Asmodee brings new games and exclusive releases to SPIEL Essen 2026
Boulogne-Billancourt, France – September 23 2026 – Today, asmodee, a global leader in tabletop gaming, announces its participation in SPIEL Essen 2026, taking place from 22 to 25 October in Essen, Germany.
Following a record-breaking 2025 edition that welcomed 220,000 visitors, SPIEL Essen will once again bring together tabletop fans, creators and industry professionals from around the world. Throughout the four-day event, visitors will be able to discover and play a broad selection of games from asmodee studios and publishing partners, including new releases, upcoming titles and fan favourites.
Three games to watch from asmodee studios at SPIEL Essen
Across eight themed zones and nearly 200 gaming tables players will be able to discover some of asmodee’s most anticipated upcoming releases. Among this year’s highlights, visitors will get an early opportunity to discover The Lord of the Rings™: Circle of Conflict from Office Dog. Designed by Stephen Buonocore and Geoff Engelstein, the game is presented ahead of its official release, and will be one of several experiences bringing the world of Middle-earth to life across a dedicated zone.
Lookout Games will launch Forest Shuffle: Smoky Mountains, designed by Kosch, at the show. The newest addition to the Forest Shuffle range introduces an environment shaped by rivers, waterfalls and interconnected wildlife. Visitors will be able to play the game throughout the event and receive a special promotional card when purchasing it at SPIEL Essen.
Dotted Games will also present LEGO® NINJAGO®: Destiny’s Bounty Adventures, designed by Jonas Resting-Jeppesen, as part of asmodee’s dedicated LEGO® zone. The new release will be available to discover alongside LEGO® Brick Like This! and LEGO® Monkey Palace, the two previous games from Dotted Games.
Eight zones, dozens of games to discover
The asmodee booth will be organised around eight distinct areas, helping visitors navigate its latest releases, iconic universes and different styles of play.
- The Disney Zone will feature Olaf Mix-Up, Stitch: The Fix for 626, Dixit Disney Edition and new Villains and Mystery and Adventure boosters.
- The Kids & Classic Games Zone will bring together family favourites such as Splendor Kids, Azul Kids, Dixit Kids and Ticket to Ride®: My First Journey, alongside Azul, Dixit, Splendor, the refreshed Ticket to Ride® Europe and Space Cow titles including Jolly Scarecrow, Moo’s who? and Animal words.
- The Lord of the Rings™ Zone will showcase The Lord of the Rings™: Circle of Conflict, Who Says? The Lord of the Rings™, The Lord of the Rings™: Fate of the Fellowship, The Lord of the Rings™ - The Fellowship of the Ring™: Trick-Taking Game, The Lord of the Rings™ - The Two Towers™: Trick-Taking Game and the upcoming Allies & Quest expansion for The Lord of the Rings™: Duel for Middle-earth.
- The New Releases & Hot Games Zone will feature Forest Shuffle: Smoky Mountains, Citadels Duel, Schadenfreude, Gunsen: The Battle for Toshi Ranbo™, Cozy Stickerville™, Toy Battle, Take Time, Harmonies, Melodies, Rocket Rollout, Dewan, dnup and Carnuta. Visitors can also preview Concept Stories, planned for 2027, plus upcoming content for Take Time, Harmonies and Splendor Duel.
- The Party Game Zone will offer fast, social games including Magic Gone Wrong, Cat Fight, That Tracks, Dobble® Connect Power Up, The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow 25th Anniversary Edition, Bloops, Photo Dump, Pili-Pili 2, Adventurers Required, Exploding Kittens and Dobble®/Spot It! ®
- The LEGO® Zone will feature LEGO®NINJAGO®: Destiny’s Bounty Adventures, LEGO® Brick Like This! and LEGO® Monkey Palace.
- The Netflix Zone will bring KPop Demon Hunters to the tabletop with Dobble® / Spot It! ® KPop Demon Hunters and KPop Demon Hunters: Battle for the Spotlight.
- Finally, the Momentum Zone will host demonstrations, challenges, signing sessions and community activities featuring Ghosts Galore, Fantasy Tiles, Dobble® One Piece, Ticket to Ride® and STAR WARS™: Legion™.
Fans of STAR WARS™: Unlimited will also have plenty to discover, with Fantasy Flight Games bringing the trading card game experience to the event alongside a selection of premium accessories from Gamegenic. Members of the team and some of the game’s designers will also be on site for meet-and-greet sessions with fans.
“SPIEL Essen is where years of work by our teams meet players at a very large scale,” said Carly McGinnis, Chief Product Officer and EVP Publishing. “Seeing the reactions and hearing feedback of passionate players gives us invaluable insight into what resonates with them, while this event creates a key momentum for new releases ahead of the holiday season.”
The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow takes over the Grugahalle
On 22 October, asmodee will also host a special game of The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow at the Grugahalle, in partnership with Rocket Beans, one of Germany’s most influential online entertainment channels. Close to 1,000 spectators are expected to attend this one-of-a-kind event. Tickets can be purchased here.
Meet, play and discover
Across its spaces at SPIEL Essen, asmodee will offer game demonstrations, opportunities to meet designers and studio teams, and a selection of titles available to purchase in several languages.
Visitors will find asmodee and its studios in the Hall 5 and 7 where they will also find a shop to buy the latest releases exclusive asmodee merchandising.
On Saturday 24th from 3:00PM, five game designers from asmodee or working with asmodee will be taking the stage for the “From Prototype to Store Shelf: How a Concept Makes Its Way Through a Global Studio” panel, and share their view on the creative process of creating games.
More information about SPIEL Essen 2026 is available at www.spiel-essen.de.
About asmodee
Asmodee is a global leader in tabletop gaming. Inspired by players, asmodee has been crafting and taking to market immersive, shared experiences for over 30 years. Its portfolio includes beloved games and intellectual properties such as CATAN®, Ticket to Ride®, Dobble/Spot it!®, 7 Wonders®, and Exploding Kittens®. Operationally headquartered in France, asmodee operates globally, making its games accessible to players in over 100 countries around the world. Asmodee group’s Class B shares are publicly traded on Nasdaq Stockholm under the ticker ASMDEE B. Learn more about asmodee here.
For more information, contact
Asmodee Communications team
E-mail: press@asmodee.com
About asmodee
Asmodee is a global leader in tabletop gaming. Inspired by players, asmodee has been crafting and taking to market immersive, shared experiences for over 30 years. Its portfolio includes beloved games and intellectual properties such as CATAN®, Ticket to Ride®, Dobble/Spot it!®, 7 Wonders, and Exploding Kittens®. Operationally headquartered in France, asmodee operates globally, making its games accessible to players in over 100 countries around the world. Asmodee group’s Class B shares are publicly traded on Nasdaq Stockholm under the ticker ASMDEE B. Learn more about asmodee here.
Image Attachments
Asmodee At Spiel 2026
