Spiel des Jahres

The Critics' Prize Game of the Year is an e by the Association Game of the Year 1979 award V. Games Price for German -speaking board and card game releases. He is regarded as the world's most important award games. The Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne are with their millions of copies as the two most popular games that have received this award. Since 2001, the children's game of the year is excellent. Since 2011, the jury will award a third prize Kenner game of the year, " is aimed at players who already have experience with board games for a long time and are looking for more challenge."

3.1 Critics Award Game of the Year 3.1.1 winners

3.2.1 winners including nominees

Jury

The prize is awarded by the Game of the Year eV, whose members are working as a games critic for German -speaking public media. About the game of the year is decided by a moment ten -member jury composed of members of the association. Are new members of the jury decides the General Assembly. Chairman of the Association since 2011, the Swiss newspaper journalist Tom Felber (Neue Zürcher Zeitung ), spokesperson for the panel since 2009, the Bavarian Radio editor Bernhard Löhlein (Radio K1).

The history of the game of the year goes back to 1978, when the WDR journalist Jürgen heart took the initiative for the foundation of the association. The first award was presented in 1979 with financial support from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs under the auspices of the Minister Antje Huber in Essen.

In a crisis, the club came in 2001, when three members of the jury resigned because they saw the close cooperation between the jury and the jury headed by a member of the German Games Archive problematic. They feared that the work of the archive is necessarily reliant on the jury erwirtschafte six digit annual royalties. In addition, there were substantive differences: The three members were with the course of the jury majority to call the game publishers to look for a "new kind of close to the public " and to develop games with simple rules and easy step-in, do not agree. In addition, the beaten jurors expressed the suspicion that the most senior judges lack the expertise to evaluate the latest innovations knowledgeable. In subsequent years, the jury has undergone a renewal, which - after the sudden resignation of the then chairman Uwe Petersen - in the election of Stefan Ducksch culminated to the jury spokesperson in 2006.

The jury's decisions have a big impact on the games market. The reputation of the game of the year award causes can be from the award-winning game within a year usually sell more than 300,000 copies. This means at least a tenfold increase in the original edition of the game, respectively. The excellent games wearing a red pawn (which is also referred to as Chinese checkers cone), introduced in 2001 Children's price a blue pawn. To use this logo the game of the year V. charges a license fee based on the number of games sold. The members of the Game of the Year eV are volunteers. The club revenue benefit primarily of public relations for the game in general and for the excellent games in particular. These include trade show booths, where visitors are companies independent advice, an annual scholarship game designer, the initiative will be healthy by playing at children's hospitals and the City Games Day. Also, the German Games Archive eV benefited for many years from the royalties.

Election procedures

Until 1998, the jury found, first on a leaderboard that included between five and twelve titles. From these games, then a game is selected as game of the year, the other nominated games were awarded a place on the shortlist game of the year. A list with up to 13 games was created as the first between 1999 and 2003. Three of these titles have been nominated for Game of the Year, one of them finally voted the winner. Since 2004 there is no selection list. Instead, there is - both in the game of the year as well as the awarded since 2001 Children Game of the Year - a list of nominations with five titles. Since 2011, there are three games nominated for Game of the Year, Children's Game of the Year and the newly introduced connoisseur game of the year. In addition, since 2004, a recommendation list is published.

Prizes will be awarded games of the current year, that is usually titles, published between middle of last year and March of the current year. Reference for the assessment of a game are game idea, game rules and the layout and functionality of the game and game material. In addition to the main prizes, the jury may award special prizes.

Members of the jury (selection)

Again and again, well-known authors and journalists were members of the jury, so among other things:

Stefan Ducksch 2003-2010
Dieter Hasselblatt 1979-1988
Jürgen Heart 1979-1988

Synes Ernst 1982-2007
Tom Felber 2000-2008 and since 2010
Michael Knopf 1997-2001

Gilbert Obermair 1979-1980
Bernward Thole 1979-2004
Tom Werneck 1979-1983 and 1987-2009

Award winners

For the published between 1979 to 2003 selection list, see Game of the Year - shortlist for the recommendation list published since 2004, see Game of the Year - recommendation list.

Critics' Prize Game of the Year

Award winners

From 1999, including the nominees

Kenner Game of the Year

Since 2011, the price is " connoisseur Game of the Year" and published to a nomination list. While the previous price deals traditionally with family games, here a prize has been created that is similar to the German game prize is aimed at more complex games for experienced players.

Prize winners including the nominees

Children's Game of the Year

Since 2001, the game of the year awards eV child's play of the year. Three club members and a three-member advisory board decide on the respective winners. The price is the successor of the awarded between 1989 and 2000 Best children's game.

The nominated and winning games since 2001 are listed in the main article, for the 2002 to 2003 created selection list, see Children's Game of the Year - shortlist for the recommendation list, published annually since 2004, see children's game of the year - recommendation list.

Special prices

Special Price Beautiful Game

Special price Best solitaire game

Special price Cooperative Family Game

Best children's game

Since 2001, an independent children's game of the year will be awarded instead of the special prize breeze.

Special Price Puzzle

Special Price skill game

Special price history in the game

2001: Troy ( Thomas Fackler / time stone games)

Special Prize Literature in the game

2001: The Lord of the Rings ( Reiner Knizia / cosmos )

Special Price Fantastic game

2006: Shadows over Camelot ( Serge Laget / Bruno Cathala / Days of Wonder )

Special price complex game

2006: Caylus ( William Attia / Ystari / Huch & Friends )
2008: Agricola (Uwe Rosenberg / Lookout Games )

Discount Party game

2009: Poison Trap ( Nick Kellet / Heidelberg games publisher)

Special Price New game worlds

2009: Space Alert ( Vlaada Chvátil / Czech Games Edition )

Special price game of the year plus

2010: World Without End (Michael Rieneck / Stefan Stadler / cosmos )

Other games prices in the German speaking

In addition to the game of the year there is the German game prize, which is based on a broad expert and specialist audience vote, and the Game of the Year award for titles that are available on the Austrian market. In Switzerland, between 2002 and 2007 the Swiss game prize, awarded by the local toy libraries and since 2010 the Swiss Gamers Award. For the first time in 2009 the graphics price Graf Ludo was awarded, which honors outstanding achievements in design for board games and card games.