The other trade fair preview: Spiel 2024 meets climate change, inclusion and crisis teams
Diversity instead of dungeons, destinies instead of victory points and climate instead of Kramerleisten: games are more than just a trivial pastime. This is also reflected at Spiel 2024. A slightly different trade fair preview.
In our trade fair preview, we look at games and events surrounding the energy transition, diversity, politics and education. We make no claim to completeness. If you want to prepare for the trade fair in more detail, we recommend the official trade fair page, the previews on BoardGameGeek and from Brettspielbox. A social media wall for #Spiel24 can be found on zuspieler.de.
Games meet climate change and energy transition
Spiel.talks – Sustainability: The Kennerspiel 2024 is e-Mission. “The author duo succeeds in packaging the highly explosive, current topic of the climate crisis in such a way that it comes across without a wagging finger,” the jury explains its choice. Matt Leacock (author) and Alex Hague (publisher) will explain at Spiel how e-Mission came about. The talk is one of many in the Spiel.talks – Sustainability series.
Earth 2053 – Tipping Point: We work together to prevent a global climate disaster. Scoring takes place on a board that tips back and forth. Which way it tips depends on whether prevention or pollution tokens are placed on which side. If the prevention side is filled, the player who contributed the most to saving the world wins in Earth 2053: Tipping Point. If the board tips towards pollution, everyone loses. A prototype will be shown at the trade fair.
Game by Fabian Fischer and Dario Reinhardt, Crimson Company, Hall 4, Stand C511
1 to 4 players, 45 to 75 minutes
Klimaxo: What’s better for the climate: eating vegetarian or cycling to school? These and other questions are at the heart of Klimaxo. We control the Earth’s temperature and should get a feel for how much CO2 our lifestyle produces. The game was funded via Startnext with €14,581.
Game by Volker Kast, Juls Criveller and Martin Merten, Spieleshop Volker Kast, Hall 5, Stand F120
2 to 6 players from 10 years
Catan Energien: In Catan Energien we build power plants to meet the island’s energy needs. If we rely on cheap fossil fuels, pollution increases. Too much of it ends the game prematurely. This standalone Catan game is based on the scenario Die Ölquellen and is the last game Klaus Teuber worked on. The Catan inventor died in spring 2023.
Game by Klaus and Benjamin Teuber, Kosmos, Hall 6, Stands B400, B401 and C300
3 to 4 players from 12 years, 90 minutes
Games meet diversity, inclusion and accessibility
Accessibility: The Spiel grounds are accessible for people with mobility impairments. More information is available on the trade fair’s Accessibility page. At Skellig Games (Hall 3, Stand C311), you’ll find explainers who will present games in German sign language. The Spieletreff FritZel’s Spielerei (Hall 5, Stand B121) has existed since 2011. Last year, it hosted a workshop with people with multiple disabilities and, in cooperation with Kagu Spiele, developed a game with them: the inclusive crime dinner Der gestohlene Geißbock.
Dixit and Dobble Access+: The Asmodee studio Access+ was founded in 2022 with the aim of enabling equal and inclusive access to board games. At the trade fair, the studio is presenting Dixit Universe Access+ and Dobble Access+. Thanks to different difficulty levels, simplified rules and adapted game materials, everyone should be able to join in.
Access+, Hall 6, Stand B200
Dixit: A game by Jean-Louis Roubira // 1 to 4 players from 8 years, 20 minutes
Dobble: A game by Denis Blanchot, Jacques Cottereau, Guillaume Gille-Naves, Igor Polouchine // 1 to 4 players from 6 years, 10 minutes
Stairz: In Hall 4, Fondation Alfaset will be presenting at Stand A611. The non-profit organisation supports people with disabilities in their daily lives. At the trade fair, it has Stairz with it. In the game, we want to reach the top of a certain tower with our figures.
