Cardboard Edison’s List of Active Board Game Design Contests
Host: People of Play
Deadline: October 25
Design restrictions: toys and games invented by children ages 6 to 18
Judges: industry participants
September / October 2026 Bi-Monthly 24 Hour Design Challenge
Host: BoardGameGeek
Deadline: October 31
Design restrictions: the keyword is “nine”
Judges: BGG community
Prizes: GeekGold
Host: The Game Crafter
Deadline: November 2
Design restrictions: clear PVC cards
Judges: industry participant
Prizes: $250 of shop credit and more
Host: Everjoy Publishing
Deadline: November 15
Design restrictions: none
Judges: industry participants
Prizes: 500 million Vietnamese Dong (nearly $20,000) shared by the winner and finalists to support publication and sales at Spiel Essen 2027
Host: Dextrous
Deadline: November 21
Design restrictions: make a roguelike hand-builder card game that plays in under 30 minutes and uses up to 120 cards
Judges: design community & industry participants
Prizes: subscriptions to Dextrous and other services, meeting time with industry professionals & more
Host: Button Shy
Deadline: November 30
Design restrictions: 18-card games that convey the sense of fear
Judges: industry participants
Prizes: $100 and publication consideration
2026 Roll & Write Game Design Contest
Host: BoardGameGeek
Deadline: December 1
Design restrictions: roll & writes
Judges: BGG community
Prizes: GeekGold
2026 Traditional Deck Game Design Contest
Host: BoardGameGeek
Deadline: December 31
Design restrictions: standard deck of playing cards
Judges: BGG community
Prizes: GeekGold
2027 In-Hand Game Design Contest
Host: BoardGameGeek
Deadline: January 1, 2027
Design restrictions: games that can be played without a table
Judges: BGG community
Host: studiogiochi
Deadline: February 28, 2027
Design restrictions: none
Judges: industry participants
Prizes: €3,500 advance on future royalties
