Somehow, time keeps passing despite my best efforts and we’ve gone through another quarter of the year. That means it’s time to take a look at some of the great new titles from the first quarter of 2026 to hit our tables, so read on and keep that want list ready. As per usual, I don’t use strict publication dates (e.g. the date on Board Game Geek) for this, but rather when a title becomes broadly available.
So read on for some great new titles to add to your collection – whether you’re a war gamer, a solo player, or a pirate. Yar.
Staked
We start, as it is often wise to do, with vampires. Staked is a fresh twist on the social deduction formula, landing somewhere between Blood on the Clocktower’s 
exquisite, big production and Ultimate Werewolf’s snappy, light finger-pointing. Staked transports you and up to nine other pals to Victorian Europe for a meeting of vampire hunters, only some of you already have a taste for blood. Two phases make up every round, with the first a discussion between players about who might be on Vlad’s side already, followed by a voting phase where someone gets, er, staked. Wrinkles abound, from electing an Alpha Vampire Hunter to effective ‘Ghost’ play for eliminated players that keeps them involved in the game.
Staked is a beautiful production, with personality throughout. Playing in an hour (or less, should the vampires feast upon the hapless hunters), with an advanced mode chock full of special abilities, Staked sets a high bar for group games in 2026.
Feudum – Septennial Edition
The last couple decades have seen a rise in indie, visionary games, ones pushing the envelope in mechanics, art, scope, and often, all three. Feudum, originally published in 2018, creates a fantasy medieval sandbox for you and several other players to dive into. Ostensibly a hand management game, with your actions deriving from, yes, a hand of cards, Feudum sees you scoring points through such things as taking territory, farming, paying homage to the king, and, uh, dealing with pestering sea serpents. This vast action array made Feudum, upon release, an instant curiosity – were all the rules and rough edges worth it for a few (or 15) hours of quirky euro fun?
With its Septennial Edition, Feudum has pushed the equation hard in its favor. First and foremost are a slew of small updates to the neoprene mat containing your adventures, which, when coupled with rulebook tweaks, sand off some of those edges. In a game of this heft, greasing skids even a little helps get Feudum back to the table, where it’ll shine with repeat plays. The Septennial Edition also comes with upgraded components, a sixth player slot, card sleeves, and a couple included expansions.
If you’ve heard of Feudum but put off tackling its unique blend, this is a great chance to give this special game a look. That it’s at a cheap price (by crowdfunded standards) makes this an even easier recommendation for anyone into bigger, heavier euro or sandbox games.
Mr. President – Second Edition
US Politics is a bit fraught these days, but turn back the clock a bit and you can engage with the myriad compelling decisions the chief executive must make
without, well, waves hands at everything. Mr President, a massive solo war/euro hybrid, came out a few years back to general acclaim. Now its 2nd edition lands, earning that label (as opposed to ‘2nd printing’) thanks to a bevy of balance updates, addressed errata, manual tweaks, new counters, and more. That’s all well and good, but, to extend the game’s metaphor, what’re we doing in the 2nd term?
Mr. President has you cast as literally that, rather than some godlike nation-controlling deity. You’ll be making decisions on cabinet members, international calamities, and attempting to cajole the media to broadcast your narrative. Much of this happens through dice rolls and cascading events – China might steal some tech, which becomes a scandal and turns the media against you – that you’ll aim to thwart with as many as a couple dozen actions. Of course, where you choose to spend your limited time is of massive consequence: do you put out fires or let the little ones simmer to pass some major legislation?
Because this is a heavy solo-only game, Mr. President demands a player willing to engage with its many systems, analyzing its sprawling footprint and delighting in the narrative multitudes produced with every turn. The 2nd edition (there’s an upgrade pack if you own the original) makes the game smoother and better, but this is still a monster. For those looking to sink their teeth into a 5-10 hour solo experience, Mr. President is a unique, special beast.
Just, uh, make sure you have a big table.