In the Footsteps of Marie Curie: For several years now, many publishers have been working to make games more inclusive and diverse. It’s no longer just men staring out from the game boxes, but women too. Yet they rarely take a leading role. The family game In the Footsteps of Marie Curie is different. We step into Marie Curie’s laboratory and help the famous scientist win her Nobel Prizes.
A game by Florian Fay, Sorry We Are French, Hall 6, Stand F300
2 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, 20 to 30 minutes
Mach den Mund auf gegen Queerfeindlichkeit: The Spielköpfe are committed to inclusion and equality. In 2020, they published their game cards against sexism, racism and stigmatisation. Now they’ve brought the card game Mach den Mund auf gegen Queerfeindlichkeit with them. The aim is to fight queer-hostile trolls and support the queer community. We’re supposed to cleverly counter trolls’ statements, learn new things about the queer community or reflect on our own privileges. A similar game is due to hit the market soon, Mach den Mund auf gegen rechte Hetze.
Spielköpfe, Hall 5, Stand F120
2 to 5 players, ages 12 and up
Games meet wars, conflicts and diplomacy
Ukrainian and Russian exhibitors: At SPIEL Essen, over 850 exhibitors from more than fifty countries are presenting their games. Among them are publishers from countries currently at war. From Ukraine, for example, there’s Bright Yacht (Hall 4, Stand C100) and Iren Fox Stemapunk (Hall 4, Stand G510). Hobby World is also there (Hall 4, Stand D211). The company group is from Russia but is represented at SPIEL Essen by Hobby World International from Cyprus.
Purple Haze: Of course, there are again games about wars and conflicts at the fair. Human suffering rarely plays a role in them. But there are games that show it can be done differently. In Purple Haze, as US Marines, we try to survive the Vietnam War after a plane crash. In eight interconnected missions, we lead our soldiers through the jungle, rice fields and villages. Time and again, we have to make decisions that influence the course of the game – and can lead to the death of our comrades.
A game by Bernard Grzybowski, Phalanx, Hall 3, Stand J512
1 to 4 players, ages 18 and up, 60 to 120 minutes
Legion – The Siberian Story: In Legion: The Siberian Story, we also accompany soldiers on their way home. After the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the Czechoslovak Legions were stranded in the Russian Civil War. To reach their homeland, they had to travel through Siberia to the Pacific coast. In Legion, we try to capture small stories of this odyssey.
A game by David František Wagner, Albi, Hall 2, Stand B631
2 to 4 players, ages 12 and up, 60 to 90 minutes
World Order: In 2023, Hegemonic Project Games released Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory, which simulated a nation including its politics and economy. Now the sequel, World Order, is appearing. The game simulates international relations: we guide the fates of the USA, China, Russia or the European Union. We use diplomatic power, economic strength and our military to expand our influence. The game is to be funded via Kickstarter. At SPIEL Essen, you can take a look at a prototype.
A game by Vangelis Bagiartakis, Varnavas Timotheou, Hegemonic Project Games, Hall 3, Stand S411
2 to 4 players, ages 14 and up, 90 to 120 minutes
Games meet crisis management, education and politics
Neustart 2 – Die Blackout Simulation: What happens when the power goes out? That’s the question in Neustart 2. As a municipal crisis management team, we work together with the public to tackle problems and surprises as best we can. The first version of the game was released in 2022; now there’s a revised edition, again as a basic version and as a Pro variant with a practical handbook for training and an expert forum.
A game by Till Meyer, Herbert Saurugg and Nicole Zeller, Spieltrieb, Hall 5, Stand B125
2 to 8 players, ages 12 and up, 90 to 180 minutes
Black Stories: Serienkiller: The PR text packs a punch: “Are you ready for this ultimate true-crime puzzle collection of horror? Terrifying, unbelievably cruel and pushing the limits: In Black Stories Serienkiller, you’ll find fifty murderous real-life criminal cases that will make your blood run cold. And the most hair-raising thing about it: Everything happened exactly like this, down to the last limb.” There’s nothing on the box about the suffering of the victims and their relatives.
