Let’s start off by talking about how this board games list is going to be wrong. When things get announced for Gen Con and for Essen Spiel, that is when some of those most anticipated board games will happen. Right now I just just use the board games that Board Game Geek has listed for 2026. But that is okay because I’m going to find a lot of board games that sound interesting to me and talk about those. The final disclaimer before we get to the list, I’m going to try and avoid crowdfunding games. See yesterday’s article for those.

Top 10 Anticipated Board Games in 2026

The Games aren’t listed in any order. And I’ll call this out, but a lot of these are crowdfunding games, but ones supposed to be coming in 2026 in terms of delivery and ones that I didn’t back.

10. Forsaken

So the first game on the list is a crowdfunding game, but it’s okay to be on here because it’s not crowdfunding in 2026 and it’s not one that I backed. But it is one that I was tempted to back. This is a sci-fi/western sandbox style game. And all of those elements are things that sound interesting to me. It is a long time coming, so I hope that the game is still good and hasn’t been overworked or changed too much from the crowdfunding plan originally. If it hasn’t been, then I think with that theme it sounds like a lot of fun.

9. Sail Legacy

This is another crowdfunding game, but again another one I didn’t back. I love legacy games, so it is surprising that I didn’t back it. But I wanted to play some Sail first to see if I even liked the game. And I really like Sail as a two player trick taking game. You are always trying to complete missions and challenges and they get harder as you go.

I think there is some interesting room in the game to make it a legacy game. In particular, how the board might change as you sail could be one way or introducing new monsters. Also, the pirates that you have access to, there is room to let players tweak the powers, or maybe to have one of the pirates die.

8. Restart

Travel back in time to save the future is the tagline and I like that sort of story. Time travel is always interesting, though, games often struggle making it work. I think that T.I.M.E. Stories does some interesting things with it, but I want to see how other designers can make it work. I believe, though, that this is a crowdfunding game from 2025, so I don’t actually expect this one to come out in 2026 just with how crowdfunding board games are generally delayed.

7. Winnie the Pooh: Serious Detective

Just a reminder that Winnie the Pooh and other works, like Alice in Wonderland are public domain now. So while there hasn’t been an influx of board games around that theme, people are having fun with it. This is a cooperative deduction game with some fantastical settings. So three things that I really enjoy. Can you figure out what is happening in the different narrative driven cases that might be in the Hundred Acre Wood, Wonderland, or the court of Camelot?

6. Hanami

The cover of the game just draws me in. And it’s about having a picnic under the full bloom of the sakura blossoms. That sounds just nice and relaxing. The game mainly sounds like a set collection game, so I’m guessing you are gaining tiles, and placing them in ways to score points. That is a pretty common thing for games, but one that I find that I really enjoy. Especially if you can make it really pretty to look at. And Hanami definitely seems like it is going to be doing that.

5. StarDriven: Gateway

The game on the list that I’ve played. This is a competitive game of space exploration, fighting aliens and other players all while managing your crew. That crew management aspect is the part of the game that really shines for me. I love figuring out where to place the crew to take stronger actions and really optimize what I’m trying to do in the game. I believe that there is a solo mode as well for the game, which I only played at four players, so that is also tempting about the game.

4. Zombie Princess

This is the follow-up to Rebel Princess. Apparently things didn’t go well and now the princesses are zombies. Honestly, with the lore I created, it sounds like Pride, Prejudice and Zombies if you combine the two games. But this is going to be Spades. But we already know what to expect. I am expecting special powers and whacky twists on rules like we got in Rebel Princess. If that is the case, it’ll be time for me to learn how to play Spades.

3. Bagged & Boarded

The term bagged and boarded probably isn’t one that people are familiar with, but it is one that I know really well. It’s what you do when you get comics. Well, generally first I read them and then I bag and board them. This allows you to store them well because otherwise comics just become piles and like to slip all over the place.

But that’s just the theme of the game. You are kids who are trying to get the most valuable comic collection. This is really going to be a stock type of game where you are trying to buy and sell comics at the right time to build up your collection. And while normally stock market games don’t interest me that much, this game sounds like a ton of fun because of the theme that I love.

2. Viking Route

I’m pretty sure this has been on my list previously. I’m not sure if it was a crowdfunding one or something like that. Or if it is one that has been on my board games anticipated list before. But the reason for my interest in this one, the answer is magnets. You are sailing your Viking ship around and you are using magnets to control the ship. Now it’s not like a proximity thing, it’s more like a how you can affect a compass as you need to navigate through the treacherous seas.

1. Cozy Cat Cafe

I’m not sure how I missed this game on crowdfunding original. It seems like the type of game that I would enjoy and my wife would enjoy at least from the theme perspective. The game is about building up your best cat cafe and the artwork on it is great. You need to place the elements of your cafe to get customers in which are going to give you money and points that let you win the game. It seems like a pretty simple game, but one because of the them I hope has that cozy feel that the name says.

Bonus Expansions

5. Even Deeper Regrets

Mainly I’m interested in this one because it looks like a little expansion. I need to play Deep Regrets sometimes to make myself more interested in this. I really do love the theme of deep sea fishing and then horrible beasties down there that you need to contend with.

4. Galactic Cruise: Achievements

I have played Galactic Cruise once on BGA. That was enough to tell me two things. Firstly, that it’s a tough game to learn on BGA. There is a lot going on with it. Also that even with that tough time learning it and optimizing my playing, I really enjoyed it. From what I can tell Galactic Cruise: Achievements is going to add that, achievements to the game. But it doesn’t look like a massive expansion that is going to make an already complex game even more complex.

3. Andromeda’s Edge: Genesis Expansion

This is for another game that I own and I need to play. Andromeda’s Edge is the space version of Dwellings of Eldervale which I’ve played and I like. So if I get Andromeda’s Edge played and I like that better, I’m interested in an expansion for the game.

2. Slay the Spire: The Board Game – Downfall

This one is tricky to put on the list. I hope that it comes out next year, but I believe it is crowdfunding next year. This is going to give you four new characters to play, more bosses, and more rewards. I already love the base game, see my Top 100 Games (of all time) 2025 edition to see how much. So giving me more, I am going to be very happy about that.

1. Tag Team Expansion

It isn’t up on BGG yet, but I am very excited for this expansion. I love Tag Team, it’s one of the games I’m playing a ton of board game arena, but it’s also one that I’ve had a lot of fun with in person as well. The game is simple, you just take two characters into battle and the auto battle. Your big decision is where you add in a new card to the deck. And that seems really simple, but the characters are all so different and the out thinking your opponent is great.

Final Thoughts

Like I said, the list is hard to make without it being mainly Kickstarter and Gamefound board games that are hoping to be delivered in 2026. The games that are going to make my Top 10 of 2026 at the end of next year, those are going to be different games. But it’s fun to look at BGG and determine what games might make the list. And let’s also be fair, I don’t make it through all the games listed for 2026 because that is 18 pages of games and expansions. So maybe I’ll do a next 10 list sometime as well.

Is there a game that you are excited for that is coming out in 2026, let me know that.

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