Hello friends of BGA!

We know that in the world of board games, a good "player aid" can make all the difference. Today, we are handing you a brand-new one: we are officially rolling out a massive upgrade to our Tournament Pages!

Whether you’re a Grandmaster or just here for a casual "friendly" game of Uno (we all know there is no such thing), here is what is changing:

Finally, Mobile-Friendly!

No more zooming in like you are trying to read the tiny flavor text on a Magic: The Gathering card. The tournament pages now (should) scale perfectly to your phone or tablet. Play from your couch, your bed, or while waiting for your opponent to finish their 20-minute turn.

"Rulebook" Not Required: Guided Creation

Creating a tournament used to feel like learning a heavy Eurogame without a tutorial. Not anymore! We have added guided steps and helpful hints to walk you through the setup. It is faster, smoother, and much harder to "misread the rules."

Precision Filtering (The "Power Search")

Looking for a very specific setup? Maybe a "Turn-based, 3-player, Splendor tournament for players in the 200–300 ELO range"?

• On Game Pages: Instantly find tournaments for a specific game you love.
• The Big List: Use our new filters on the tournament list page to pinpoint exactly the type of competition you are craving.

Better Support for Our "Game Masters" (Organizers)

We have upgraded the tools for tournament organizers:

• Up Front Messaging: Important organizer announcements are now displayed front-and-center.
• Organizer Profiles: Want to see what else a specific organizer is hosting? You can now view all their public events in one place.

A Note on the "First Playthrough"

This is a major change. Think of it like a 2.0 Edition of your favorite game. While we’ve done a lot of testing, some small bugs might still be lurking.

Wait, where's the "Old Version" button? Like a legacy game, we’ve made some permanent changes to the board. There is no "back to the old pages" switch. We need to move forward to keep BGA modern and fast (and we know it's not there yet ^^). We know change can be surprising, but we’re confident this is the best path for the community!

Known "Work-in-Progress": The Tournament States/Ongoing Tables view still isn't 100% polished yet. We’ve been iterating on this for such a long time (it's our own personal Campaign Mode), and we will keep polishing it with your help.

Keep it Constructive!

We want your feedback! If you find a bug or have a suggestion, please let us know.

And as a friendly reminder: keep it civil. We love constructive criticism, but inappropriate messages will be moderated. Let’s keep the "table-flipping" to a minimum so we can focus on making the site better for everyone.

Thanks for being part of the BGA family. Now, go grab your meeples and sign up for a tournament!

Stem and Branch (Thiên Can Địa Chi) is an approachable & fast playing strategy card game inspired by the animals and elements of the 60-year Eastern zodiac calendar.

The Stem and Branch cycle is represented in the 60-card deck, with each card symbolizing a year guided by a Spirit Animal and one of the Five Elements. As an Immortal, your sacred task is to nurture the Tree of Time by summoning and ascending the Spirit Animals from the Stream of Time and recording their progress in the Scroll of Time.

The cost to summon a Spirit Animal depends on its rank and Element Type, paid by using matching Animals and Elements you control. Once summoned, Animals already on the Scroll can share their Element Type, making it easier to summon and ascend more Animals.

The game ends when the Stream of Time runs out. You then add the years you gained, and the one who has the most years will be the winner.

Stem and Branch has a cooperative option for those of you who enjoy working together to strategize, solve challenges, and achieve shared goals.

Stem and Branch is available in early access on BGA starting today. Have a look at the tutorial before launching a table in solo, cooperative or competitive mode:

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

Our thanks go to Michael Orion, the game designer, and Rolling Wizards & Vietales, the publisher, for having Stem and Branch on BGA before its official release. A big thank you to duboTee and RollingWizard for the port on the platform.

This was your Wednesday release!

Immortals, as far as we know, only exist in games and movies, or do they? Either way, take care and play fair…

The vote for the 2026 Board Game Arena Awards has officially ended, and the results are in.

Over the past few weeks, you have had the opportunity to choose from various categories, from heavy strategy games to light-hearted casual ones. You played, you voted and the choice in now final. The competition was really close, with some categories coming down to just a few votes, showing how amazing all the entries were. But we are thrilled to reveal this year’s winners!

Here are your champions across five categories, from the games released in 2025:
 
Best 2-Player Game: Toy Battle
A fast-paced, friendly game where you use cards to organize your toy armies and compete in strategic battles. The game combines colorful artwork, simple mechanics, and tactical decision-making, making it accessible and fun for all.

https://bga.li/QUTl
 
Best Casual Game: Flip 7

Flip over cards one by one without flipping the same number twice. Not as easy as it sounds… Will you play it safe or go for the elusive Flip 7?

https://bga.li/qDbN
 
Best Regular Game: The Guild of Merchant Explorers

You are an ambitious explorer plotting paths across uncharted lands, discovering treasures, and connecting faraway cities, all that with a serious taste for gold. With every new map, it’s a mix of brainy strategy and delightful "aha!"!

