The board game hobby is booming, and publishers are racing to deliver innovative designs with deeper stories, fresh mechanics and beautiful art. 2026 already looks packed with exciting titles across a variety of genres—from economic simulations and train games to sprawling euro-hybrids and narrative-driven horror adventures.
Below are seven games slated for 2026 that enthusiasts and reviewers are buzzing about. Each entry includes gameplay highlights, player count, complexity and reasons it is worth watching.
Horror on the Orient Express: The Board Game (Chaosium)
This cooperative adventure turns Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu RPG classic into a tabletop board game. Players become investigators aboard the 1920s Orient Express, trying to survive a nightmarish trip haunted by cultists and monsters. You must identify cultists hidden among the passengers, fight horrors, protect innocents from an eldritch vampire and survive long enough to reach Constantinople.
The game integrates character development and push-your-luck elements to create tension and high replayability. It plays 1-4 people, takes about 90-120 minutes, and is rated for ages 14+ with a medium-heavy complexity of 3.54/5.
- •Players: 1-4
- •Playtime: 90-120 minutes
- •Complexity: 3.54/5
- •Why it is exciting: The adaptation condenses the sprawling RPG campaign into a streamlined cooperative experience that blends deduction, survival and adventure. Fans of horror narratives will appreciate its thematic richness, while gamers who enjoy Arkham Horror or Eldritch Horror will find a fresh challenge.
Brass: Pittsburgh (Roxley)
Following the runaway success of Brass: Birmingham, Roxley is continuing the series with Brass: Pittsburgh. Co-designed by Gavan Brown and based on Martin Wallace's classic system, this economic euro game transports players to America's Gilded Age.
You play as industrial titans—think Carnegie, Rockefeller and Vanderbilt—building networks of railways, pipelines, steel mills, and oil refineries in the booming steel belt. It supports 2-4 players (best with four), lasts around 90-120 minutes and is recommended for ages 14+. The complexity rating of 3.64/5 suggests deep strategic planning yet approachable rules.
- •Players: 2-4
- •Playtime: 90-120 minutes
- •Complexity: 3.64/5
- •Why it is exciting: Pittsburgh introduces new mechanisms—such as regulating supply chains and balancing transportation modes—while retaining the tight economic decisions that made Birmingham a hit. Fans of heavy euros and historical industry themes will find a lot to love.
The Danes (Feuerland Spiele)
Set in the world of A Feast for Odin, this worker-placement game puts you in charge of a Viking community. Each round you send your clan to explore, trade with new territories, breed animals, collect goods and hunt to earn income and victory points. As your band grows, you must feed your people and pay taxes. At the end of the saga, the Viking with the most points wins.
The game accommodates 1-4 players, runs 90-180 minutes and targets ages 14+ with a heavy complexity rating of 3.83/5.
- •Players: 1-4
- •Playtime: 90-180 minutes
- •Complexity: 3.83/5
- •Why it is exciting: Designer Uwe Rosenberg is renowned for deep but approachable resource-management titles. The Danes promises to blend animal husbandry with exploration and trading, offering variable strategies and plenty of replay value for solo and competitive play.
Snowdonia: Grand Tour (Naylor Games)
Snowdonia: Grand Tour is a deluxe big-box release celebrating the beloved worker-placement train game Snowdonia. The expansion adds a new game mode, special components that enhance all previous Snowdonia content, and a revised base game.
It bundles nine new scenarios—including Demerara, La Belle Epoque, Isle of Wight, Tokyo Metro and more—and updates popular fan-made scenarios like Alubari to become Darjeeling-Himalayan. Player count ranges from 1-5, play time is 45-120 minutes, and the game is accessible from age 8+. A complexity rating has not been finalized, but Snowdonia's elegant action selection suggests mid-weight gameplay.
- •Players: 1-5
- •Playtime: 45-120 minutes
- •Age: 8+
- •Why it is exciting: For existing fans, Grand Tour offers fresh challenges and improved components while collecting all promos in one box. New players get an excellent gateway to the series, with plenty of variety and a streamlined rule set.
World Order (Hegemonic Project Games)
Set in 2010, World Order is an area-control game simulating modern geopolitics. As global power dynamics shift—U.S. dominance wanes while China rises, Russia flexes its military muscle and the European Union searches for its place—players take control of USA, China, Russia or the EU.
You use diplomacy, economic strength and military might to expand influence, form alliances, create dependencies and shape the new world order. The game supports 2-4 players, lasts 120-180 minutes, and is aimed at ages 14+ with a complexity of 3.52/5.
- •Players: 2-4
- •Playtime: 120-180 minutes
- •Complexity: 3.52/5
- •Why it is exciting: The contemporary theme is a rare departure from traditional fantasy or historical settings. Players must balance real-world geopolitical pressures, making decisions that mirror international relations. Fans of area-control games and modern history should enjoy the rich narrative and strategic tension.
The Great Library (Eagle-Gryphon Games)
Designer Vital Lacerda and artist Ian O'Toole team up again for a heavy euro game about building the Great Library of Alexandria. Players become librarians managing this ancient institution—researching Great Works, delivering Crafts, training Scribes to translate manuscripts, attracting scholars and sending manuscripts and crafts to gain renown.
The game lasts 100-180 minutes, supports 1-4 players and has a high complexity rating (4.40/5), making it a deep, strategic experience.
- •Players: 1-4
- •Playtime: 100-180 minutes
- •Complexity: 4.40/5
- •Why it is exciting: With Lacerda's signature interconnected mechanisms and O'Toole's gorgeous presentation, The Great Library promises to be a sprawling yet cohesive challenge. The theme of preserving knowledge and balancing time across generations adds a compelling narrative layer.
Movers & Shakers (Quined Games)
In Movers & Shakers, you become a railway magnate in 19th-century Bengal, when the region became a hub for railway expansion in British India. Players compete to transport goods between Benares and Calcutta, fulfill contracts, and invest profits wisely.
The game unfolds over two rounds, each with an action phase (choosing cards and combining actions from cards and slots) and an administration phase (resolving shipping and turn order). After two rounds, the wealthiest tycoon wins. It plays 1-4 players, takes 60-120 minutes, is recommended for ages 14+ and has a 3.00/5 complexity rating.
- •Players: 1-4
- •Playtime: 60-120 minutes
- •Complexity: 3.00/5
- •Why it is exciting: Fans of train games and economic euros should appreciate the historical setting and streamlined two-round structure. The blend of card-driven actions and contract fulfillment rewards careful planning while keeping play time reasonable.