Bryan Bornmueller’s two The Lord of the Rings: Trick-Taking Game releases, which were judged as a single title, triumphed over Dewan and Pondscape in the connoisseur games category, handing a win to Asmodee studio Office Dog.
This year’s expert game prize, meanwhile, went to White Goblin Games’ Dutch-language edition of River of Gold – which saw off competition from Ants and Yokohama. That title was also originally published by Asmodee studio Office Dog in English.
Asmodee’s Yke Rietveld and Hidde van Maurik collect the award for the publisher’s Lord of the Rings trick taking titles || Photo Credit: Henk Rolleman
Take Time’s victory means this is only the second time in five years that the Dutch family game award has not gone to a Spiel des Jahres winner, with Cascadia, Sky Team and Bomb Busters each having claimed both prizes in 2022, 2024 and 2025 respectively.
The result saw three-year-old Dutch publisher DSV Games miss out on a prize despite securing a trio of nominations this year – 12 months after picking up its first win in the contest with Tomáš Holek design SETI.
This year’s entire shortlist was shared between just three publishing groups in Asmodee, White Goblin Games and DSV.
Game line manager Auguste Lecoeur told BoardGameWire, “As soon as the game’s prototype was shown to us and signed, it became an internal priority, with resources and manpower being redirected from other projects to Take Time.”
The title sees players attempting to place cards around a series of clock faces while meeting increasingly challenging conditions, with limited opportunities to discuss their plans before playing.
More than 100 Dutch-language board and card games were assessed by a jury of experts for this year’s Nederlandse Spellenprijs, which is now in its 26th year. Games were assessed on their quality, originality and replayability.
This year’s ceremony marked a change in leadership for the awards, with Anna Wassenburg taking over as chair from Niek Ederveen, who stepped down after nine years in the role.
Another change this year was the physical format of the awards themselves, which are now shaped like pawns with windmill sails.
Huge demand for Asmodee‘s co-operative puzzle game Take Time has seen the publishing giant print more than 325,000 copies less than a year after release – outstripping even the company’s high expectations which surrounded its record-breaking launch.
Asmodee printed a massive 145,000 copies of Alexi Piovesan and Julien Prothière’s design for its worldwide launch last October, citing heavy enthusiasm from its distribution teams, board game media and pre-release playtesters.
Game line manager Auguste Lecoeur told BoardGameWire, “As soon as the game’s prototype was shown to us and signed, it became an internal priority, with resources and manpower being redirected from other projects to Take Time.
“Huge credit goes to everyone involved in the project for getting it done so quickly while maintaining such a high level of quality, especially considering that the game went through only around six months of visual development.
“When the game was first presented to Asmodee’s distribution units and partners, the enthusiasm was immediate as well, with Take Time being flagged as a key new release for Libellud.
“The same enthusiasm was shared by media outlets and players that were able to test the game prior to its release, so we had multiple positive signals ahead of launch.
“In that sense, we were definitely expecting a strong first print run, but you can never realistically expect to reach 145,000 copies. It was a very pleasant surprise and clearly exceeded our expectations, even though we were prepared for strong numbers.”
Every major reprint of the game since has topped 60,000 copies, Lecoeur said, with Asmodee currently planning another two to three global print runs of the same size each every year to keep up with demand.
Lecoeur said, “At this point, it is clear that Take Time won’t be a ‘one-hit wonder’, a game that enjoys a high initial print run but then quickly fades. Instead, the game is maintaining a strong sales pace and continues to perform well across markets.”
He added, “The game gained strong visibility and positive feedback at conventions such as Cannes’ FIJ and Spiel Essen, while also achieving higher-than-usual numbers online, thanks in part to its visual appeal and the buzz surrounding it.
“More broadly, the game was quickly validated by the core and specialist market, as well as by opinion leaders, critics and content creators within the board game community. It received strong critical acclaim – it is now ranked [in] the top 95 family games on BGG – and was nominated for multiple awards, which played a huge part in its success.
“Sure, we would have loved to win the As d’Or and Spiel des Jahres (who wouldn’t?), but I guess we’re being picky here!”
Success Story
Part of the game’s powerful performance has been down to it penetrating well beyond the specialist board games market, with Asmodee saying its distribution is now relatively evenly split between hobby stores, mass-market retailers and e-commerce.
Lecoeur said, “I’m convinced that this wouldn’t have been possible if the game hadn’t first been embraced by the core gaming community. Their strong support and enthusiasm for the game helped open the door to other distribution channels much more quickly.”
He added that part of Take Time’s wider appeal was down to the game’s compact size and “accessible price point”, as well as its “high level of replayability and substantial gameplay content”.
Those first two elements have become increasingly important amid ongoing financial strain for people in some of Asmodee’s core markets, such as France, Germany, the UK and US, with rising food and energy prices and ongoing economic uncertainty putting pressure on their purchases.