A game by Kaddy Arendt, Nicola Berger, Moses Verlag, Hall 5, Stand A220
2 to 99 people aged 16 and up, 15 minutes
Friedrich Ebert – Der Weg zur Demokratie: The game Friedrich Ebert was first a digital serious game, then became an analogue card game. Together, we fight for democracy in the German Reich from Ebert’s desk. The digital game won the 2024 Deutscher Computerspielpreis in the ‘Best Serious Game’ category.
A game by Martin Thiele-Schwez; Jonas André, Ostia Spiele, Playing History, Hall 3, Stand J210
1 to 4 people aged 12 and up, 45 minutes
Educational institutions: In 2023, the educational pen-and-paper role-playing game Abenteuer im Märchenwald was already released. It was developed for use in schools and during therapy. Publisher eduTale is presenting it in Hall 2, Stand D430. The publisher shares the stand with Universität Bonn. They will showcase their research, game ideas and developments. In Hall 4, Stand D433, you’ll find the Institute of Digital Games of the University of Malta.
The Educators Day takes place on Saturday, 5 October. The programme includes talks, discussions and hands-on workshops showing how games can drive change in education and society.
Books, magazines and media: Just in time for the fair, the first issue of the magazine Schule und Spiel is being released. It’s a publication featuring experience reports, game recommendations and ideas from teachers for teachers and anyone interested. The driving forces behind the project are Michael Blumöhr and Uwe Rosenberg. You can get the magazine for 5 euros at Gerhards (Hall 3, Stand C100), at Amigo (Hall 6, Stand E102), at Edition Spielwiese (Hall 6, Stand A300) and at the Educators Day.
The spielbox (Hall 6, Stand D100), Fairplay (Hall 3, Stand K111) and Spielerei (Hall 3, Stand B110) are old acquaintances at the fair. A new release is the English-language book “Boardgames that tell Stories 3”. It is by Ignacy Trzewiczek and available from Portal Games (Hall 3, Stand K113). Not available at the fair but deliverable in time for SPIEL Essen is the Handbuch Brettspiele. You can find Boardgamegeek in Hall 5, Stand F111, and Dice Tower in Hall 3, Stand U210. On Saturday, 5 October, you can meet media creators at Meet & Play. There are more and more of them. Over 200 blogs, YouTube channels and podcasts are listed on zuspieler.de.
The Unconscious: In the early 1900s, Sigmund Freud founded psychoanalysis and began to study the unconscious. Followers of his work discussed psychology and dream symbolism every Wednesday. In The Unconscious we take part in these meetings.
A game by Laskas, Jonny Pac, Yoma, Antonio Zax, Frosted Games, Hall 3, Stand B200
1 to 4 players aged 12 and up, 60 to 120 minutes
Medical Mysteries: In these games, we must save our patients from death as doctors. To solve the mysterious emergencies, we examine symptoms together and review medical histories. Only then can we make the correct diagnosis at the end. There are two variants: Medical Mysteries – New York Emergency Room and Medical Mysteries – Miami Flatline.
Games by Nicholas Cravotta, Rebecca Bleau and team ‘Identity Games’, Kosmos, Hall 6, stands B400, B401 and C300
1 to 4 players, ages 16+, 4×60 minutes
AI 100% Human: One topic the industry has to address is artificial intelligence. It’s being used more and more in game development and illustration. So it’s no surprise that there are now games that tackle the subject. In AI 100% Human, we have to choose and develop an artificial intelligence (AI).
A game by Pierrick Libralesso, Renaud Libralesso, Explor8, Hall 4, stand C431
1 to 6 players, ages 14+, 30 to 45 minutes
Finsterwacht: On Thursday, 3 October, the Spiel.talks – Finsterwacht will focus on the Finsterwacht project. This is a collaboration between musicians, book authors and a games editor. Together, they’ve created a cross-genre project where the different art forms fit together perfectly and support each other.
Do you know any other games with unusual themes being presented at the fair? We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments.