Board games - Together to success: 'Sky Team' is 'Spiel des Jahres 2024'
Teamwork is essential for Board Games. The jury of the "Spiel des Jahres" award has selected a cooperative game with a cockpit scenario called "Sky Team". Players also collaborate in "e-Mission", awarded as the "Expert Game of the Year". The makers celebrated their success at the award ceremony in Berlin on Sunday.
"I created 'Sky Team' to evoke emotions. It means a lot to me, and I hope it does for them," said author Luc Rémond in a video message, unable to attend. Actress and comedian Lisa Feller announced the winner, causing loud cheers in the Berlin Spree hotel ballroom. In the race for the renowned title, the winner from Kosmos Verlag triumphed over the also nominated games "On the Paths of Darwin" and "Captain Flip". The publishers expect significant sales growth from the recognition.
In "Sky Team", players work together to land an aircraft. They use their dice to adjust speed or deploy landing gear. However, they cannot communicate during critical phases of the game. To master the numerous challenges of a successful landing, a well-practiced team is needed.
First-ever Two-Player Game to Win
It's also the first time in the history of the awards that a pure two-player game has won. "The two-player situation is a situation that really exists very often. It's a little rewarding that now a two-player game is 'Game of the Year'", said Heiko Windfelder, Programming Manager for Toys at Kosmos Verlag. "Since it's a common situation, it's a small acknowledgment that a two-player game has now become 'Game of the Year'."
Besides the cooperative aspect, "Sky Team" and "e-Mission" share something: realistic scenarios. The winner in the "Expert Game of the Year" category, aimed at experienced players, deals with the climate crisis. "Without raising fingers", praised the jury. In the game by authors Matt Leacock and Matteo Menapace, players take on the roles of various world powers and make critical decisions to reduce CO2 emissions.
Jury Praises Courage for Realism
The critics see the scenarios of both games as a clear strength. "In recent years, we sometimes had the suspicion that authors and also editors were fleeing into fantasy worlds because they were afraid to touch current topics with anyone," said jury chairman Harald Schrapers after the ceremony. "I prefer someone stepping on someone's toes, then there's still something to discuss."
A separate jury exists due to the special requirements for the "Children's Game of the Year". This year, the prize went to "The Magical Keys" by Arno Steinwender and Markus Slawitscheck. In the dice game, players must try out various keys to open a treasure chest.
The "Game of the Year" Association has been awarding the prize since 1978. A total of almost 500 new releases were considered by the jury this year.
- Kosmos Verlag, the publishers of "Sky Team", anticipate a surge in sales due to its recognition as the "Game of the Year for Experts".
- The sky is a common setting in the award-winning cooperative game "Sky Team", where players work together to land an aircraft.
- The two-player game "Sky Team" became the first-ever two-player game to win the prestigious "Game of the Year" title.
- The jury praised the realism in "Sky Team" and its counterpart in the "Expert Game of the Year" category, "e-Mission", which deals with the climate crisis.
- In the leisurely pursuit of board games, teamwork is essential, as demonstrated by the collaborative nature of games like "Sky Team" and "e-Mission".
- Heiko Windfelder, Programming Manager for Toys at Kosmos Verlag, applauded the recognition of a two-player game as "Game of the Year", saying it was a small acknowledgment of their value.
- To commemorate the success of "Sky Team", author Luc Rémond delivered a video message, expressing his emotions and fondness for the game.
- In Berlin, at the Berlin Spree hotel ballroom, actress and comedian Lisa Feller announced the winner of the "Game of the Year for Experts" award, sparking loud cheers.
- Besides "Game of the Year for Experts", another category exists in the "Game of the Year" Awards: "Game of the Year for Children", which went to "The Magical Keys" this year.
