March 9, 2025
March 2025 | Vol. XXIV - No. 3
Board Game News Roundup (Late Feb – Early Mar 2025)
Ticket to Ride
- 20th Anniversary Events: Ticket to Ride celebrated its 20th anniversary with a global tournament. After online qualifiers and semi-finals, the top 8 players will be invited to Paris for an in-person grand finale in May 2025
. This world tournament honors the game’s enduring popularity among players worldwide.
- Digital Expansion Updates: The Ticket to Ride digital edition continues to grow. The classic Switzerland map expansion was added to the app this winter, introducing new characters, trains, and country-to-country tickets
. More recently, the Legendary Asia expansion (the game’s fourth major DLC map) became available on mobile, PC, and PlayStation platforms
, with other console releases following soon. These updates allow fans to enjoy beloved map packs in the digital realm.
- Recent Editions: While no brand-new physical expansions were announced in the past week, Ticket to Ride saw notable releases in the past year that keep it fresh. For example, a “Cities” series entry – Ticket to Ride: Paris – launched in 2024, offering a quick-playing map of the French capital. Late 2024 also saw Ticket to Ride: Legacy – Legends of the West, a campaign-style legacy version of the game, which has generated ongoing community discussion and interest
. These recent editions and the current tournament reflect a healthy, active Ticket to Ride community as the game enters its third decade.
Pandemic
- New Pandemic System Game – Lord of the Rings Edition: Publisher Z-Man Games announced The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship, a new cooperative game built on the Pandemic system
. Designed by Pandemic’s creator Matt Leacock, this officially licensed title lets 1–5 players become the Fellowship and defend Middle-earth while guiding Frodo to Mount Doom. It features thematic elements like Nazgûl miniatures and a dice tower shaped as Sauron’s fortress, blending the classic disease-fighting mechanics with Tolkien’s story. The game is slated for release on June 6, 2025
, in time for the summer convention season. This marks the latest entry in the Pandemic “system” series that previously adapted themes like World of Warcraft and Star Wars to the cooperative gameplay.
- Ongoing Popularity and Community Buzz: Even without new expansions for core Pandemic in recent years, the franchise remains influential. Pandemic was recently highlighted as a BoardGameGeek “Hall of Fame” inductee for 2025, recognizing its status as a modern classic in cooperative board gaming
. The community continues to keep Pandemic in the conversation through fan challenges and by revisiting its legacy campaigns. The new Lord of the Rings crossover has sparked discussion among fans of both franchises, who are eager to see how the tense decision-making of Pandemic translates to an epic fantasy adventure. Overall, Pandemic’s legacy endures through these innovations and the ongoing enthusiasm of its player base.
Wingspan
- Aquatic Spin-off – Finspan Launches: Stonemaier Games (creator of Wingspan) has expanded the franchise beyond birds. In January, they unveiled Finspan, an “aquatic sequel” that essentially plays like Wingspan with fish
. Released on January 22, 2025, Finspan puts players in the role of marine researchers collecting colorful fish, hatching eggs, and forming schools across different ocean depths
. The design, led by David Gordon with input from Wingspan veterans, retains the beloved engine-building structure but introduces tweaks like no food tokens (players pay with discarded cards instead) and three ocean depth habitats in place of terrestrial ones
. Designer Elizabeth Hargrave noted that fans had “surprisingly” long requested a fish-themed iteration of Wingspan, and she was “delighted” to see another team take on the challenge
. Early buzz around Finspan has been positive, with players appreciating the familiar gameplay in a fresh setting.
- Next Wingspan Expansion in the Works: As for the original Wingspan game, a fourth expansion (following the Europe, Oceania, and Asia expansions) is under development but not imminent. Hargrave is actively designing the next set of bird cards, yet Stonemaier has indicated it won’t rush this expansion – they estimate 2026 for its release to ensure the best quality
. In community discussions, fans have expressed both eagerness and patience, knowing that previous expansions greatly enriched the game’s biodiversity and mechanics. In the meantime, players are enjoying the content already available (including the recent Wingspan Asia standalone expansion) and using spinoffs like Finspan to scratch the itch for new gameplay. Stonemaier’s “when it’s ready” approach
suggests the next expansion will be a major event for the Wingspan community when it finally hatches.
