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| Spiel (game fair) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Spiel |
| Native name | Internationale Spieltage SPIEL |
| Caption | Exhibition hall at Messe Essen |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Board games, tabletop games, role-playing games, card games, hobby gaming |
| Venue | Messe Essen |
| Location | Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Country | Germany |
| First | 1983 |
| Organizer | Friedhelm Merz Verlag |
| Attendance | 200,000+ (varies) |
Spiel (game fair) is an annual trade fair and public convention for tabletop games held at Messe Essen in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of the largest events in the board gaming calendar, attracting exhibitors, publishers, designers, retailers, and hobbyists from across Europe, North America, and Asia. The fair showcases board games, card games, role-playing games, miniatures, accessories, and related media, and it serves as a major marketplace for product launches, tournament play, and industry networking.
Spiel is organized by Friedhelm Merz Verlag and held each autumn at Messe Essen, featuring hundreds of exhibitors from companies such as Asmodee, Days of Wonder, Hans im Glück, Ravensburger, Kosmos, Z-Man Games, Mayfair Games, Fantasy Flight Games, Rio Grande Games, Pegasus Spiele, White Wolf Publishing, Wizards of the Coast, CMON Limited, Stonemaier Games, Portal Games, Ludonaute, GMT Games, Alderac Entertainment Group, Czech Games Edition, Lookout Games, Hobby Japan, Capstone Games, Rebel and numerous independent publishers. The event attracts attendees from cities including Berlin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Milan, Barcelona, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Vienna, Zurich, Brussels, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, Moscow, Toronto, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Sydney, Melbourne, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Mexico City, São Paulo, Cairo, and Istanbul.
Spiel was inaugurated in 1983 at Messe Essen during a period of growth for publishers like Parker Brothers, Milton Bradley Company, and Hasbro, and it evolved alongside landmark releases such as The Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, Puerto Rico, Agricola, Dominion, Terraforming Mars, Gloomhaven, Pandemic, and Blood Bowl. The fair's development paralleled the rise of designers including Klaus Teuber, Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Alan R. Moon, Stefan Feld, Uwe Rosenberg, Reiner Knizia, Friedemann Friese, Bruno Cathala, Eric M. Lang, Markus and Michaela Brand, Antoine Bauza, Antoine Bauza, Friedemann Friese and Richard Garfield whose works were frequently showcased. Over decades Spiel adapted to shifts in distribution exemplified by Kickstarter, Amazon, eBay, Gamefound, and conventions such as Gen Con, Origins Game Fair, PAX, Essen Spiel, UK Games Expo, and BoardGameGeek Con. Major industry milestones displayed at Spiel included expansions tied to Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Harry Potter, The Witcher, Warhammer 40,000, and licensed properties from Nintendo, Sega, and Blizzard Entertainment.
Messe Essen provides multiple halls and conference spaces, coordinated with local authorities like the City of Essen and transport hubs such as Essen Hauptbahnhof. Logistics involve exhibitors from freight partners including DHL, DB Schenker, and customs agencies for international shipments from European Union member states and non-EU countries such as United States, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Russia. Event planning includes collaboration with associations like Deutscher Spielepreis, Spiel des Jahres, International Spieltage, German Federal Association of the Game Industry and service providers such as Eventbrite, Ticketmaster, and local hospitality partners at venues near Essen Airport and the Ruhr area.
Exhibitors range from multinational corporations to boutique studios, including retailers such as CoolStuffInc, Philibert, Magic Shop, Cardhaus, Funagain Games, Zatu Games, Noble Knight Games, Madness Cards, Spiele-Offensive, and independent creators represented via groups like The Game Crafter and Print & Play. Attendees include journalists from Polygon, IGN, Dicebreaker, Kotaku, The Dice Tower, Shut Up & Sit Down, Tabletop, Meeple Mountain, BoardGameGeek, Spielbox, and content creators active on YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook. Professional participants include distributors, retailers, reviewers, influencers, translators, illustrators, and artists who have worked with studios such as Fantasy Flight Games, Ravensburger, Kosmos, Asmodee Digital, Monolith, CMON, HABA, Catalyst Game Labs, Renegade Game Studios, Indie Boards & Cards, Stronghold Games, Wisconsin Historical Society Press, and Osprey Publishing.
Spiel hosts tournaments, demo events, and panels, featuring organizations and awards including Spiel des Jahres, Kennerspiel des Jahres, Deutscher Spielepreis, Fairplay À la carte, International Gamers Awards, Origins Awards, Spielbox events, and community-run contests by groups such as BoardGameGeek and Dice Tower. Prominent tournament systems showcased have included formats from Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40,000, X-Wing Miniatures Game, Star Wars: X-Wing, Pokemon Trading Card Game, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and organized play linked to publishers like Wizards of the Coast and Paizo Publishing. Panels often feature designers and industry figures associated with Spiel des Jahres jury, BoardGameGeekcon, Game Designers Guild, International Game Developers Association and platforms such as Kickstarter and Gamefound.
Spiel functions as a trade hub influencing sales channels like retail chains and online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and specialty stores across European markets including Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Belgium, and Scandinavia. The fair impacts tourism in the Ruhr area and wider region, involving hotels affiliated with international brands like Hilton, Marriott International, Accor, InterContinental Hotels Group, and local chains, while cultural programs connect to museums and institutions including Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Deutsches Museum, Vitra Design Museum, Stedelijk Museum, British Museum, Musée du Louvre, Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Modern Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, and gaming clubs at universities such as University of Essen affiliates. Spiel has influenced game design trends, retail strategies, and global hobby communities, contributing to the mainstreaming of tabletop gaming alongside digital entertainment from companies like Blizzard Entertainment and Valve Corporation.
Critiques of Spiel have centered on overcrowding, ticketing, supply logistics, and the dominance of major publishers, prompting debates involving trade bodies and consumer advocates such as European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC), German Consumer Protection (Verbraucherzentrale)],] and industry commentators from BoardGameGeek, Dicebreaker, and Shut Up & Sit Down. Controversies have included disputes over exclusives and demo policies, intellectual property discussions referencing Wizards of the Coast and license holders like Hasbro, labor and access concerns paralleling conversations in events such as Comic-Con International, Gamescom, and E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), and impacts from global events including COVID-19 pandemic measures, travel restrictions, and supply chain disruptions involving companies like DHL and DB Schenker.
Category:Board game conventions