Gen Con is fast approaching, and along with the annual Essen convention, it’s one of the biggest times for new board game releases. As of this writing, there are over 500 new tabletop games either being released or demoed at the convention. That’s a lot of new content. For those curious about which games to keep an eye out for, the BGQ Crew has listed our most anticipated games of the convention this year. Which game has caught your eye? Let us know in the comments below.

Most Anticipated Board Games of Gen Con 2026

Camp Grizzly: Second Edition

Chosen by Tony
When I was at Gen Con last year, Trick or Treat Games previewed us a new edition of the cult classic Camp Grizzly. They were sending it to crowdfunding (or maybe it was already on there), but in either case, it looks really good. Camp Grizzy bills itself as a love letter ot the horror genre. And you can see it from the theme (camp counselors trying to survive a homicidal maniac) to the many easter eggs the game reports to have. This new edition is not only updated but will also include all the expansions to help boost the replay value. But if you are looking for a cooperative, horror-themed survival game, check this one out. 

1-6 Players • Ages 16+ • 60-90 minutes

Drillers

Chosen by Bailey
In a year of few releases that interest me, the appeal of CGE coming out with a new game from two of their employees excites me. With a track record of SETI and Lost Ruins of Arnak in the last couple of years, their output is one of the few that still fills me with anticipation. A deck-building, push-your-luck game based around mining resources from an abandoned mine, Driller seems to push players to balance between mining difficult areas versus having the fuel to do so (or make it out in one piece). And, with mining possibly unveiling new opportunities for other players, it seems like a Eurogame with some teeth. I could easily see this game taking the hobby by storm this year.

1-4 Players • Ages 12+ • 30-120 minutes

Railway Boom

Chosen by Victoria
Ugh, another train game? Oh, but this one’s designed by the duo of Hisashi Hayashi (Yokohama Duel) and Simone Luciani (Tiletum). Okay, now I’m interested. Have I mentioned Tiletum is my absolute favorite game? Railway Boom has players doing typical train game things like building engines—both the choo choo and game mechanic types—, competing over territory on a common map, and accomplishing all this through a series of auctions. Notably, the auction mechanic in this game is more of a draft where players bid for the first pick, so you’re always guaranteed to get something; it just might not always be the most optimal something. Many other interactive economic Eurogames in the guise of train games (Brass Birmingham, Nippon: Zaibatsu) have managed to overcome their “meh” theming to impress this writer; maybe Railway Boom has the chops to join that esteemed company.

Runners Up: Prague Unseen and Kingdom Crossing

2-4 Players • Ages 14+ • 60-120 minutes

Rock Hard 1977: Ear Candy

Chosen by James
One of my favorite games from Gen Con 2024 was Rock Hard 1977, designed by former Runaways bassist Jackie Fox. Part of my enjoyment of the game comes from my love of rock music and the idea of becoming a rock star. And that the knobs on the amps go up to 11. The only thing that’s kept me from buying it up to now was the lack of a solo mode. Enter Ear Candy that has a co-op/solo mode and puts a focus on songwriting and, for Huey Lewis fans, has a new drug, err candy. Now to see if I can get my hands on one of the Jackie Fox promos because rock star bass players rule…

Runner-up: Crisis Protocol Alliances because coop skirmishing spider friends vs green goblin is my jam. 

2-5 Players • Ages 14+ • 60 minutes

Enchanted Ivy

Chosen by Kerry
I’ve been reaching for the small boxes lately and finding a lot to love when they are puzzly or a good trick taker. Enchanted Ivy has caught my eye, and I’m looking forward to getting a closer look at what appears to be a fun, solo puzzler from first-time game designer Sarah Joshua. The theme also hits: B&B proprietor at a magical inn, yes please. At 20 minutes of gameplay, for me anyway, it’s more likely to make it to the table.

Runners Up: Prague Unseen looks to be an interesting euro with (you had me at) “mini-games.” Crits & Tricks looks to hit with an interesting twist on trick taking. 

1 Player • Ages 10+ • 10-20 minutes

Oakspire: The Builders of the Sunleaf Grove

Chosen by Andrea
This year will be my first GenCon. I have spent the last four months prepping for this, including paying very close attention to the Gen Con preview list. My ‘wanna see/try’ list is definitely longer than humanly possible, but there’s one that is going to be my personal cannot-miss. Oakspire. Oakspire: The Builders of Sunleaf Grove casts you as a woodland architect tasked with building a community in harmony with nature. Not only does the theme appeal, but the artwork is also stunning. I am easily swayed by beautiful art, and once I saw the riff on Mount Rushmore and the Louvre, I knew this game had to get checked out!

Runner-up: Behind the Lens, there are a lot of games where you are trying to capture pictures, but this one actually requires you to use camera settings like ISO and F-stop. Would have been my number one choice, but there isn’t a real solo mode for it.

1-5 Players • Ages 12+ • 20+ minutes

Whisperwood

Chosen by Zach
From the publishers of Flamecraft and Andromeda’s Edge comes a new heavy strategy bag-building game set in the Whisperwood. You, mystical Druid, must fight back to restore the fantastical forest! Tracks? Yep. Druids? Yep. Confusing name that’s easily mistaken for at least 2 other games? Also yep. Golems, Fae, Elementals, Druids, oh my! Whisperwood looks to contain all the right, ahem, elements for a satisfying fantasy-themed heavy euro.

