BoardGameGeek

Last updated
BoardGameGeek
BoardGameGeek Logo.svg
OwnerScott Alden
URL boardgamegeek.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
LaunchedJanuary 2000;24 years ago (2000-01)

BoardGameGeek (BGG) is an online forum for board gaming hobbyists and a game database that holds reviews, images and videos for over 125,600 different tabletop games, including European-style board games, wargames, and card games. [1] [2] In addition to the game database, the site allows users to rate games on a 1–10 scale and publishes a ranked list of board games. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

History

BoardGameGeek was founded in January 2000 by Scott Alden and Derk Solko, [6] and marked its 20th anniversary on 20 January 2020. [7]

Since 2005, BoardGameGeek hosts an annual board game convention, BGG.CON, that has a focus on playing games, and where winners of the Golden Geek Awards are announced. New games are showcased and convention staff is provided to teach rules. [8] There is also an annual Spring BGG.CON which is family friendly, and an annual BGG@Sea which is held on a cruise.

In 2010, BoardGameGeek received the Diana Jones Award, which recognized it as "a resource without peer for board and card gamers, the recognized authority of this online community." [9] The New York Times has called BoardGameGeek "the hub of board gaming on the Internet." [10]

In 2020, BoardGameGeek was inducted into the Origins Award Hall of Fame. [11]

The site has branched out into other fields by using the same system for RPGs and video games (rpggeek.com and videogamegeek.com). [12]

Golden Geek Award

Since 2006, the site annually awards the best new board games of the year with the Golden Geek Award. Winners are selected based on a vote by registered users. [13]

2006–2009

Category2006200720082009
Game of the Year [14] Caylus Shogun Agricola Dominion
Best Strategy Game [15] [16] [17] CaylusShogunAgricola Le Havre
Best Wargame [18] Twilight Struggle Combat Commander: Europe Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage Combat Commander: Pacific
Best Children's Board Game [19] Nacht Der Magier Zooloretto Chateau Roquefort Sorry! Sliders
Best 2-Player Board Game [20] Twilight Struggle BattleLore oraz Commands & Colors: Ancients Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage Space Hulk (third edition)
Best Family Board Game [21] Ingenious Zooloretto Thebes Pandemic
Best Party Board Game [22] Diamant Wits and Wagers Say Anything Time's Up! Deluxe
Best Card Game [23] - Caylus Magna Carta Race for the Galaxy Dominion
Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation [24] - BattleLore Jamaica Space Hulk (third edition)
Best Board Game Expansion [25] --- Pandemic: On The Brink
Best Print & Play Board Game [26] --- Dune Express
Best Innovative Board Game [27] --- Space Alert

2010–2019

Category2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Game of the Year [14] Hansa Teutonica Dominant Species Eclipse Terra Mystica Splendor Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 Scythe Gloomhaven Root Wingspan
Best Strategy Game [15] Hansa TeutonicaDominant SpeciesEclipseTerra Mystica Five Tribes Pandemic Legacy: Season 1ScytheGloomhaven Brass: Birmingham Wingspan
Best Wargame [18] Washington's War A Few Acres of Snow Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan 1775: Rebellion Fire in the LakeChurchillFalling Sky: The Gallic Revolt Against Caesar878 Vikings: Invasions of EnglandHannibal & HamilcarUndaunted: Normandy
Best Children's Board Game [19] Forbidden Island Animal Upon Animal: Balancing Bridge King of Tokyo Forbidden Desert Tales & Games: The Hare & the Tortoise-----
Best 2-Player Board Game [20] Washington's War A Few Acres of Snow Android: Netrunner Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game Star Realms 7 Wonders Duel Star Wars: Rebellion Codenames: DuetKeyForge: Call of the Archons Watergate
Best Family Board Game [21] Tobago 7 Wonders King of Tokyo Love Letter Splendor Codenames Codenames: Pictures Azul The Quacks of Quedlinburg Wingspan
Best Party Board Game [22] Telestrations Dixit Odyssey King of TokyoLove LetterCash n' Guns 2nd Ed.CodenamesCodenames: PicturesWarewordsThe MindWavelength
Best Card Game [23] Innovation7 Cudów ŚwiataAndroid: NetrunnerLove LetterStar Realms7 Wonders DuelArkham Horror: The Card GameCentury: Spice RoadThe Mind Wingspan
Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation [24] - Merchants & Marauders Takenoko Mice and Mystics AbyssMysteriumScythe Photosynthesis Root Wingspan
Best Board Game Expansion [25] Dominion: Prosperity Twilight Imperium: Shards of the Throne Alien Frontiers: Factions Lords of Waterdeep: Scoundrels of Skullport 7 Wonders: BabelTicket to Ride Map Collection: Volume 5 United Kingdom & Pennsylvania7 Wonders Duel: PantheonScythe: The Wind GambitScythe: The Rise of FenrisWingspan: European Expansion
Best Print & Play Board Game [26] Zombie in My Pocket The Thing D-Day Dice: Free Trial Version Tiny Epic Kingdoms & Coin Age ...and then we held hands...Dune: The dice gameStar Trek: The Dice GameMy Little ScytheOrchard: A 9 card solitaire gameTINYforming Mars
Best Innovative Board Game [27] Catacombs A Few Acres of Snow Risk: Legacy Love LetterDead of Winter: A Crossroads GamePandemic Legacy: Season 1Captain SonarGloomhavenRoot Wingspan
Best Thematic Board Game [28] War of the Ring Collector's Edition Mansions of Madness Mage Knight Board Game Robinson Crusoe: Adventure on the Cursed Island Dead of Winter: A Crossroads GamePandemic Legacy: Season 1ScytheGloomhavenRootDune
Best Abstract Board Game [29] FITS Paris Connection Kingdom Builder Tash-Kalar: Arena of Legends Patchwork -----
Best Cooperative Game [30] ------ Mechs vs. Minions GloomhavenThe MindThe Crew: The Quest For Planet Nine
Best Solo Game [31] ----Imperial SettlersTiny Epic GalaxiesScytheGloomhavenThat's Pretty CleverWingspan
RPG and Video Game awards

