SPIEL Essen: world's largest board game fair expects record visitor numbers once again

• Third extension in a row: Hall 7 is used for the first time
• Premiere for a stage area with comprehensive supporting programme

This year, more than 200,000 visitors are expected at the world's leading trade fair for board games. Around 890 exhibitors from 51 countries will present their new and classic products at SPIEL Essen. With Hall 7 being used for the first time, the exhibition space has grown to an impressive 77,500 m². This sets a new record for the third time in a row. From 23 to 26 October, the international board game community will gather in Essen, in the heart of the Ruhr region.

Helpful hall arrangement 

“The world's largest B2C trade fair in the board game sector has outgrown the existing halls in recent years. That's why we've added Hall 7 to our exhibition space this year,” explains Florian Hess, Managing Director of SPIEL. The trade fair's established hall arrangement is thus being expanded. The exhibitors are divided thematically across seven exhibition halls and the Galeria. Smooth transitions between the areas allow visitors to discover a wide range of focal points. The current layout of the halls and exhibitors can be viewed online in the interactive hall plans. SPIEL experienced record visitor numbers last year, when for the first time all tickets for were sold out. Merz Verlag is again expecting a large crowd of visitors during this trade fair – more than half of the tickets have already been sold.

New stage area with exciting supporting programme

Visitors to SPIEL can look forward to another new feature in Hall 4: a generously designed stage area. “Our varied supporting programme – consisting of panels, lectures, discussion forums and live shows – enriches the trade fair experience,” says Carol Rapp, Managing Director of SPIEL. Of particular note is Educators Day on Friday, which offers exciting insights from German and international speakers into current research on games and teaching. The programme is complemented by the popular Cosplay Show and a live stage show by the American Youtube channel The Dice Tower. Exciting activities are on offer away from the stage, too. For the second time, Games Workshop's renowned Golden Demon painting competition will be held during the fair, attracting numerous fans of the miniature scene. Another highlight is the world record attempt ‘CATAN – Connect’: Kosmos is hosting the world's largest CATAN game in the Grugahalle and inviting 1,200 players to set a new record together – with commentary by Smudo, member of the German band Die Fantastischen Vier. The diverse program is rounded off by the appointment once again of a games ambassador. In 2025, Mháire Stritter, presenter of Orkenspalter TV, cosplayer and role-player, will take on this role and, as the face of the fair, will guide the community through the event. 

Service for visitors

This year, Merz Verlag is focusing solely on day tickets, providing regular updates on the current status. Tickets are sold exclusively online via the shop; there is no longer a box office on site. The free SPIEL Essen app is a helpful companion during the trade fair. In addition to interactive hall plans and information on new products, it offers the option of marking and sorting Favourites for the first time. The app will be available for download in all app stores from 4 September. The board game fair is open from Thursday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm and on Sunday until 6 pm.