Nominations for the Spiel des Jahres, the most important annual board game award, were announced along with the nominees for the Kennerspiel des Jahres and Kinderspiel des Jahres awards. The Spiel des Jahres and Kennerspiel des Jahres award winners will be announced on July 16, 2020; the Kinderspiel des Jahres award winner will be announced on June 20, 2022.

The Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) nominees are:

The judges also released a list of recommended games:

  • 7 Wonders: Architects by Antoine Bauza  (Repos Production)
  • Echoes: The Dancer by Dave Neale and Matthew Dunstan  (Ravensburger)
  • Magic Rabbit by Julie Dutois, Romaric Galonnier, Ludovic Simonet and Cécile Ziégler (Funbot)
  • My Gold Mine by Michael Loth, Christof Schilling and Hans Joachim Höh (Kosmos)
  • So Clover by François Romain (Repos Production)
  • Trek 12: Himalaya by Bruno Cathala and Corentin Lebrat (Lumberjacks Studio)

The nominations for Kennerspiel des Jahres are:

  • Cryptid by Hal Duncan and Ruth Veevers; published by Osprey Games
  • Dune: Imperium by Paul Dennen, published by Dire Wolf
  • Living Forest by Aske Christiansen, published by Pegasus Spiele

The recommended games in this category are:

  • Ark Nova by Mathias Wigge (Feuerland)
  • Khôra by Head Quarter Simulation Game Club (Iello)
  • Witchstone by Martino Chiacchiera and Reiner Knizia (R&R / Huch)

The nominations for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2022 are:

  • Also Clever by Wolfgang Warsch; published by Schmidt
  • With Quacks & Co. to Quedlinburg by Wolfgang Warsch; published by Schmidt
  • Zauberberg by Jens-Peter Schliemann and Bernhard Weber; published by Amigo

Recommended games in this category are:

  • The Villa of the Vampires by Guido Hoffmann and Jens-Peter Schliemann (Three Magicians)
  • Fröschis by Haim Shafir  (Amigo)
  • Golden Egg by Oliver Igelhaut (Igel Minis)
  • Honey by Anna Oppolzer and Stefan Kloss (Pegasus Spiel)