Not played yet: this article is based on announcements and the sources listed below. We'll review the games once they've been on our table.
Came here from Instagram? Welcome! Here’s the full countdown, from No. 10 all the way to No. 1. Our family watch list was for the kitchen table. This one is for the evenings when the kids are asleep and the table is free.
We picked the ten strategy games at SPIEL Essen 2026 that sit on the most BoardGameGeek wish lists, then ranked them ourselves. We haven’t played any of them yet. For every game you’ll find players and playtime, where to demo it at the fair, how to pre-order or pick it up, and the price and editions we could confirm. SPIEL Essen runs October 22–25 at Messe Essen.
10. Timespan
A civilization game without war, from the Stone Age to space in about 90 minutes. Everyone plays their actions at the same time.
- Players & time: 1–5 players, about 90 minutes, ages 12+
- At the fair: Hall 3, where it launches. The publisher says booth 3-F110, retailer IPA says 3F120.
- Pre-order & pickup: Pre-orders can be picked up until Saturday at 5 pm.
- Price & where to get it: Alion Games. English edition, €65 in retailer IPA’s shop. We didn’t find a German edition.
9. -60°
Alexander Pfister and Peter Prinz send research teams across Antarctica in a race to a meteorite.
- Players & time: 1–4 players, 120–180 minutes, ages 12+
- At the fair: No confirmed booth or demo tables yet.
- Pre-order & pickup: Order in the dlp shop and pick it up at the fair.
- Price & where to get it: Nanox Games, distributed by dlp games, in German and English. List price €84.95, shipping in fall 2026.
8. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Vlaada Chvátil and Tomáš Holek turn the video game into an open world on your table. You start as a nobody with a knife.
- Players & time: 1–4 players, about 80 minutes per player, ages 14+, solo mode
- At the fair: Hall 3, booth 3V400 (CGE), with demo tables and a meet & greet with Chvátil and Holek.
- Pre-order & pickup: Pre-orders can be picked up until Sunday at noon.
- Price & where to get it: Czech Games Edition, on sale at the fair in English only. Fair prices haven’t been announced. The German edition from HeidelBÄR Games is reportedly planned for spring 2027.
A closer look at Kingdom Come: Deliverance →
7. Entropy
Build solar systems around a rondel: ignite stars, shape planets, seed life. Co-designed by Simone Luciani.
- Players & time: 1–4 players, 90–120 minutes, ages 10+ (Frosted Games) or 14+ (Board&Dice), solo mode
- At the fair: Hall 3, booth 3G300 (Frosted Games), with demo tables and teaching sessions.
- Pre-order & pickup: No pre-order needed: it’s on sale at the booth, with the “Luminescent Lifeforms” promo while stocks last.
- Price & where to get it: Board&Dice, German edition by Frosted Games, already in stores. €54.95 at the fair, the same as the suggested retail price.
6. Drillers
Deck building with mechs in an abandoned mine. The deeper you drill, the more it’s worth, and the faster your fuel runs out.
- Players & time: 1–4 players, about 30 minutes per player, ages 12+, solo mode
- At the fair: Hall 3, booth 3V400 (CGE), with demo tables and a meet & greet with the designers.
- Pre-order & pickup: On sale at the booth, plus a metal coin upgrade.
- Price & where to get it: Czech Games Edition. The English edition has been out since summer 2026, a German edition is announced for Q4 2026. Fair prices haven’t been announced.
5. Braided Skies
Fly tourists by airship through Andrew Bosley’s new world, the first game of a planned trilogy.
- Players & time: 1–5 players, 60–90 minutes, ages 14+, solo mode
- At the fair: Stonemaier in Hall 3, booth 3R400; Feuerland (German edition) in Hall 3, booth 3Q300.
- Pre-order & pickup: Stonemaier is only bringing “a small quantity” to Essen, so go early. Ordering direct from Stonemaier is the safe bet.
- Price & where to get it: Sold direct by Stonemaier since October 14, 2026. Shipping to the US from late October, to Europe from mid-November, in stores from early December. Date and price of the German edition are still open.
A closer look at Braided Skies →
4. Gaudí
Lay trencadís mosaics like in Barcelona. The twist: only your weakest scores count.
- Players & time: 1–4 players, 60–100 minutes, ages 10+ (Devir) or 12+ (HUCH!), solo mode
- At the fair: Devir in Hall 3, booth 3D600; the German edition at HUCH! in Hall 6, booth 6B300. We didn’t find details on demos.
- Pre-order & pickup: We didn’t find pre-order or pickup options.
- Price & where to get it: Devir, German edition by HUCH!. According to the exhibitor directory €35 from Devir (release November 2026) and €35.99 from HUCH! (October 2026). Devir’s US shop lists $49.99.
3. Greenwood
Primal spirits free a peninsula from fake druids. Part of Feuerland’s BlackLabel line in German.
- Players & time: 1–4 players, about 40 minutes per player, ages 14+
- At the fair: Hall 3, booth 3Q300 (Feuerland). Demo tables can’t be reserved, just ask when one is free.
- Pre-order & pickup: On sale at the booth in German and English.
- Price & where to get it: Capstone Games internationally (pre-order $99.99), Feuerland Spiele in German. Release in Q4 2026.
2. Greylune
Caylus designer William Attia mixes worker placement with adventure. In spring you place villagers between the cards of the village, not on fixed spaces.
- Players & time: 2–4 players, 45–90 minutes, ages 14+
- At the fair: Hall 6, booth 6K400 (at Blackrock Games). Demo games take about 60 minutes plus 20 minutes of teaching and need advance sign-up. William Attia signs Thursday to Saturday, 3:00–4:30 pm.
- Pre-order & pickup: Pre-orders are picked up at the booth, and a few extra copies are for sale.
- Price & where to get it: Sorry We Are French, in the US Pandasaurus Games ($39.95). The English edition launches at SPIEL Essen 2026. We didn’t find a German edition.
1. Queen Alice
Cards move chess pieces, and the square they land on decides your action. Crown Alice before everyone else.
- Players & time: 1–4 players, 30–120 minutes, ages 14+, solo mode
- At the fair: Hall 3, booth U210 according to fair reports. Demos and sales haven’t been confirmed by the publisher.
- Pre-order & pickup: Gamefound backers pick up their copies at the booth and get them before retail.
- Price & where to get it: Combo Games from Spain, €69 in their own shop (currently sold out). No German publisher; whether German rules are included is unclear.
A closer look at Queen Alice →
Before you go
Booth numbers, prices and fair deals come from publishers, the exhibitor directory and fair reports, and they can still change. Check the publisher’s page before you head to a booth.
So, did you guess No. 1? Which one would you try first, and which one is missing? Tell us on Instagram.
