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]
 | |
| Owner | Scott Alden |
|---|---|
| URL | boardgamegeek |
| Launched | January 2000 |
History
editBoardGameGeek 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
editSince 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
edit| Category | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game of the Year[14] | Caylus | Shogun | Agricola | Dominion |
| Best Strategy Game[15][16][17] | Caylus | Shogun | Agricola | 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 and 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
edit| Category | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Teutonica | Dominant Species | Eclipse | Terra Mystica | Five Tribes | Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 | Scythe | Gloomhaven | Brass: Birmingham | Wingspan |
| Best Wargame[18] | Washington's War | A Few Acres of Snow | Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan | 1775: Rebellion | Fire in the Lake | Churchill | Falling Sky: The Gallic Revolt Against Caesar | 878 Vikings: Invasions of England | Hannibal & Hamilcar | Undaunted: 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: Duet | KeyForge: 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 Tokyo | Love Letter | Cash n' Guns 2nd Ed. | Codenames | Codenames: Pictures | Warewords | The Mind | Wavelength |
| Best Card Game[23] | Innovation | 7 Cudów Świata | Android: Netrunner | Love Letter | Star Realms | 7 Wonders Duel | Arkham Horror: The Card Game | Century: Spice Road | The Mind | Wingspan |
| Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation[24] | - | Merchants & Marauders | Takenoko | Mice and Mystics | Abyss | Mysterium | Scythe | 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: Babel | Ticket to Ride Map Collection: Volume 5 United Kingdom & Pennsylvania | 7 Wonders Duel: Pantheon | Scythe: The Wind Gambit | Scythe: The Rise of Fenris | Wingspan: 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 game | Star Trek: The Dice Game | My Little Scythe | Orchard: A 9 card solitaire game | TINYforming Mars |
| Best Innovative Board Game[27] | Catacombs | A Few Acres of Snow | Risk: Legacy | Love Letter | Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game | Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 | Captain Sonar | Gloomhaven | Root | 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 Game | Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 | Scythe | Gloomhaven | Root | Dune |
| Best Abstract Board Game[29] | FITS | Paris Connection | Kingdom Builder | Tash-Kalar: Arena of Legends | Patchwork | - | - | - | - | - |
| Best Cooperative Game[30] | - | - | - | - | - | - | Mechs vs. Minions | Gloomhaven | The Mind | The Crew: The Quest For Planet Nine |
| Best Solo Game[31] | - | - | - | - | Imperial Settlers | Tiny Epic Galaxies | Scythe | Gloomhaven | That's Pretty Clever | Wingspan |
- 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.
| Category | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best RPG Artwork/Presentation | Player's Handbook (D&D 5e) | Mouse Guard (2nd Edition) | Volo's Guide to Monsters | Xanathar's Guide to Everything | - |
| Best RPG Supplement Winner | Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set | The Dracula Dossier: Director's Handbook | Volo's Guide to Monsters | Xanathar's Guide to Everything | - |
| RPG of the Year | Dungeon Master's Guide (D&D 5e) Player's Handbook (D&D 5e) |
Blades in the Dark | 7th Sea | Tales from the Loop | - |
| Best Indie Video Game Winner | Star Realms | Rocket League | Stardew Valley | Cuphead | - |
| Best Mobile/Handheld Video Game | Star Realms | Fallout Shelter | Twilight Struggle | Through the Ages | - |
| Best Video Game Visuals/Artwork | The Banner Saga | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Overwatch | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | - |
| Most Innovative Video Game | Galaxy Trucker | - | Pokémon GO | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | - |
| Video Game of the Year Winner | Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft | Multiple Winners | Multiple Winners | Multiple Winners | - |
| Best Board Game App Winner | - | - | Twilight Struggle | Through the Ages | Ganz Schön Clever |
2020–present
edit2020 saw many awards replaced with new categories, such as "Board Game of the Year" replaced with "Game of the Year, Light", "Medium" and "Heavy".
