All "Deutscher Spielepreis🇩🇪 2022" game award winners & nominees in comparison 2026

We have clearly compared and listed all winners and nominees of the audience award "Deutscher Spielepreis🇩🇪 2022".

  • Winner "Deutscher Spielepreis 2022": Ark Nova
  • Winner "Deutscher Kinderspielpreis 2022": Quacks & Co.

Audience Award instead of Critics Award

In contrast to the Spiel des Jahres, the "Deutscher Spielepreis🇩🇪" is not awarded by critics but by a professional audience (individual players, retailers, game circles, journalists). It is also called the "player" award – by players for players.

All games between "Essen" & "Nürnberg" are nominated

All games published between the SPIEL in Essen of the previous year and the Nuremberg Toy Fair of the same year are included in the nomination list for the "Deutscher Spielepreis" (german for "German Game Award").

Anyone can participate

In addition to trade magazines and retailers, everyone (since 2001) may vote online. All participants choose what they think are the 5 best games of the vintage – first place gets 5 points, second 4, third 3, fourth 2 and fifth 1 point. Each participant is weighted exactly the same and their points are added up.

List of the 10 best games of the year

Finally, the 10 games with the highest total score are published. The game with the highest score is then the winner of the "German Game Award".

Since 1992 also "Deutscher Kinderspielpreis" (German Children's Game Award)

In addition to the 5 best games, each participant may also select a children's game. The one with the most votes then becomes the winner of the "Deutscher Kinderspielpreis" for the respective year.

All other "Deutscher Spielepreis" years

The German Game Prize is awarded since 1990, we have listed for you both across all years, all Children's Game Prize winners and separated by year you can find at the bottom of the page.

More info can be found on the official website of the "German Games Award".

List with all Deutscher Spielepreis🇩🇪 2022 winners and nominees:

This list was last updated on June 27, 2026. There's also a print version for this list .
  1. SCOUT

    SCOUT

    SCOUT is an innovative card game that blends elements of hand management and ladder-climbing mechanics. The unique twist in this game is the dual-indexed cards and the restriction on rearranging your hand, creating a challenging and strategic gameplay experience.

    All details & rating
    2–5 20 min 9+ Immediately playable
  2. Cascadia

    Cascadia

    Cascadia is a tile-laying and token-drafting board game that features the rich habitats and diverse wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. It combines strategic tile placement with wildlife conservation themes.

    All details & rating
    1–4 30–45 min 10+ Easy to learn
  3. Quacks & Co.

    Quacks & Co.

    It's race day in Quedlinburg, and with the right mix of food and luck, you ride your mount to victory and win the golden cauldron. Players build their own bag of tiles throughout the game, drawing them to advance on the race track. They will collect resources, gain bonuses, and strategize until someone crosses the finish line first.

    All details & rating
    2–4 25 min 6+ Immediately playable
  4. Dune: Imperium

    Dune: Imperium

    Dune: Imperium is a strategic deck-building game inspired by the iconic Dune universe, incorporating elements from both the recent film adaptation and the classic novels. Players lead one of the Great Houses in the interstellar political landscape of the Landsraad.

    All details & rating
    1–4 60–120 min 14+ Medium complexity
    1 € below the next retailer
    37 € at Amazon*
  5. Ark Nova

    Ark Nova

    Ark Nova is a strategic board game where players take on the role of zoo planners, aiming to build and manage the most successful modern zoo.

    All details & rating
    1–4 90–150 min 14+ For connoisseurs
    + 7 € above the best price
    47 € at Amazon*
  6. Living Forest

    Living Forest

    Living Forest is a captivating board game where players become nature spirits, striving to protect a sacred forest and its tree from the destructive flames of Onibi. With the help of animal guardians, players work to save the forest through a combination of strategy, luck, and cooperation.

    All details & rating
    1–4 40 min 10+ Easy to learn
  7. The Red Cathedral

    The Red Cathedral

    The Red Cathedral is a strategic Euro-style board game set in Moscow during the construction of St. Basil's Cathedral. Players assume the roles of construction teams competing to gain the favor of Tsar Ivan the Terrible by contributing to the cathedral's construction.

    All details & rating
    1–4 80 min 10+ Medium complexity
  8. Beyond the Sun

    Beyond the Sun

    Beyond the Sun is a strategic board game that places players at the forefront of humanity's technological advancement into the Spacefaring Era. Here, players shape the progress of human civilization in space while competing to become the dominant faction through scientific development, economic growth, and galactic influence.

    All details & rating
    2–4 60–120 min 14+ Medium complexity
  9. Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition

    Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition

    Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition is an engaging engine-building game where players take on the roles of corporations with the ambitious goal of terraforming Mars. The game combines strategic resource management and project development to make the red planet habitable.

    All details & rating
    1–4 45–60 min 14+ Medium complexity
  10. Witchstone

    Witchstone

    Witchstone offers a rich blend of strategic depth and thematic magic as players step into the roles of powerful wizards gathering around the mystical Witchstone. This board game combines elements of area control, tile placement, and action optimization, creating a complex and engaging gameplay experience.

    All details & rating
    2–4 60–90 min 12+ Medium complexity
  11. Golem

    Golem

    Golem is a captivating engine-building board game designed by the renowned team of Simone Luciani, Virginio Gigli, and Flaminia Brasini. This game immerses players in the mystical world of the 16th-century legend of the Golem of Prague, where players assume the roles of rabbis engineering these formidable clay creatures to protect their people. The game stands out for its thematic depth, blending historical lore with strategic gameplay.

    All details & rating
    1–4 90–120 min 14+ For connoisseurs

Frequently asked questions

Which game ranks first on this list?

SCOUT currently tops our list. The ranking is derived from player community ratings and is recalculated continuously.

How many players do the games on this list support?

Most games on this list support 1 to 4 players. The exact player count is listed with each game.

What age are these games suitable for?

Publisher age recommendations on this list start at 6 years. Each game carries its own age rating.

How long does a game take?

A typical game takes about 60 to 80 minutes. Each game's playing time is listed individually.

Didn't find the game you were looking for?

We're positive that you'll find it in one of our other lists! To make the search easier for you, we split our website into different categories. The following board game categories will help you find the right list: