Source: Korea Boardgames

Korea Boardgames will host the outdoor board game festival 'Paju Spiel 2026' on May 9 and 10 at the Gyeonggi Future Education Paju Campus in Gyeonggi-do.

Now in its fourth year, the event will be the largest to date, featuring the premiere of over 10 new board games and the expansion of retail operations to two separate locations. The festival offers a diverse program for both families and experienced gamers, including free board game giveaways for middle school students and younger, the 'B-Camp' professional training program, and a speed cubing championship.

The biggest highlight of this year's 'Paju Spiel' is the large-scale simultaneous unveiling of new board games. Booths will be set up throughout the experience zone, allowing visitors to get hands-on with and enjoy these pre-release titles. Featured releases include 'Running Wild', 'Abraca...What?', 'Please Release It', 'Everyone Gather: Pokémon', 'Yogi', 'Down Up', 'Hitster K-POP', 'Chemi-Artist', 'Condensation Game', 'Pinball Battle Dome', 'Dobble K-Pop Demon Hunters', 'Animal Crossing', and 'Super Mario'.

'Pandemonium Run', a highly anticipated title, is a racing game where players recruit four athletes to compete in four races. 'Abraca-Who?' is the sequel to the popular 'Abraca-What?', while 'Gather Together Pokémon' marks the domestic debut of the 2024 Essen hit 'Lore Pets' with a Pokémon theme. 'Hitster K-POP' is a Korean music edition featuring 308 popular K-pop songs. Visitors can play these and many other games on-site and purchase their favorites immediately.

The retail space has been expanded from last year to include two locations: 'Happy Store Main Branch' and 'Happy Store Branch 2'. The main branch offers a vast lineup of hundreds of titles, ranging from light family games to heavy strategy games for experienced players. Branch 2 focuses on popular bestsellers that are accessible to everyone. Visitors can choose the store that best matches their gaming experience and preferences.

Special events for families are also on the agenda. A 'Children's Gift Booth' will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., offering free board games to children and middle school students visiting the event. This initiative reflects the spirit of 'Paju Spiel,' which aims to provide children—who are often accustomed to smartphones and screens—with an opportunity to connect with their parents through board games.

The 'B-Camp,' a premium training program for classic board games, will also be held. B-Camp is a professional, ticketed workshop program. This year's lineup features legendary titles that have left a mark on board game history, including 'Catan,' 'Pandemic,' 'Carcassonne,' 'Acquire,' 'Puerto Rico 1897,' and 'Cascadia.' Since instructors guide participants through the rules step-by-step, it is a great opportunity for visitors who have wanted to learn these classics properly.

The Speed Cubing Championship will proceed as scheduled. Asian champion Choi Gyeong-min will participate as a judge, with the elementary division held on May 9 and the general and elementary divisions held on May 10.

Global partner booths and a map of partner board game cafes nationwide will also be unveiled. Hong Kong's Broadway Toys will premiere three new titles not yet released in Korea, while Germany's Amigo will operate an experience booth for flagship titles like 'Halli Galli', '6 Nimmt!', and 'The Great Dalmuti'. Additionally, a map of Korea Boardgames' partner cafes will be available at the venue, allowing visitors to scan a QR code to instantly locate partner cafes across the country.