The Spiel des Jahres , or “Game of the Year”, is an annual award that honors the best board games of the year. Since its inception in 1978, this prestigious award has had a major impact on the world of board games. Players, designers and publishers from all over the world eagerly await the announcement of the Spiel des Jahres every year. But the big question is: which games have been nominated for the Spiel des Jahres 2023? And which board games won?

What is the Spiel des Jahres?

The Spiel des Jahres is not just a prize. It is a recognition of excellence in the board game industry. The jury consists of experts who carefully assess the nominated games based on various criteria, such as game mechanics, originality, playability and accessibility. Winning the Spiel des Jahres is a sign of quality and can give a huge boost to a game's popularity.

Because this is a German prize, not all games have also been published in the Netherlands. You can also get most of them here (in Dutch or English), but occasionally a game is not available.

The winners of the Spiel des Jahres 2023

Spiel des Jahres 2023
Jury: “Dorfromantik takes the pressure out of everyday life. This cooperative feel-good game has new, exciting goals every game, but you can never lose.” - Source
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Kennerspiel des Jahres 2023
Jury: “Large groups in particular enjoy the tournament atmosphere created by the individual feuds that are continually put together in new ways. The variety of possible combinations provides fun, challenge and great replayability.” - Source
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Children's Game of the Year 2023
Jury: “The tambourine immediately fascinates the children. Combined with the challenge of creating appropriate sounds and listening carefully, a unique atmosphere is created.” - Source
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The nominees of the Spiel des Jahres 2023

Every year, board games are nominated in 3 categories.

Spiel des Jahres 2023

This is the family game of the year. The game that you can give as a gift with confidence during the holidays.

Dorfromantik
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Lustige Fakten
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Nächste Station London
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Kennerspiel des Jahres 2023

This is the expert game of the year. They are great games for people who regularly play a board game and like some extra challenge. (Not expert games, but connoisseur games.)