Take Time || Photo Credit: Asmodee
Other successful initiatives which helped boost Take Time’s appeal included what Lecoeur described as an “unusual” cardboard demo kit, with detachable cards and clocks, which could be ordered by distribution units to give players a taste of the game’s core mechanisms.
He said the kit “generated strong enthusiasm at launch”, but added that the format was not something which could be replicated for every one of its releases.
Award nominations also helped drive sales, especially in Germany and France, which Lecoeur said had been two of the strongest markets for the game from day one.
He said Take Time’s Spiel des Jahres recommendation was followed by a higher-than-usual reprint demand from Germany of 30,000 copies – and added that the impact of other ‘smaller’ awards “should not be overlooked”.
Lecoeur also believes Take Time benefitted from the success of Libellud’s previous release Harmonies, which also picked up a Spiel des Jahres recommendation and the Swiss Gamers Award, as well as a Golden Geek – and was highlighted by Asmodee CEO Thomas Koegler as having had a strong launch.
Lecoeur said, “The fact that Libellud’s previous release, Harmonies, had been a hit certainly helped. It raised expectations around the studio’s next title and put the spotlight on its launch.
“It’s clear that each publisher develops its own reputation and ‘brand’ image based on its releases (among other things) and that this plays a significant role in the confidence they receive from retailers and, to some extent, from players.
“The success or failure of each release will inevitably have an impact on the games that follow, particularly when it comes to forecasts and initial orders.”
Time After Time
Asmodee is now beginning to turn Take Time into a wider product line, with debut expansion Mirage set for release next month, and the company having “many more ideas we’re currently working on for the range”.
Lecoeur said, “As soon as we received the first feedback on the game and it became clear that the launch was going to be massive, the first discussions about an expansion began in April 2025 with Alexi Piovesan and Julien Prothière, the game’s designers, to explore the possibilities for additional content.
Take Time: Mirage
“They worked on it and presented an iteration that led to a contract being signed in November 2025, as the first market feedback started coming in and multiple markets were selling out.
“However, this timeline was only possible because the designers were fully confident that the game offered enough design space to support an expansion, and because they presented an idea that genuinely excited the team, both mechanically and thematically.
“We’re not releasing expansions simply for the sake of releasing them or to get a marketing boost. If an expansion is published, it’s because we believe it genuinely adds something to the game and offers players a meaningful new experience.”
He added, “Mirage’s format also played an important role. It is a compact expansion, with a €7.99 MSRP, that introduces a new chapter while also adding a new gameplay twist that can be used to replay the entire base game in a different way.
“It isn’t a large expansion that takes up a significant amount of shelf space in stores or represents a massive financial commitment; instead, it is designed to complement the base game and extend the experience without overshadowing it. Its difficulty is also carefully tuned so that players can enjoy the expansion even if they haven’t finished the base game.
“Regarding expansions and product lines, there is a balance to strike between fully trusting your game and not overcommitting. You want to anticipate demand for expansions and reprints in order to avoid out-of-stock situations or a lack of releases and support that could hurt a game’s prospects in the medium to long-term.
“At the same time, a game needs to demonstrate commercial stability before being turned into a full-fledged product line and treated as such.
“It’s no secret that overproducing a game is one of the easiest ways for a publisher to get into financial trouble, and we’re doing our best to avoid that. We want to support successful games and build on their potential while remaining disciplined about production and inventory.”
A Board Game Arena version of the base game is also due for release in Q4 of this year.
Das kooperative Kartenablege-Spiel aus dem Hause Libellud wird seit Monaten als mächtiger Spiel des Jahres Kandidat gehandelt. Ich selbst habe den Titel auf der letztjährigen SPIEL in Essen verpasst, danach war der ausverkauft und nun hatte ich auf dem SpieleWahnsinn in Herne endlich die Anspielchance. Denn einen Blindkauf in diesem doch speziellen Genre wollte ich dann doch nicht wagen. Leider bin ich fast so ratlos wie zuvor.
