The 20 Most Anticipated Board Games of Gen Con 25

As the summer heat is at its peak, thousands of board game fans descend on Indianapolis for Gen Con, the biggest tabletop gaming convention in North America. Vendors scurry to produce their latest games in anticipation of the event. Each year, hundreds of new games are premiered. 

We have compiled some of the most anticipated games of Gen Con 2025. This article is divided into two parts: our editor’s picks and the top 10 most anticipated as voted on by the members of BoardGameGeek.com. Which of these new entries are you most excited to play? Let us know in the comments or on Bluesky.

Waddle

Control your colony of penguins and attempt to find the best fishing spot in this quick-to-learn game. Can you grab the most fish? From the publisher:

Strategically place your penguins to form groups and claim fish to score the most points! Turn order matters a lot; in Waddle, it’s tracked by marbles on a two-column track!

Slide on into booth 1849 to check out Waddle.

Vegas Strip

Ah, beautiful Las Vegas. Can you determine which casinos are corrupt? Find out in Vegas Strip. From the publisher: 

In this 2-6 player bluffing game, players have hidden information about which casinos are corrupt. Take turns playing betting tiles (three 2’s, two 4’s, one 5, one 6, one 7) into the different casinos. When scoring a corrupt casino, the highest bidder wins 10 points (and everyone else gets nothing). In a non-corrupt casino, whoever has the most points there LOSES, and everyone else gets points equal to their bid. Players can’t place more than two tokens at a casino, and can’t place their highest token at the casino they know is corrupt. These restrictions affect your ability to bluff, forcing you into difficult situations. 20 unique casino power cards change up the formula every game. Take a gamble to win big!

Roll your bones to booth 1849 to check out the game, or find it on Amazon.

Severton

Discover the secrets the city of Prague holds in this cooperative game set in the 1930’s. From the publisher:

Severton is an old-school co-operative game set in the world of Rychlé šípy — that is, The Rapid Arrows, a Czech comic book and novel series by Jaroslav Foglar set in 1930s Czechoslovakia that was inspired by the mysterious atmosphere of Old Prague.

In the game, players take the role of a group of friends who are trying to uncover the secrets of Severton – the old neighborhood somewhere in Prague that's ruled by ruthless groups of Vonts. Progress through various scenarios, each with different challenges lying ahead of you. Uncover the movements of Vont patrols and try to avoid them, sneak your way around them, talk yourself out of trouble, or simply use your fists to get the upper hand.

You can uncover Severton at booth 229.

Galileo Galilei

Become an astronomer and discover stars, galaxies and more in the age of Galileo. From the publisher: 

Galileo Galilei is a Euro-style game in which you take on the role of an astronomer who will discover new planets, find unknown star systems, develop their telescope, and make a scientific breakthrough in the difficult ages of obscurantism.

Use your telescope to select one of the five actions available, with you being able to evolve these actions into better ones. Collect cards of different planets and star systems. Collect lenses of the three main colors to make a discovery. Be wary of inquisitors as they might arrive unwelcomed and ruin your fame in no time. Better find a way to profit from their visit instead.

You won’t need a telescope to find Galileo Galilei at booth 3027.

Timelancers

You play as a freelance time traveler sent to revise the past in order to reshape the future. From the publisher:

Time travel exists in the 22nd century, and warring political factions hire freelance time travelers — a.k.a., timelancers — to change the past in order to reshape the future.

In Timelancers, you become one of these freelancers and travel through time to capture events for your faction. Collect the resources you'll need for your mission from locations in the city of the future, Janusburg, then use your time machine to revise or repeat historical events from different eras. Of course you're not the only one working to reshape the future. Other timelancers will affect your progress based on their actions. It's a race against other timelancers in order to be the first to accomplish your goals!

Timelancers is a time travel-themed, set-collection board game that utilizes worker movement and a modular game board. Players gather resources and travel back through time collecting real historical events in order to earn victory points.

