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BoardGameGeek
Online database of board games
Online database of board games
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| website | |
| logo | BoardGameGeek Logo.svg |
| owner | Scott Alden |
| launch_date |
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. 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.
History
BoardGameGeek was founded in January 2000 by Scott Alden and Derk Solko, and marked its 20th anniversary on 20 January 2020.
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. 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." The New York Times has called BoardGameGeek "the hub of board gaming on the Internet."
In 2020, BoardGameGeek was inducted into the Origins Award Hall of Fame.
The site has branched out into other fields by using the same system for RPGs and video games (rpggeek.com and videogamegeek.com).
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.
2006–2009
| Category | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | Game of the Year | Best Strategy Game | Best Wargame | Best Children's Board Game | Best 2-Player Board Game | Best Family Board Game | Best Party Board Game | Best Card Game | Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation | Best Board Game Expansion | Best Print & Play Board Game | Best Innovative Board Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caylus | Shogun | Agricola | Dominion | |||||||||||||
| Caylus | Shogun | Agricola | Le Havre | |||||||||||||
| Twilight Struggle | Combat Commander: Europe | Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage | Combat Commander: Pacific | |||||||||||||
| Nacht Der Magier | Zooloretto | Chateau Roquefort | Sorry! Sliders | |||||||||||||
| Twilight Struggle | BattleLore and Commands & Colors: Ancients | Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage | Space Hulk (third edition) | |||||||||||||
| Ingenious | Zooloretto | Thebes | Pandemic | |||||||||||||
| Diamant | Wits and Wagers | Say Anything | Time's Up! Deluxe | |||||||||||||
| - | Caylus Magna Carta | Race for the Galaxy | Dominion | |||||||||||||
| - | BattleLore | Jamaica | Space Hulk (third edition) | |||||||||||||
| - | - | - | Pandemic: On The Brink | |||||||||||||
| - | - | - | Dune Express | |||||||||||||
| - | - | - | Space Alert |
2010–2019
| Category | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Game of the Year | Best Strategy Game | Best Wargame | Best Children's Board Game | Best 2-Player Board Game | Best Family Board Game | Best Party Board Game | Best Card Game | Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation | Best Board Game Expansion | Best Print & Play Board Game | Best Innovative Board Game | Best Thematic Board Game | Best Abstract Board Game | Best Cooperative Game | Best Solo Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hansa Teutonica | Dominant Species | Eclipse | Terra Mystica | Splendor | Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 | Scythe | Gloomhaven | Root | Wingspan | |||||||||||||||||
| Hansa Teutonica | Dominant Species | Eclipse | Terra Mystica | Five Tribes | Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 | Scythe | Gloomhaven | Brass: Birmingham | Wingspan | |||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||
| Forbidden Island | Animal Upon Animal: Balancing Bridge | King of Tokyo | Forbidden Desert | Tales & Games: The Hare & the Tortoise | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||
| Tobago | 7 Wonders | King of Tokyo | Love Letter | Splendor | Codenames | Codenames: Pictures | Azul | The Quacks of Quedlinburg | Wingspan | |||||||||||||||||
| Telestrations | Dixit Odyssey | King of Tokyo | Love Letter | Cash n' Guns 2nd Ed. | Codenames | Codenames: Pictures | Warewords | The Mind | Wavelength | |||||||||||||||||
| Innovation | 7 Cudów Świata | Android: Netrunner | Love Letter | Star Realms | 7 Wonders Duel | Arkham Horror: The Card Game | Century: Spice Road | The Mind | Wingspan | |||||||||||||||||
| - | Merchants & Marauders | Takenoko | Mice and Mystics | Abyss | Mysterium | Scythe | Photosynthesis | Root | Wingspan | |||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||
| FITS | Paris Connection | Kingdom Builder | Tash-Kalar: Arena of Legends | Patchwork | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | Mechs vs. Minions | Gloomhaven | The Mind | The Crew: The Quest For Planet Nine | |||||||||||||||||
| - | - | - | - | 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 | Best RPG Supplement Winner | RPG of the Year | Best Indie Video Game Winner | Best Mobile/Handheld Video Game | Best Video Game Visuals/Artwork | Most Innovative Video Game | Video Game of the Year Winner | Best Board Game App Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player's Handbook (D&D 5e) | Mouse Guard (2nd Edition) | Volo's Guide to Monsters | Xanathar's Guide to Everything | - | ||||||||||
| Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set | The Dracula Dossier: Director's Handbook | Volo's Guide to Monsters | Xanathar's Guide to Everything | - | ||||||||||
| *Dungeon Master's Guide (D&D 5e) | ||||||||||||||
| * | Blades in the Dark | 7th Sea | Tales from the Loop | - | ||||||||||
| Star Realms | Rocket League | Stardew Valley | Cuphead | - | ||||||||||
| Star Realms | Fallout Shelter | Twilight Struggle | Through the Ages | - | ||||||||||
| The Banner Saga | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Overwatch | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | - | ||||||||||
| Galaxy Trucker | - | Pokémon GO | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | - | ||||||||||
| Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft | Multiple Winners | Multiple Winners | Multiple Winners | - | ||||||||||
| - | - | Twilight Struggle | Through the Ages | Ganz 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".