Heat – Rocky Roads
As spring gets into gear, a new F1 season gets going, and look, here’s a new HEAT expansion rolling up to the track. Rocky Roads continues the quality efforts 
seen in HEAT’s prior expansions, Heavy Rain and Tunnel Vision, right down to the expected formula. There’s a new player color (white), two new tracks – only one of which, South Africa, uses the new gravel mechanic, which is just like the prior expansions – and a bevy of new upgrades and championship modifiers.
Both new tracks are fun, with tricky sections sprinkled in to keep things interesting, particularly if you draft the new slip-stream upgrades that benefit hugging your opponents. The gravel in South Africa causes you to lose a Heat right away, an effect dangerous enough to make its avoidance higher priority than other hazards. In other words, you’ll care, and in HEAT, caring means playing your hand differently, drafting differently, and, perhaps, trying to coax your opponents into a mistake. All the gooey goodness of this racing game.
Which is what gets Rocky Roads on this list – it’s an excuse to break out a great game, one that supports huge groups (maybe even 9 if you have all the expansions), has a neat campaign feature with its Championship mode, and gameplay that still feels great years later.
Fortunes of Scoundrel Bay
Any new pirate game immediately attracts my eye, and Fortunes of Scoundrel Bay, which premiered at Essen last fall but only recently made it out into the broader world, is most definitely a pirate game. As a euro on the heavier side of middle-weight, Scoundrel Bay sends you and up to three other pirate captains on a journey to pillage ports, find treasure, and, as all pirates must, score points.
In some ways, Scoundrel Bay does this in opposite fashion to last year’s darling in this space, Galactic Cruise – turns whiz by as you play a card from a small hand,
which determines your action. Most of the time, that action will be fast, like setting sail, digging up some treasure, or battling a monster. You won’t be chaining effects one after another, building combos until everyone’s eyes glaze over. You’re not allowed to repeat an action on consecutive turns, which couples with the 3 card hand to reduce analysis paralysis and keep gameplay moving. Scoundrel Bay’s overall balance is tight too, meaning most strategies, when well-executed, have a shot at victory – treasure, monster battles, and capturing coves (among others) are all viable options. You’re a pirate. Be flexible.
Lastly, like Galactic Cruise, Scoundrel Bay comes with a player-triggered end-game, adding just the right amount of tension when players choose to sail closer to completion. See that an opponent’s strategy will win if the game goes long? Try cutting to the finish fast. At around two hours, suffused with swarthy pirate theming (and cute pirate meeples), Scoundrel Bay is a fun pick-up for any group hunting a new, heavier euro to enjoy.
Konflikt ‘47 Second Edition
We all know what would’ve happened had WW2 continued another few years – inter-dimensional monsters, crazy new technologies, and, of course, mechs. Konflikt ‘47 rumbles in with its 2nd edition, getting all kinds of nifty updates to its sci-fi spin on Bolt Action’s tactical miniatures war game formula. Order dice, squad tactics, and Axis vs. Allies factions are all here. The setting veers away from straight historical accuracy, but keeps it close enough that you’ll battle in familiar locales, but those Tiger tanks might go up against, say, a spider-like Soviet walker.
That sounds bananas, and it is, but in a good way. Warlord Games, the publisher here, continues to remix and refine their miniatures titles, and that’s evident here with a gameplay flow between orders, measuring, and chucking plenty of dice. It’s smooth, with plenty of unit variety and special skills, but both are delivered in ways that fold into gameplay without requiring heaps of manuals. At the same time, if you’re an existing Bolt Action player, some of your units can plunge right into Konflikt ‘47, making fielding armies for both games an efficient proposition.
Okay, so it’s easier to learn, has a neat WW2/Sci-fi Horror blend, and is supported by a veteran publisher (more important when we’re talking miniatures games). Konflikt ‘47 has a whole bunch going its way, including some nifty ways to get started. If you’re ready to dive in, getting the full starter set is perfect. Or, if a buddy’s going that route, picking an army starter that appeals gets you right into the game (K47 aims for 1500 points for a full army). Lastly, if you’re looking to test the waters, the Introductory Set gives you enough minis to play a skirmish at a nice price point, letting you see whether this particular batch of miniatures warfare is right for you.