Check out Timelancers at booth 132.

The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era

The trend of popular video games becoming board games continues with The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era. From the publisher: 

The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era is a cooperative tabletop adventure set during Tamriel's Second Era – specifically during the events of the Planemeld, as the Order of the Black Worm plots to secure the Amulet of Kings. As the dark cult schemes, however, one of its members is planning an even darker betrayal, one that will tie Tamriel in with Oblivion forever. Adventurers work to uncover her machinations and stop her plot amid a bevy of endlessly replayable content. As in The Elder Scrolls video games, players will travel on an epic journey, balancing exploration, character building, dungeon diving and close quarters combat.

Each adventure in the game takes place over the course of three gameplay sessions, with sessions being roughly two hours plus an additional half hour per player in length. Players customize and control a single hero throughout all three sessions of an adventure as they manage multiple skill lines, classes and experience the many regions of Tamriel, each with their own unique flavor and mechanics. Experience points are handed out generously, allowing players to build interesting and unique characters in the consolidated timespan required in a tabletop experience. Session to session progression is meaningful, but players are not required to remember complex narrative points or play with the same group forever.

No need for a horse, just stroll over to booth 2627 to check out The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era.

Necromancer

Play as a necromancer and raise the dead! Nothing can stop you from taking over the world. You know, except for your opponents. From the publisher: 

You are a sorcerer commanding dark legions. Fools try to thwart you at every turn! Those do-gooders, rivals, and busybodies interfere with your wicked plans, but someday they’ll see, oh yes . . .

Necromancer is a fast-paced card game of raising legions of undead. Overwhelm your enemies with an unstoppable army or sacrifice a circle of underlings to seize the Well of Eternal Life and declare victory.

Your only obstacle? The pitiable cretins who think themselves your equal! Other necromancers!

Saunter over to booth 1649 to check out Necromancer.

The Four Doors

The darkness has arrived,and you must send it back to where it belongs. Can you and your fellow players accomplish the task? From the publisher:

Join a band of daring adventurers on a quest to retrieve four sacred treasures hidden beyond the doors of a mystical light tower. Work together to explore the doors, unite the treasures, and ignite the beacon—before a swarm of sinister shadows engulfs the tower and the doors are sealed forever!

When the doors open to the exhibit hall, head to booth 2010 to check out The Four Doors.

Floral

Players plant flowers and create their gardens. Will it be better than your competitors? From the publisher:

Let your flowers grow and flourish. But keep in mind that nature is always changing along with your garden. Try to fulfill the most tasks by skillfully planting the cards in your garden. Do you have the greenest thumb?

You can find Floral at booth 2435 or on Amazon.

Star Wars: Battle of Hoth

Take on the role of either the imperial army or rebel forces and recreate the battle from The Empire Strikes Back. From the publisher: 

Star Wars: Battle of Hoth is a game of heroic and fast-paced battles of miniatures that's set on the ice planet Hoth and reenacts one of the most famous scenes of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Using the popular Command and Colors system, players take turns choosing command cards each turn to activate units and decide how to move and attack, across seventeen scenarios included in the box.

For a deeper gaming experience, players have the option to add leader cards to their battle for support from six iconic Star Wars characters, or they try the two multi-scenario campaigns in which successes and failures shape the next battles.

You can find Battle of Hoth at booth 809.

The Top 10

These are the top 10 most anticipated games as voted by members of the website BoardGameGeek.com. Excludes reissues and expansions.

10. Twinkle Twinkle

Do you spend your free time staring up at the stars? This game might be for you. From the publisher: 

In the tile-laying game Twinkle Twinkle, you'll fill your star chart with clear plastic tiles, trying to connect constellations, build belts of asteroids, collect comets, pick up planets, and study them with satellites. Take care with those pesky black holes - unless you have a perfect spot for them, of course.

