The winners of the Spiel des Jahres 2026 have officially been announced. The German jury has crowned Dito!, a party game designed by Martin Ang and published by Game Factory, as the 2026 Game of the Year.
In Dito!, players try to come up with the same words as the other participants. Beneath its seemingly simple concept lies a game where empathy and understanding others matter far more than knowledge. The jury praised the game for “bringing players together by encouraging them to discover the common ground they share,” while highlighting its welcoming and accessible gameplay. Dito! prevailed over fellow nominees Cozy Sticker Ville by Corey Konieczka (Unexpected Games) and Morty Sorty Magic Shop by Markus Slawitscheck (Schmidt).
For younger players, the Kinderspiel des Jahres 2026 (Children’s Game of the Year) was awarded to Mooki Island, designed by Florian Sirieix and published by Kosmos and Scorpion Masqué. The jury praised its accessible tactical gameplay, streamlined rules, and charming world, creating an experience that grows alongside children. The other nominees in the category were Buh Party and Verflixt verzaubert.
Meanwhile, the highly anticipated Kennerspiel des Jahres 2026 (Connoisseur/Expert Game of the Year) went to Rebirth, designed by the renowned Reiner Knizia and published by Frosted Games and Mighty Boards. The jury highlighted its elegant placement mechanics, which combine simple rules with remarkable tactical depth and meaningful player interaction. Boss Fighters QR and Moon Colony Bloodbath rounded out the list of finalists.
With this year’s winners, the Spiel des Jahres once again demonstrates its commitment to honoring games that are accessible, innovative, and capable of bringing players of all backgrounds together around the table.