RPG and Video game awards were introduced in 2014 and awarded through 2017. Only 1 category was awarded in 2018, and none in following years.

Category20142015201620172018
Best RPG Artwork/PresentationPlayer's Handbook (D&D 5e)Mouse Guard (2nd Edition)Volo's Guide to MonstersXanathar's Guide to Everything-
Best RPG Supplement WinnerDungeons & Dragons Starter SetThe Dracula Dossier: Director's HandbookVolo's Guide to MonstersXanathar's Guide to Everything-
RPG of the YearDungeon Master's Guide (D&D 5e)

Player's Handbook (D&D 5e)
Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Blades in the Dark7th Sea Tales from the Loop -
Best Indie Video Game WinnerStar RealmsRocket LeagueStardew ValleyCuphead-
Best Mobile/Handheld Video GameStar Realms Fallout Shelter Twilight StruggleThrough the Ages-
Best Video Game Visuals/ArtworkThe Banner SagaThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Overwatch The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -
Most Innovative Video GameGalaxy Trucker- Pokémon GO The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild-
Video Game of the Year Winner Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Multiple WinnersMultiple WinnersMultiple Winners-
Best Board Game App Winner--Twilight StruggleThrough the AgesGanz Schön Clever

2020–present

2020 saw many awards replaced with new categories, such as "Board Game of the Year" replaced with "Game of the Year, Light", "Medium" and "Heavy".

Category202020212022
Game of the Year, Light [32] MicroMacro: Crime City Cascadia Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition
Game of the Year, Medium [33] Lost Ruins of Arnak The Crew: Mission Deep Sea Heat: Pedal to the Metal
Game of the Year, Heavy [34] Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion Ark Nova Carnegie
Best Wargame [18] Imperial StruggleUndaunted: ReinforcementsUndaunted: Stalingrad
Best 2-Player Board Game [20] Undaunted: North AfricaRadlandsSplendor Duel
Best Card Game [23] Dune: Imperium--
Best Board Game Artwork & Presentation [24] On MarsSleeping GodsFlamecraft
Best Board Game Expansion [25] Wingspan: Oceania ExpansionLost Ruins of Arnak: Expedition LeadersDune: Imperium – Rise of Ix
Best Print & Play Board Game [26] 7 Wonders Duel: SoloGloomholdin'Aquamarine
Most Innovative Board Game [27] MicroMacro: Crime City Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition
Best Thematic Board Game [28] Gloomhaven: Jaws of the LionSleeping GodsHeat: Pedal to the Metal
Best Cooperative Game [30] Gloomhaven: Jaws of the LionThe Crew: Mission Deep Sea Return to Dark Tower
Best Solo Board Game [31] Under Falling SkiesFinal GirlTuring Machine
Best Zoomable Game [35] Forgotten Waters--
Best Party Game [22] -So Clover!Ready Set Bet
Best PodcastSo Very Wrong About GamesBoard Game BarrageThis Game Is Broken
Best Board Game AppRoot (2020) Gloomhaven Everdell

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurogame</span> Type of board game

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dungeon crawl</span> Type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Chambers</span> English author and game designer

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