Constellations, asteroids, comets, planets, and black holes all score differently! With 10 modular scoring conditions in the box, you can mix and match for 32 different setups. Whoever finds their highest score in the stars wins.

Gaze upon Twinkle Twinkle at booth 1849.

9. Ace of Spades

Draw partner! Can you avenge those taken from you by playing cards? You can in Ace of Spades. From the manufacturer: 

Your path of vengeance has led you to Sweet Haven, Arizona. You know that the necromancer who has ruined your life has taken over the cemetery as his base of operations and you are going to finish him off at all costs. You face Lord Overkill, a supernatural being, but your prowess as a gambler goes beyond sleight of hand.

Channel your magic through poker plays to take out Lord Overkill's minions one by one and descend into Hell itself to duel the monster who ruined your life.

Ace of Spades is a single-player game, or a two-player game if you prefer to play it in co-op mode, that uses poker mechanics to resolve dangerous duels against the worst spawns from Hell.

You can mosey on into booth 2811 to check out Ace of Spades.

8. Galactic Cruise

The first game to make the top 10 in back-to-back years. From the publisher:

Hello, and welcome to Galactic Cruise. Here, we offer our guests something special: the comfort of a luxury cruise with the innovation of space travel. As the first company to offer extended-stay space vacations, we are excited to have you working for us! As a supervisor of this company, you’ll be expected to not only build these shuttles and satisfy our guests, but also to help the company thrive by enhancing our company network, inventing new technologies, and growing our workforce. We are a united company, and you’ll often find that what another supervisor does will make your job easier. Let me be clear, though, this is a competition. The supervisor who comes out on top will become CEO of the company.

Galactic Cruise can be found at booth 2858 or on Amazon.

7. Hercules and the 12 Labors

Another rare single-player game to crack the top 10. Can you complete the 12 Labors and claim immortality? From the publisher:

Hercules and the 12 Labors is an immersive solo card and dice game where players embody the legendary hero Hercules, striving to complete the 12 Labors and ascend to godhood.

Engage in epic battles as you roll and allocate dice to unleash powerful abilities against fearsome foes, including the multi-headed Lernean Hydra, the flesh-eating Stymphalian Birds, and the formidable three-headed Cerberus. Each triumph earns you mighty rewards like the Impenetrable Hide or Athena’s Instrument, granting the strength needed to face the ever greater trials ahead.

Your journey will take you to the ends of the earth, from stealing the Golden Apples of the Hesperides to claiming the belt of Hippolyta from the Queen of the Amazons. Along the way, mood cards reveal the memories and emotions that haunt your past, testing your resilience or rewarding your fortitude.

Only by defeating each Labor and accumulating divinity can you unlock the gates of Olympus, securing your place among the gods and etching your name into legend! Are you ready to face the ultimate challenge and forge your destiny?

Hercules and the 12 Labors can be found at booth 2659.

6. Luthier

An intriguing worker placement game about crafting musical instruments. From the publisher:

Luthier transports players to the height of classical music in Western Europe, when the art of the instrument was upheld equally by skilled craftspeople, noble patrons, virtuoso performers, and famous composers such as Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven.

Using a new, unique combination of hidden bidding and worker placement, players manage resources to craft various musical instruments in their workshop, while also courting actual historic patrons through an ever-changing personal tableau of actions and bonuses. Each player chooses how to balance improving skills across multiple tracks, unlocking specialized worker abilities and other bonuses. The choice to concentrate on varying gameplay strategies and goals, such as musical performances, instrument building and repairs, apprentice training and workshop expansion, and overall reputation as an instrument maker, provide multiple paths to victory.

Luthier finds true harmony through an authentic and original marriage of theme and mechanisms, resulting in a rich gameplay experience that equally speaks to both the strategic gamer and the classical music lover.

You can find Luthier in booth 2250.

