: Set The Reel is a 'slot-building' game where you have to master the art of card manipulation and purchases.

Your aim is to make lines of three of the same symbols without ever shuffling your hand of cards. Instead of relying on random spins, you'll carefully improve your hand throughout the game to score more and more Jackpots. You’ll need to plan, swap, upgrade and manipulate to strike massive payouts.

Jackpot: Set The Reel delivers all the excitement of watching the reels stop just where you want them, except every "lucky" outcome is one you've engineered yourself. What first looks like a game of chance becomes a rewarding puzzle of timing, positioning and long-term planning. When the perfect three-of-a-kind finally clicks into place, you'll know it wasn't luck: it was all you!

Your goal is to score as many points as possible by collecting stars. You can earn them in many different ways such as Jackpot cards or Bonus tokens. Bigger combos mean bigger payouts. Upgrade cards to unlock rewards, and claim bonus tiles to boost your score or gain special abilities.

Every choice matters, place your cards strategically to optimize your next move and bust the bank! Will you manipulate the cards, stack the odds, and hit the jackpot?

https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=jackpotsetthereel

We would like to thank Kristian Karlberg and Kenny Zetterberg, the game designers, as well as Dranda Games, the publisher, for letting us add their slot machine to the platform. And our thanks to thoun for the BGA port.

This was your Monday release.

The house always wins until you intervene. Take care and Play fair…

7 Wonders is a monument to board games in the same way Roman roads were to the world. It created a solid foundation, allowing millions of players to move away from simple games to heavy strategy games. But it was missing one thing: a face and a personality! And that is exactly what the Leaders expansion is bringing to the table.

So, what’s new? Along with 2 brand-new Wonders, it introduces Leader cards. Queens, astronomers, philosophers, and generals add an extra dimension of strategy to your games. And that’s the whole point: it gives you a clear direction from the very first turn. If you get Aristotle, you’ll go for science. If you pick Cleopatra, you know what to do.

Leaders does not overcomplicate the gameplay, but it does push you down new roads, Romans on not, that you may not have explored before. Choose your leaders wisely and they will bring you to greatness. Neglect them, and they will end up leading a rival city to victory!

All that’s left to do is select the expansion in your custom options. Let’s get ready to inspire your people and lead your civilization to a Golden Age!

https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=sevenwonders

A massive thanks to Antoine Bauza, the game designer, and the good folks of Repos Production for allowing us to add this expansion to the platform. We also want to give a huge shout-out to joezg for the BGA port.

This was your Friday release.

Building a monument over the weekend should now be no trouble at all, so take care and play fair…

The path to Tír na nÓg, a world that exists alongside ours, where no one ages and there is no sickness, death sorrow or want, is open once more. The greatest Celtic storytellers are setting out for the legendary Otherworld. Along the way, they'll meet mythical creatures, experience unforgettable adventures, and return home with stories to weave into an epic saga. In the end, only the greatest saga will be remembered.

Played over 5 rounds, every card you play is a chapter in your legend. Every round is divided in 3 phases. You begin with the Journey Phase, where your Storytellers depart on a great voyage to reach the realm of Tír na nÓg, adventuring through fog and mist to a land of youth and promise. Then comes the Saga phase, where your Storytellers, having tasted the Land of Eternal Youth, return home to sing songs and spin tales of their adventures, recording them in a great Saga. At the end of a round, the Cleanup phase, you discard a card from your hand, leaving you with as many cards as there are rounds left.

Tír na nÓg features a solo mode in which Balor, the evil-eyed chieftain of the Fomóire, has his own vision of his legacy. He has recruited his own Storytellers to retell the stories with himself as the hero! But you must preserve the truth of the Otherworld…

Journey into Celtic mythology, gather legendary encounters, and craft the saga that will be remembered forever.

https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=tirnanog

A heartfelt thank you to Isaac Shalev and Jason Slingerland, the game designers, as well as Grand Gamers Guild, the publisher, for allowing this Celtic tale to make it on the platform. And the bards will praise andrelmlins for the BGA adaptation.

This was your Wednesday release.

Some stories deserve to become legends. Take care and play fair…