Meine Ausgangsfragen sind eigentlich ganz einfach: Taugt Take Time als Spiel für meine diversen Spielrunden? Macht es gemeinsam Spaß, sodass es wiederholt auf den Tisch kommt? Kann ich es mit unterschiedlichen Mitspielern weiterspielen oder benötige ich doch eher eine feste Gruppe, die sich den aufsteigenden Herausforderungen stellt? Finden Neueinsteiger auch in komplexeren Aufgaben ins Spiel, ohne dabei zum Bremsklotz oder gar Sündenbock zu werden? Meine Erstpartie auf dem SpieleWahnsinn 2026 in Herne sollte mir die Antworten dazu liefern. Der Spieleinstieg war denkbar einfach, weil bestens durch unsere Erklärerin vor Ort vermittelt und hier per Audio-Mitschritt festgehalten:
Die allererste von 40 Aufgaben der der Autoren Alexi Piovesan und Julien Prothièreaus lag vor uns aus. Zukunftsmusik waren hingegen die restlichen 39 Herausforderungen, die aufgeteilt in zehn Kapiteln, jeweils einen neuen Umschlag mit geheimnisvollem Inhalt mitbringen. Und ganz am Ende winkt noch ein „Zeitsprung“-Bonusumschlag, der das Spielgeschehen verlängern soll. Aber wir hatten erstmal genug mit Aufgabe 1 zu tun. Mal eben die zwölf verteilten Karten rund um die Uhr auslegen, sodass am Ende aufsteigende Zahlenwerte dort stehen und zwei kleine Sonderregeln beachtet sind, das sollte doch ein Kinderspiel werden. So dachten wir hochmütig. In der Auflösungsphase kam nach der zweiten aufgedeckten Karte schon die gemeinsame Niederlage für uns. Also doch nicht so einfach und deshalb gleich noch mal probiert. Diesmal klappte es besser und ich zumindest fühlte durchaus den Nervenkitzel, verdeckte Karten abzulegen, ohne sich in dieser Phase gegenseitig absprechen zu können.
Es geht also um Vertrauen untereinander und das Vertrauen darauf, dass jeder von uns weiß, was er zu tun und zu unterlassen hat. Dazu gibt es extra eine taktische Vorbesprechung, nachdem verdeckt zwölf Karten unter uns ausgeteilt worden sind. Blöd, dass die Hälfte des Kartenstapels beiseite gelegt wird und wir mal so gar keine Ahnung haben, welche Zahlenverteilung wir bei uns und bei unseren Mitspielern vorfinden werden. Einzig wissen wir anhand der Kartenrückseite, ob wir schwarze oder weiße Karten bekommen haben. Bei drei weißen Karten in unserer entspannten Viererrunde war mir somit klar, dass ich zwingend drei unterschiedliche Werte haben werde. Hilft das? Keine Ahnung, aber wir haben zumindest in Herausforderung 1 noch beliebig Zeit, das gemeinsam zu diskutieren. Und genau da sind wir eventuell bei dem Knackpunkt des ganzen Spiels angekommen.
Denn diese taktische Vorbesprechung zu Beginn einer Herausforderung entlarvt Mitspieler, die gerne den Takt vorgeben oder schlicht gemeinsame Pläne entwickeln. Eigentlich sollte an diesem Punkt des Spiels eine Diskussion entstehen, wie die kommende Aufgabe bewältigt werden könnte. Schließlich wollen wir kooperativ gewinnen und da ist der beste Plan, der von allen bevorzugte Plan. Aber wer sich überhaupt und wie intensiv daran beteiligen mag, liegt an den Mitspielenden selbst. Alphaspieler wird hierbei Tür und Tor geöffnet, sofern die späteren Herausforderungen die Planungsphase nicht weiter einschränken. Wer sich als Ideengeber oder nur Befehlsempfänger versteht, muss die Spielrunde unter sich ausmachen. Manch einem liegt die eine oder die andere Rolle auch mehr. Solange sich alle damit zurechtfinden können, ist doch alles gut. Und wenn nicht, liegt es dann an dem Spiel mit seinem kooperativen Charakter oder an Einzelnen, die kooperieren mit bestimmen verwechseln?
Somit steht und fällt Take Time mit der Spielrunde. Haben alle am Tisch den gleichen Ehrgeiz, sich in die Herausforderung reinzudenken? Ein einziger Spieler reicht aus, der das alles nicht recht verstanden hat oder auch nur weniger Lust verspürt, mitzuplanen und im späteren Ausspielen auch mitzudenken, um die Herausforderung für alle scheitern zu lassen. Spielrunden, die hier Schuldzuweisungen verteilen, sind wohl ebenso die falsche Zielgruppe wie solche, die sich nur Schulter zuckend anschauen und den eigentlichen Spielreiz in Take Time nicht sehen.
Wir in unserer Viererrunde hatten im zweiten Anlauf diese allererste und einfachste Aufgabe gelöst. Ich fand das durchaus spannend, schloss mich in unserer Nachbesprechung aber der Mehrheitsmeinung an, dass im direkten Vergleich Bomb Busters doch besser und gehaltvoller wäre. Den potenziellen Kauf hatte ich zu dem Zeitpunkt abgeschrieben. Nur wollte mich Take Time in den kommenden Stunden nicht so recht loslassen. Da hat irgendwas an meinem Spielernerv genagt, der mir zuflüsterte, dass dieses kooperative Kartenablege-Spiel noch mindestens eine weitere Chance verdient hätte. Und genau deshalb bin ich nun auf der Suche nach dem besten Angebot für Take Time, obwohl vorab so vieles dagegen sprach. Spricht das doch für einen potenziellen Spiel des Jahres Kandidaten?
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