https://bga.li/IiNW

Best Expert Game: Galactic Cruise

Forget about heroic space chase or intergalactic fights, Galactic Cruise is a worker placement and resource management heavy eurogame. It remains quite approachable with a surprising simplicity in the actions, despite the 12 or so unique actions.

https://bga.li/fOdO

Best brainteaser game: Orapa Mine
Time to mine! Locate gemstones in Orapa Mine, the world’s largest diamond mine. Send ultrasonic waves deep into the ground and analyze the signals that return to determine the position and condition of the gemstones. Use deduction to find the mineral locations to win!

https://bga.li/Ahst

Special Award: Board Game Arena Team Winner – Toy Battle
It was a tight score but ultimately Toy Battle won the heart of the Board Game Arena team. Bridging genres and offering a perfect mix of simplicity and strategy, Toy Battle brought a smile to everyone at BGA. And stay tuned as we have more news coming for that fantastic game.

Find them all on the official AWARD page!

Thank You!
None of this is possible without YOU - the amazing Board Game Arena community!

The 2026 BGA Awards celebrated innovation, creativity, and connection in the world of board games.

Whether you are a casual player or a dedicated strategist, your passion, and your votes, continuously shape the future of board gaming on Board Game Arena. YOU made 2025 special, so thank you

We also want to thank all the partners, developers, publishers, tutorial-makers and moderators: BGA would not be the same without you.

If you haven’t already it is time to try this year’s winners and to tell us which one is your favorite!
 
See you next year for the 2027Awards: time to play is on!
Until then, take care and... play fair

The Dice Mission Agency has gone dark… but no need to panic, Agent. This recruitment isn’t classified yet. In this adventure, you’ll join the ranks of aspiring operatives chasing glory through quick thinking, clever dice combinations, and a dash of luck. Your objective? Prove your worth and claim the title of the Agency’s top agent.

In Dice Mission, you try to complete your missions as quickly as possible, combining your dice and those of the other players. The Agency will provide gadgets and weapons to help you in your task.

Each round is divided into two phases: the Mission Phase where you roll dice and the Debriefing Phase, which is when the dice are being used to complete your assigned missions.

You must finish a set number of missions, 2 Solo ones, 2 Versus ones, 2 Team ones and one Special Mission, to win the game.

Even a spy needs some training. Dice Mission offers a tutorial to guide rookies through the ropes, while experienced agents can skip the pep talk and dive straight into the action.

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

A nod of gratitude to Laurent Lavogiez, the game designer, and everyone at Old Hen Games for letting us add Dice Mission to the platform. Thanks to the efforts of Lunalol, the game is now fully operational on BGA.

This was your Monday release!

Be quick and efficient but don’t forget to take care and play fair…

New content for Cartographers, your favorite flip-and-write game, is now available! Cartographers: Heroes introduces two new maps, new explore cards, new scoring cards, heroes, and more!

To play the new content, choose Cartographers: Heroes in the "Custom" section of the game. The new content will be combined with the Base game content.

Cartographers is a flip-and-write game in which each player fills out a map. Each round, you'll add a new feature to your map. After a few rounds, you'll score based on the presence or arrangement of these features. The player with the most points at the end of four rounds wins!

If you are new to Cartographers, you can try the tutorial first and then launch into some real Heroes action here:

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

Our gratitude goes to Jordy Adan, the game designer, as well as all the Thunderworks Games’ crew, for having Cartographers: Heroes on the platform. And thank you to jordijansen for porting the game to BGA.

The weekend is almost here and with it, the last chance to vote for your favorite games released in 2025 on BGA. The 2026 BGA Awards votes will close on February 16. Don’t miss the opportunity to bring your favorite games the recognition they deserve: www.boardgamearena.com/awards

This was your Friday release.

Until next time, take care and play fair…

Before I forget: the voting for the 2026 BGA Awards is coming to an end. If you haven't voted already, there is still time to do it here: https://boardgamearena.com/awards

Now, let's talk about today's release.

In Movers & Shakers, you play as a railway magnate in 19th-century Bengal, competing to transport goods, fulfil contracts, and invest your profits wisely. Over two strategic rounds, you’ll use your own and rival trains to move Crates between Benares and Calcutta, aiming to build wealth through sharp planning and bold decisions. Only the most ambitious and efficient tycoon will rise to shape the future of Bengal’s railways.

Each round consists of two phases: the Action Phase and the Administration Phase.

During the Action Phase, players choose a card from their hand and place it into a slot of their choice on their Company board. They then perform the action shown on the card, as well as the action linked to the slot where the card was placed. These slot effects vary, so careful planning is essential.

During the Administration Phase, players evaluate the Shipping zone of the board, which affects deals and modifies turn order. They then collect money from completed deliveries, adjust the Market, and invest their money to prepare for the next round.

Movers and Shakers is a negotiation and strategy game where players use trade, alliances, and persuasion to gain the most power and wealth in a dynamic marketplace. You can have a look at the tutorial before moving trains all around 19th-century Bengal:

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

We want to thank Paulo Soledade and Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro, the game designers, as well as Quined Games, the publisher, for authorizing us to have Movers & Shakers on Board Game Arena. Let’s also salute the work of paramesis for porting the game to our platform.