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Game of the Year, Light | Game of the Year, Medium | Game of the Year, Heavy | Best Wargame | Best 2-Player Board Game | Best Card Game | Best Board Game Artwork & Presentation | Best Board Game Expansion | Best Print & Play Board Game | Most Innovative Board Game | Best Thematic Board Game | Best Cooperative Game | Best Solo Board Game | Best Zoomable Game | Best Party Game | Best Podcast | Best Board Game App |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MicroMacro: Crime City | Cascadia | Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition | Thunder Road: Vendetta | Castle Combo | ||||||||||||||||||
| Lost Ruins of Arnak | The Crew: Mission Deep Sea | Heat: Pedal to the Metal | Earth | Harmonies | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion | Ark Nova | Carnegie | Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory | SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence | ||||||||||||||||||
| Imperial Struggle | Undaunted: Reinforcements | Undaunted: Stalingrad | Undaunted: Battle of Britain | Arcs | ||||||||||||||||||
| Undaunted: North Africa | Radlands | Splendor Duel | Sky Team | The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dune: Imperium | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| On Mars | Sleeping Gods | Flamecraft | The Castles of Burgundy: Special Edition | Unconscious Mind | ||||||||||||||||||
| Wingspan: Oceania Expansion | Lost Ruins of Arnak: Expedition Leaders | Dune: Imperium – Rise of Ix | Ark Nova: Marine Worlds | Arcs: The Blighted Reach Expansion | ||||||||||||||||||
| 7 Wonders Duel: Solo | ''Gloomholdin''' | Aquamarine | Waypoints | 52 Realms: Adventures | ||||||||||||||||||
| MicroMacro: Crime City | Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile | Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition | Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory | Arcs | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion | Sleeping Gods | Heat: Pedal to the Metal | Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory | SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion | The Crew: Mission Deep Sea | Return to Dark Tower | Sky Team | The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game | ||||||||||||||||||
| Under Falling Skies | Final Girl | Turing Machine | Legacy of Yu | Slay the Spire: The Board Game | ||||||||||||||||||
| Forgotten Waters | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| - | So Clover! | Ready Set Bet | That's Not a Hat | Flip 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| So Very Wrong About Games | Board Game Barrage | This Game Is Broken | One Stop Co-Op Shop | Beyond Solitaire | ||||||||||||||||||
| Root (2020) | Gloomhaven | Everdell | Unmatched: Digital Edition | Dune: Imperium |
References
References
- Woods, Stewart. (2009). "Eurogames: The Design, Culture and Play of Modern European Board Games". [[McFarland & Company.
- (2020-12-07). "10 most popular board games among Board Game Geek readers".
- Riese, Monica. (2016-09-25). "The 10 best board games for families". The Daily Dot.
- Roeder, Oliver. (2015-01-22). "Stop Playing Monopoly With Your Kids (And Play These Games Instead)". FiveThirtyEight.
- Anderson, Nate. "Pandemic Legacy is the best board game ever—but is it "fun?"". Ars Technica.
- Woods, Stewart. (2012). "Eurogames: The Design, Culture and Play of Modern European Board Games". McFarland.
- Damerst, Lincoln. (20 January 2020). "Happy 20th Anniversary BGG".
- Morgan, Matt. "13 New Tabletop Games for Winter - The Best of BGG Con". The Escapist.
- (23 May 2015). "The 2010 Award for Excellence in Gaming".
- Draper, Kevin. (August 1, 2019). "Should Board Gamers Play the Roles of Racists, Slavers and Nazis?".
- "Academy - Hall of Fame".
- (3 April 2018). "Role-Playing Games for People Who Don't Like Dungeons & Dragons".
- Hall, Charlie. (2015-02-13). "The best tabletop RPGs of 2014, finalists from Board Game Geek".
- "Golden Geek Board Game of the Year | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "BoardGameGeek | Gaming Unplugged Since 2000".
- "2009 Golden Geek Best Gamer's Board Game Winner | Board Game Honor | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Wargame | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Children's Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best 2-Player Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Family Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Party Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Card Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Board Game Artwork & Presentation | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Board Game Expansion | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Print & Play Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Most Innovative Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Thematic Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Abstract Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Cooperative Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Best Solo Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
- "Golden Geek Light Game of the Year".
- "Golden Geek Medium Game of the Year".
- "Golden Geek Heavy Game of the Year".
- "Golden Geek Best Zoomable Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek".
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