Edition 2025
Finished
Innovation
Digital
Video games
SPIEL Essen – International Game Days
Essen — Kreisfreie Stadt Essen (05113)
•
23 Oct 2025
— 26 Oct 2025
Edition
2025
2025
Edition 2025 — Finished
Edition 2025 — SPIEL Essen
SPIEL Essen 2025 once again gathered over 220,000 board game enthusiasts from more than 40 nations at Messe Essen. Thousands of new releases, the Deutscher Spielepreis, and the innoSPIEL Innovation Award marked the four days of the fair. Friedhelm Merz Verlag continued the tradition as the world's largest public exhibition for analog games and prepared for the 44th edition in 2026 from October 22 to 25.
The 43rd SPIEL Essen in October 2025 confirmed the fair's global standing: over 1,200 exhibitors from 50 nations, more than 220,000 visitors, a record number of new game releases, and an intensive program of try-outs, award ceremonies, cosplay, and author signings. SPIEL remains the must-attend event for the analog gaming world and is repositioning itself for 2026 — the 44th edition.