5. Soda Jerk

A game about making delicious beverages while being a jerk to your competitors. From the publisher: 

Soda Jerk is set amidst the bustling vibrant American soda fountain era of the 1950s. Each player embodies the spirit of a soda-slinging hero, poised to mix, shake, and serve their way to glory. Armed with personalized decks of cards, Soda Jerks scramble to match symbols and gather the precise ingredients needed to craft the perfect drink, all while racing against their opponents to serve waiting customers promptly.

As the clock ticks down and closing time looms after two rounds, victory awaits the player who has amassed the most coin—a taste sweeter than the finest pop in town!

Get a taste of Soda Jerk at booth 1849.

4. Gwent

If you ever wanted to play Gwent, the card game made famous by The Witcher 3 video game with your friends, here is your chance. From the publisher:

Experience The Witcher universe in an entirely new way with Gwent: The Legendary Card Game. Inspired by the iconic mini-game from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, this official physical edition brings the strategic, faction-based card game to your tabletop.

In Gwent, two players build decks from factions such as the Northern Realms, Scoia'tael, Monsters, Skellige, and Nilfgaard, each with its own unique set of cards and abilities.

The goal of the game is to win two out of three rounds. The battlefield features multiple rows to which players will deploy their units and special ability cards to battle it out. Players must skillfully bluff, manage their resources, and read their opponent's moves in order to wisely choose when to push aggressively to win a round — and when to hold back and play for the long game.

You can find Gwent at booth 2435.

3. Vantage

Open world is a term that usually pertains to video games, but the creators of Vantage aim to change that. From the publisher:

Vantage is an open-world, co-operative adventure game that features an entire planet to explore, with players communicating while scattered across the world. With nearly eight hundred interconnected locations on four hundred cards and over nine hundred other discoverable cards, the world is your sandbox.

You begin each game of Vantage on an intergalactic vessel heading towards an uncharted planet. After crashing far from your companions, you have complete freedom as to how you explore, discover, and interact with the planet. You view your location from a first-person perspective, and you can communicate with and support other players, but you are separated by vast distances, so only you can see your current location. You have complete freedom in how you explore, discover, and interact with the planet.

In addition to a mission victory, a destiny victory, or an epic victory (completing both the mission and a destiny), you may define success in Vantage through anything you pursue and achieve.

Vantage is not a campaign game. Each game is a standalone experience; you bring to future sessions only what you’ve learned about the world. It is completely self-contained with no expansions — just a few accessories like metal coins.

Make your way through the open world of the exhibit hall to booth 2909 to check out Vantage.

2. Ruins

Uncover ancient ruins and discover treasure using a combination of cards. From the publisher:

Craft unique, transparent cards in this shedding game where you uncover ancient ruins and find treasure.

On your turn, upgrade a card and play it. Upgrades can stack into wild, game-altering combinations (like a card that equals four 11’s!). You get to claim two cards the entire game – how will you construct the perfect combo?

Race to play your last card and score!

Discover Ruins at booth 1849.

1. Nature

A game about adapting your species to a changing environment, Nature is a modular game with a variety of ecosystems. From the publisher:

Nature is the next-generation strategy game built upon the award-winning blockbuster Evolution. It’s redesigned to be more streamlined, more forgiving, and ultimately deeper, with seamless expandability at its core. The secret sauce is a modular system that allows players to create and explore a unique ecosystem each time they play.

Your goal is to grow thriving populations in a dynamic ecosystem where food is scarce and predators lurk. Evolve traits like Tusks for foraging, Fast for escaping danger, or Claws for hunting.

The core game of Nature is an accessible gateway into a world of dynamic ecosystems. Add the Jurassic module for colossal dinosaurs, or the Arctic Tundra module to experience life on the edge of the habitable world. The 5 modules and 2 mini-modules that currently exist can be combined to create 96 different ecosystems.

Roam on over to booth 2713 to check out Nature.

Which game are you most excited to play? Let us know in the comments or on Bluesky.