The 8 Best New and Upcoming Board Games to Keep an Eye on in 2026

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I’m a huge fan of both video games and board games. I’ve spent over 8,000 hours playing Path of Exile and more than 10,000 in the Pokemon series, but I also absolutely love board games. Whether it’s quick party games, immersive tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, or even board game adaptations of video games like Elden Ring, there’s something for everyone. One of my all-time favorite board games is Root – though I rarely get to play it, a video game version did come out a few years ago.

Hopefully, that gives you a good idea of the kinds of board games I enjoy. If not, this list of the best new and upcoming games should! Just a heads-up: if you like Dungeons & Dragons, dice games, or being a Dungeon Master, you’ll find some exciting options. But there’s also plenty for fans of games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and superhero comics, and much more.

Western Legends Stories

Following the popularity of Western Legends, Western Legends Stories takes the Wild West experience even further with ongoing stories and a town that changes based on your choices. You’ll create your own unique story by exploring, building up the town, and making smart decisions. It’s a standout game for 2026 because it combines the freedom of an open world with a strong storyline, making it ideal for playing through a full campaign and offering a board game feel similar to Red Dead Redemption 2.

Core mechanics:

  • Open-world exploration and action selection
  • Episodic narrative progression
  • Player choice-driven sandbox gameplay and strategic planning
  • Multiple paths to victory
  • Genre: Narrative Adventure

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Brass: Pittsburgh

Building on the popular Brass series, Brass: Pittsburgh transports the complex economic gameplay to 19th-century America, specifically the city of Pittsburgh, known for its steel industry. Like its predecessors, it features challenging resource management, fierce competition, and the building of strategic railway networks. If you enjoyed Brass: Birmingham, Brass: Pittsburgh offers a similar experience with a fresh map and a new theme.

Core mechanics:

  • Economic network building (rail, oil, steel)
  • Resource management and market timing
  • Strategic spatial expansion
  • High-interaction Eurogame strategy
  • Genre: Eurogame

FLOE

In the tabletop game FLOE, players lead adventurers through a frozen world, discovering new lands and completing challenging quests. The game features a clever way of moving around and managing resources, making each playthrough strategically satisfying. FLOE stands out with its arctic setting – a theme rarely seen in tabletop games – and combines the struggle to survive the elements with deep strategic gameplay. If you’re a fan of games like Everdell, you’ll likely enjoy FLOE.

Core mechanics:

  • Modular map exploration
  • Action programming or movement planning
  • Resource management in hostile terrain
  • Medium-weight strategic progression
  • Genre: Thematic

Red Dog Junction

Red Dog Junction is a new frontier-themed game getting attention from gaming fans. It seems to focus on careful strategy and building suspense in a wild west-style setting. If you enjoy games like Warhammer 40K: Space Marine combined with the feel of older science fiction, this game might be for you. However, details are still limited, as information is currently based on early previews.

Core mechanics:

  • Scenario-based encounters
  • Tactical board movement
  • Variable character roles
  • Worker placement-like with big spaceships
  • Genre: (Presumably) Worker Placement/Eurogame

Nippon: Zaibatsu

The popular board game Nippon is getting a new edition in 2026 called Nippon: Zaibatsu. This updated version celebrates the game’s 10th anniversary with more strategic depth, improved pieces, and new ways to play, including a solo mode and refined rules. Nippon was originally loved for its smart economic gameplay, where players had to balance controlling areas with carefully managing their resources.

Core mechanics:

  • Area majority and influence to control regions of Japan
  • Worker placement with limited worker options
  • Engine-building with a network of factories and railroads to produce goods
  • Genre: Eurogame

Crits & Tricks

Coming in 2026, Crits & Tricks is a unique game that blends the strategy of trick-taking card games with the storytelling of role-playing games. It lets you play as a character class on an adventure, making it a good option for those who enjoy games like Dungeons & Dragons but are looking for a card game experience. However, not many details about the game are available yet.

Core mechanics:

  • Trick-taking card game with dice-rolling mechanics
  • Quest drafting
  • Special scoring conditions triggered during tricks
  • Variable card effects that shift round dynamics
  • Genre: Strategy card game

Smallfolk

If you enjoy relaxing games such as Stardew Valley with charming visuals, Smallfolk offers a similar experience, but as a board game. It’s a game where you play as a hero, earning points by collecting cards and exploring a map-like board filled with small towns. You’ll also use worker placement mechanics to gather resources, which – along with the cards you collect – will determine your final score.

Core mechanics:

  • Collecting cards to gain new abilities and Victory Points
  • Resource optimization
  • Board interaction and tableau-building
  • Genre: Tableau-building

Grendel: The Game of Crime and Mayhem

Coming in 2026, Grendel: The Game of Crime and Mayhem is a visually impressive tabletop game based on the popular comic series. It’s an asymmetric game, meaning players have very different roles and abilities. You can play as the criminal mastermind Grendel, the werewolf Argent, the police, or the mob, each with unique ways to win and special advantages. All factions are battling for control of New York City, a familiar setting for fans of superhero comics like Marvel.

Core mechanics:

  • Asymmetric faction abilities
  • Area control and territorial influence
  • Resource-driven power escalation
  • Each game is different from the others due to factions, asymmetric powers, and player decisions
  • Genre: Thematic, Area control

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2026-02-26 18:35