Catan
- 30th Anniversary, New Edition: 2025 marks 30 years of Catan, and the publishers are celebrating with the first new core edition in a decade. A 6th Edition of Catan is set to release in April 2025
. While the classic island-building gameplay remains the same, this edition features a modernized presentation – including revamped artwork, an updated rulebook with clearer graphics, and enhanced components
. The game’s packaging is also getting a makeover: a premium square-format box with new cover art, aimed at immersing players in the world of Catan before they even open the lid
. This is the first major update since the 5th Edition in 2015 (when the name changed from Settlers of Catan to Catan
), and is intended to keep Catan appealing as a gateway game for new generations of players. “How do you keep an old game relevant after 30 years?” reflected Benjamin Teuber (son of creator Klaus Teuber); the solution in this case involves refreshing the look and ease-of-play while maintaining the classic charm
.
- Expansions and New Content: Alongside the base game, the most popular Catan expansions are receiving updates to match the new edition. Seafarers and Cities & Knights are slated for re-release in 2025 (timed with the base game launch), followed later by Traders & Barbarians and Explorers & Pirates, plus all corresponding 5–6 player extension kits
. This ensures that veteran fans can upgrade their entire collection if desired, and newcomers can gradually expand their Catan experience. In addition, Catan GmbH and its partners are branching out with licensed products. Just announced in mid-February was the Catan Masterpiece Series, a deluxe collector’s edition of Catan featuring high-end components, which is now live on Kickstarter
. And coming in June, a crossover with the escape-room-style EXIT games will let players solve puzzles in the Catan universe
– EXIT: The Game – Adventures on Catan is being produced by Thames & Kosmos as a narrative puzzle adventure for fans of the island. These developments indicate a big year for Catan, not just with a new core set but a variety of ways to engage with its world.
- Community & Events: The Catan competitive scene is also gearing up for a milestone year. Plans for the 2025 Catan World Championship have been announced, with the event to be hosted in Stuttgart, Germany
. National championship tournaments around the world will feed into this event. Meanwhile, local communities continue to organize Catan meetups and regional qualifiers, keeping the spirit of friendly competition alive. Between the refreshed game edition, deluxe releases, and upcoming championship, the Catan community has plenty to discuss and celebrate as the game enters its 30th year.
Azul
- New Two-Player Edition – Azul Duel: The hit tile-laying game Azul is expanding its lineup with a dedicated two-player version called Azul Duel. This head-to-head variant, designed by Azul creator Michael Kiesling, is slated for release in early 2025 (around late February)
. Azul Duel retains the mosaic-building core of the original game but introduces new twists to tailor the experience for exactly two players. For example, the game offers variable setup and pattern boards (“pattern plates”) that allow each player to craft a unique mosaic layout, adding replayability and a fresh strategic puzzle each match
. The rules have been streamlined for a tighter duel, and the art style takes inspiration from Chinese shadow puppetry, giving Azul Duel a distinct visual flair while keeping the series’ signature elegance
. The component list is robust – including acrylic tiles, special tokens, and custom boards – yet the game comes at a relatively accessible price point (MSRP ~$27)
. Early reviews have noted that Azul Duel successfully “distills” the Azul experience for two, maintaining the original’s charm and tactical depth in a quicker, more confrontational format.
- Continued Growth of the Azul Series: The launch of Azul Duel is the latest example of the Azul franchise’s growth through spin-offs and innovations. Since the original Azul won the Spiel des Jahres in 2018, Next Move Games (under Asmodee) has released several stand-alone sequels – Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra, Azul: Summer Pavilion, Azul: Queen’s Garden – each adding new mechanics while preserving the tile-drafting essence. In 2023, a travel-sized edition (Azul Mini) and even an Azul: Summer Pavilion Mini were introduced, catering to different play styles and portability
. Azul Duel fits into this pattern as a focused 2-player offering. Community reception so far has been enthusiastic, especially among couples and board game dueling partners who appreciate having a version of Azul finely tuned for two. With Azul Duel arriving in stores and on tabletops this month, the Azul series continues to solidify its place in the hobby by offering something for every type of player.
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