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game of the Year, Light[32] | MicroMacro: Crime City | Cascadia | Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition | Thunder Road: Vendetta |
| Game of the Year, Medium[33] | Lost Ruins of Arnak | The Crew: Mission Deep Sea | Heat: Pedal to the Metal | Earth |
| Game of the Year, Heavy[34] | Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion | Ark Nova | Carnegie | Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory |
| Best Wargame[18] | Imperial Struggle | Undaunted: Reinforcements | Undaunted: Stalingrad | Undaunted: Battle of Britain |
| Best 2-Player Board Game[20] | Undaunted: North Africa | Radlands | Splendor Duel | Sky Team |
| Best Card Game[23] | Dune: Imperium | - | - | - |
| Best Board Game Artwork & Presentation[24] | On Mars | Sleeping Gods | Flamecraft | The Castles of Burgundy: Special Edition |
| Best Board Game Expansion[25] | Wingspan: Oceania Expansion | Lost Ruins of Arnak: Expedition Leaders | Dune: Imperium – Rise of Ix | Ark Nova: Marine Worlds |
| Best Print & Play Board Game[26] | 7 Wonders Duel: Solo | Gloomholdin' | Aquamarine | Waypoints |
| Most Innovative Board Game[27] | MicroMacro: Crime City | Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile | Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition | Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory |
| Best Thematic Board Game[28] | Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion | Sleeping Gods | Heat: Pedal to the Metal | Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory |
| Best Cooperative Game[30] | Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion | The Crew: Mission Deep Sea | Return to Dark Tower | Sky Team |
| Best Solo Board Game[31] | Under Falling Skies | Final Girl | Turing Machine | Legacy of Yu |
| Best Zoomable Game[35] | Forgotten Waters | - | - | - |
| Best Party Game[22] | - | So Clover! | Ready Set Bet | That's Not a Hat |
| Best Podcast | So Very Wrong About Games | Board Game Barrage | This Game Is Broken | One Stop Co-Op Shop |
| Best Board Game App | Root (2020) | Gloomhaven | Everdell | Unmatched: Digital Edition |
See also
edit- Amerigame
- Eurogame
- Going Cardboard (documentary)
References
edit- ^ Woods, Stewart (2009). Eurogames: The Design, Culture and Play of Modern European Board Games. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786467976.
- ^ "10 most popular board games among Board Game Geek readers". The Mercury News. 2020-12-07. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
- ^ Riese, Monica (2016-09-25). "The 10 best board games for families". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 2019-05-26. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
- ^ Roeder, Oliver (2015-01-22). "Stop Playing Monopoly With Your Kids (And Play These Games Instead)". FiveThirtyEight. Archived from the original on 2019-05-26. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
- ^ Anderson, Nate. "Pandemic Legacy is the best board game ever—but is it "fun?"". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
- ^ Woods, Stewart (2012). Eurogames: The Design, Culture and Play of Modern European Board Games. McFarland. p. 121. ISBN 9780786490653.
- ^ Damerst, Lincoln (20 January 2020). "Happy 20th Anniversary BGG". Board Game Geek. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^ Morgan, Matt. "13 New Tabletop Games for Winter - The Best of BGG Con". The Escapist. Archived from the original on 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2016-11-25.
- ^ "The 2010 Award for Excellence in Gaming". The Diana Jones Award. 23 May 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
- ^ Draper, Kevin (August 1, 2019). "Should Board Gamers Play the Roles of Racists, Slavers and Nazis?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
- ^ "Academy - Hall of Fame". www.originsawards.net.
- ^ "Role-Playing Games for People Who Don't Like Dungeons & Dragons". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
- ^ Hall, Charlie (2015-02-13). "The best tabletop RPGs of 2014, finalists from Board Game Geek". Polygon. Archived from the original on 2019-05-26. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
- ^ a b "Golden Geek Board Game of the Year | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b "BoardGameGeek | Gaming Unplugged Since 2000". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "2009 Golden Geek Best Gamer's Board Game Winner | Board Game Honor | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b c "Golden Geek Best Wargame | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b "Golden Geek Best Children's Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b c "Golden Geek Best 2-Player Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b "Golden Geek Best Family Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b c "Golden Geek Best Party Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b c "Golden Geek Best Card Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b c "Golden Geek Best Board Game Artwork & Presentation | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b c "Golden Geek Best Board Game Expansion | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b c "Golden Geek Best Print & Play Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b c "Golden Geek Most Innovative Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b "Golden Geek Best Thematic Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Abstract Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b "Golden Geek Best Cooperative Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ a b "Golden Geek Best Solo Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Light Game of the Year". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ "Golden Geek Medium Game of the Year". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ "Golden Geek Heavy Game of the Year". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Zoomable Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.