Runner-up: Almighty – This is only in Honorable Mention territory because it looks like the publisher isn’t exhibiting at Gen Con this year. Almighty is a game in which you play a moody god (… of the Sun, …of Love, …of Storms, …of Death). You influence the board both directly and indirectly, blessing and smiting those squabbling mortals as you see fit. It feels like a completely silly good time.

1-4 Players • Ages 14+ • 120+ minutes

Moytura

Chosen by Brandon
The design duo of Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson (Undaunted fame) are about to release a 1-2 player area majority/influence game featuring Irish mythology. The system can be played competitively but also includes solo and cooperative options. There is a third “enemy” player that is present to compete against you via a deck of cards. Players use the powers of the deities to spread influence and capture locations for majority scoring over two eras. The deity activation cards rotate when used and require more worship to reach the next player. The illustration from A. Giroux is evocative and vibrant and the game looks great on the table. Excited to pick this up! Honorable Mention: Container

1-2 Players • Ages 8+ • 45 minutes

King of Tokyo Godzilla

Chosen by Chris
As usual, our fearless leader, Tony, has not given us any guidelines or restrictions for these picks. In the spirit of that chaotic approach, I am going rogue and will be listing several things. The things I’m most excited for are probably expansions that are already up for pre-order, like Tag Team: Arthur’s Legacy, Fliptoons: Season 2, and Compile: Main 3. But my official pick will be King of Tokyo Godzilla. Yes, I know it’s a version of King of Tokyo, a game I’ve played a million times and have way too much content for already. But as the site’s resident kaiju expert, this is a must-buy, and I’m excited to see the new wrinkles in gameplay it adds to the well-known formula.

2-6 Players • Ages 8+ • 30 minutes

Revenant

Chosen by Brian B
Set in the Voidfall Universe, Revenant is a competitive worker placement game in which one to four players control a fleet of ships from seven Great Houses that are trying to escape the Voidborn. This title piqued my interest for several reasons. First and foremost, it reminds me of “33”, one of my favorite Battlestar Galactica episodes. Players can hyperjump to clear the board of Voidborn, only for them to show up again; however, it will not necessarily be in exactly 33 minutes…

Second, the idea of gaining influence by assisting certain Greater Houses and their ships intrigues me. I can see a balancing act of letting other House ships get destroyed, improving my position, versus helping them out, even if I am not the most influential, for a bonus that can help me in the short term.

Finally, I love the first game, so it is a no brainer that I would be interested in Revenant. Hopefully it will meet my high expectations.

1-4 Players • Ages 12+ • 90-120 minutes

Winnie the Pooh: Serious Detective

Chosen by Anna Maria
I spent a lot of time in 100 Acre Woods as a child. My earliest memories involve sitting behind our 70s plaid couch with a stuffy and what at the time seemed like a freakishly large copy of stories collected (on reflection, I was somewhat small, and it was likely an ordinary hardcover). I pored over the illustrations and re-enacted the stories with my own homemade Pooh Bear (who still lives in my closet almost a half-century later). When I entered my tweens, I became obsessed with Jessica Fletcher and Sherlock Holmes, trying to find each clue and solve the mystery before my detective heroes. I never lost that love for mysteries. My Kindle and my Netflix queue will attest, as well as my love for a good escape room or escape room in a box game.
We’re tasked each year to look over the Gen Con list and choose a game we’re looking forward to. In most years, the list has been somewhat overwhelming, with titles blending together and themes seeming to repeat, with only a few things piquing my interest. This year, however, an immediate winner emerged. Blending the beloved stories of my youth and the passion for puzzles I’ve developed over decades, Winnie the Pooh: Serious Detective turns my childhood friends into detectives. Additionally, they’re visiting other fantasy places I’ve loved: Wonderland and Camelot. There are three cases, and each is illustrated by a different artist, another checkmark in favor ( I do love yummy game art). Beyond excited to delve into a cozy, familiar world with a deliciously puzzly twist. 

1-4 Players • Ages 12+ • 75-90 minutes

Good Kitties

Chosen by Marcus
Of all of these lists we do every year, I think the “most anticipated” ones are the lists I struggle with the most, especially the one for Gen Con. The BGG list of games at Gen Con is long and imposing, and I always wonder if my pick will, in fact, be there. That said, when I was perusing the list this year in the aftermath of my Top 10 Cat-Themed board games, I noticed not one, but TWO new cat-themed games listed. Naturally, what else could I possibly pick at this point (my feline overlord demands it)? The real question became which to choose: Super Chonker or Good Kitties. Since the former looks to be a card game in which you have to outrace and outthink your opponents to eat the most cat food (and thus, be the chonkiest), and the latter is a cooperative game… I have to give the nod to Good Kitties. Not only is it cooperative, but it also advertises blaming the dog. And who wouldn’t want to do that? Hard to go wrong with either game, though, I’m guessing. They both look super adorable, and that’s ultimately the most important factor in any cat game.

1-4 Players • Ages 10+ • 60-90 minutes

Gruntz

Chosen by Brian W
I have been wanting to get my hands on a review copy, but not sure if that will happen before Gen Con. This is a light abstract strategy game for 2 players that plays in under 30 minutes. Base rules are straightforward —move 2 units, then deploy 1 unit OR move 1 unit, then deploy 2 units. Units are removed from the game map based on a rock-paper-scissors-like relationship. I love that some of the bits have magnetic attachments to mix and match, which helps tactics and replay value. The goal is to control capture points on the game map, and if you earn 3 victory stars, you win. Or, if you move your Captain unit onto your enemy’s HQ you win immediately. Sounds like fun to me, so hope I can get a copy and try out this game!

2 Players • Ages 12+ • 10-30 minutes