BoardGameGeek has revealed the results of the 2022 Golden Geek user vote, which started at the end of April. This year marked the 17th anniversary of the awards, and the winners were announced on May 8th.
The Golden Geeks are expected to be officially awarded at BGG.Con taking place in Dallas, Texas from 15 to 19 November.
The Golden Geek Awards have become a highly anticipated event in the gaming community, with thousands of enthusiasts from around the world participating in the voting process. This year, users placed nominations and voted in 15 categories, ranging from best two-player game to best board game app.
The biggest winners in this year’s vote were Heat: Pedal to the Metal and Cat in the Box, which earned first place in multiple categories. Heat: Pedal to the Metal won awards for the Best Thematic Game and Medium Game of the Year, while Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition won awards for the Best Innovative Game and Light Game of the Year.
Here are the final results for all categories.
- Best Two-Player Game – Splendor Duel (runner-ups were Wingspan Asia and Undaunted: Stalingrad)
- Best Artwork and Presentation – Flamecraft (runner-ups were Everdell: The Complete Collection and Wonderland’s War)
- Best Cooperative Game – Return to Dark Tower (runner-ups were Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood and ISS Vanguard)
- Best Expansion – Rise of Ix for Dune: Imperium (runner-ups were Wingspan Asia and Dune: Imperium – Immortality)
- Best Innovative Game – Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition (runner-ups were Turing Machine and Heat: Pedal to the Metal)
- Light Game of the Year – Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition (runner-ups were Splendor Duel and Long Shot: The Dice Game)
- Medium Game of the Year – Heat: Pedal to the Metal (runner-ups were Wonderland’s War and Flamecraft)
- Heavy Game of the Year – Carnegie (runner-ups were Endless Winter: Paleoamericans and John Company: Second Edition)
- Best Party Game – Ready Set Bet (runner-ups were Long Shot: The Dice Game and Blood on the Clocktower)
- Best Print and Play – Aquamarine (runner-ups were Woodcraft: Roll and Write and A Wayfarer’s Tale)
- Best Solo Game – Turing Machine (runner-ups were Resist! and Nemo’s War: The Ultimate Edition)
- Best Thematic Game – Heat: Pedal to the Metal (runner-ups were Wonderland’s War and John Company: Second Edition)
- Best Wargame – Undaunted: Stalingrad (runner-ups were Resist! and Votes for Women)
- Best Podcast – This Game Is Broken (runner-ups were Beyond Solitaire and One Stop Co-Op Shop)
- Best Board Game App – Everdell (runner-ups were Hero Realms and Roll Player)