That was your Wednesday release

And you can fulfil your child’s dream of driving a train, so take care and play fair.

Deep underground, in the shadowy halls of an abandoned mineshaft, unspeakable creatures lurk in search of purpose! Hauntingly bored and yearning for thrills, they’ve conjured a devilish idea: to construct the eeriest ghost train... if only they had YOU to guide them!

In Ghosts Galore, players select track tiles to expand their ghost train, filling it with monsters, such as ghastly ghosts (duh), mischievous satyrs, grim skeletons or oozing slimes, each with their own quirks.

Round after round, you will brave the darkness and satisfy these creepy creatures. The player who best manages the preferences of each monster and creates the most sinister track will win the game!

The game is played over eight rounds. Each turn, you may reveal a tile from the mysterious stack and immediately play it or use a tile that was revealed on an earlier turn. In the final hour (aka the 8th round), every tile must be placed as the ultimate design of your ghost train is judged.

Will you dare to delve into the haunted depths and build a train worthy of the underworld? Give it a go via the tutorial or raise your army of undead against others!

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

Special thanks to designer Michael Luu and Lookout Games for bringing this spooky-good game to life on BGA, and to firgon for developing it with such devilish dedication. Without them (and the monsters, of course), this frightfully fun experience wouldn’t haunt our screens today!

This was your Monday release.

Get spooky if you dare, but never forget: take care and play fair.

Hoping to uncover the universe’s secrets and “to boldly go where no man has gone before,” you have launched your very own international space station! But you are not the only one.

Space Lab is an exciting and accessible tableau-building game full of interesting decisions. You will need to recruit members from the world’s four largest space agencies to assemble the ideal team and complete the most prestigious projects outer space has to offer!

On your turn, collect all the cards from the same agency from the top of the deck or the recruitment center. Manage your hand wisely and strategically place your Lab cards around your Capsules to optimize their powers and your objectives. Watch the pace of the game to anticipate the end and maximize your score!

Adventure, strategy, and discovery collide in Space Lab, where you will build a dream team of scientists, engineers, and astronauts from competing space agencies. Balance careful planning with adaptability to make the most of every turn, outsmart opponents, and claim your place among the stars. Are you ready to leave your mark on the cosmos?

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

A galactic thanks to Johannes Goupy and Corentin Lebrat, the game designers, and our gratitude to Studio H for letting us have Space Lab on BGA. We also want to shine a light on Galeelox for their inspiring development work that brought Space Lab to life on the platform.

This was your Wednesday release!

In space, be bold but take care and play fair…

Tembo, the Swahili word for elephant, invites you to guide a majestic herd through the savanna in this cooperative adventure. Your mission is far from easy: you need to lead the elephants to safety, but the journey is full of obstacles. The herd must find resources, like food and water, go through ever-changing landscapes, and steer clear of lions.

On your turn, you play a card to either expand the savanna or advance your herd across its dangerous terrain. Each card offers two potential actions, and your position at the table determines how you can play it, adding layers of strategy to every decision and creating a multi-layered puzzle for you and your team to solve.

Success will require strategic thinking, collaboration, and a clever use of your limited options. Tembo is a test of unity and skill as as you work together to lead your herd to triumph. https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=tembo

Let's thank the many game designers, Dan Halstad, Mads Fløe, Asger Aleksandrov Granerud and Daniel Skjold Pedersen, not forgetting Sidekick Games, the publisher, as well as Tisaac and KuWizard the developers who made it happen for Board Game Arena.

This was your Monday release

The head of the herd is calling far, far away, off you go with care and fair play…

The dice version of one of the most critically acclaimed and award-winning games is finally making its debut on Board Game Arena! 7 Wonders Dice brings a fast-paced spin to the beloved 7 Wonders experience for new players and seasoned strategists alike, one roll at a time.

Step into the role of a leader of one of antiquity’s greatest cities. Your goal? To leave a legacy that will stand the test of time. How? By constructing breathtaking wonders, advancing science, thriving through commerce, managing resources, and forging your city's prosperity. But beware, watchful eyes peer at you from neighboring cities, and they will do anything to beat you to the punch.

7 Wonders Dice is simple yet strategic. At the start of each turn, dice are rolled to reveal various symbols that represent your available options. Each symbol presents unique actions. Will you focus on building your wonder, amassing resources, or striking your rivals? The player with the most exceptional city, aka the most points, claims victory.

Roll. Strategize. Build. Whether you’re leading your city to scientific triumph or aiming for economic dominance, every choice counts. Will you sharpen your skills with the tutorial or confront like-minded players? https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=sevenwondersdice

We would like to thank Antoine Bauza, the game designer, as well as Repos Production, the publisher, for their authorization to bring this game to our platform. And join us to thank darhf and BoucleMed for their huge work developing 7 Wonders Dice.

This was your Wednesday release

Keep rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ rollin’, and take care and play fair…