“Road to Essen” Board Game Opens Global Doors for Vietnamese Creators
With over 204,000 attendees from more than 80 countries last year, Spiel Essen is one of the largest board game fairs globally, often referred to as the “mecca” of board games. Since 2022, EverJoy Publishing has made its mark as the first and only Vietnamese publisher to participate in this event. At the prestigious Spiel Essen, EverJoy showcased Zodiac Rush—the international version of the game “Cuộc Đua Sao Chổi.” Zodiac Rush has attracted significant attention from the international community while marking a major milestone for the Vietnamese board game scene.
Vietnamese Board Games at Spiel Essen
After two years of participating in the world’s leading board game fair, EverJoy has observed the significant potential for the development of Vietnamese board games in the international market. Therefore, the Road to Essen project was launched.
“Through the ROAD TO ESSEN 2025 competition, we hope to promote the development of the board game industry in Vietnam, raise awareness of the cultural and educational values of board games, and simultaneously create a solid foundation for Vietnamese designers to access the international market,” said Ms. Ionah Hằng Nguyễn, Chair of the organizing committee.
This competition serves not only as a contest but also as a professional playground for connecting with industry experts, publishers, and the board game community. Notably, the best works will have the opportunity to be published and distributed by EverJoy Publishing—the leading board game publisher in Vietnam.
A Reputable Playground for Talented Designers
The Road to Essen competition is renowned for its credibility and professionalism, evidenced by the esteemed jury panel composed of top names in the game design and publishing industry. From Randy Flynn—the father of Cascadia, who won the Game of the Year award—to leading Vietnamese industry experts like Associate Professor Dr. Đặng Mai Anh (Deputy Head of the Faculty of Industrial Technology at University of Danang), Mr. Lý Quí Phúc (board game designer known for the culturally significant work Xẩm Hương), Mr. Lê Mạnh Cường (author of the board game Thần Tích), and Mr. Ninh Quang Trường (a director at Vietnam Television, author of the board game Cổ Mặt Trời), every member is a “guarantee” for the quality of the submissions. With their participation, contestants can be assured that their works will receive fair, deep, and thorough evaluations.
The jury panel at the Kick-off meeting on April 26
In addition to the competition, there is also the participation of reputable partners, including AHK (Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Spiel Essen (the largest board game fair globally), the Graduate School of Industrial Technology at University of Danang, Hobby Horizon (a cultural event brand), and major media partners like Athena CM and GenZ Area, to VCCORP, an online information channel like YBOX, and Comi Cola.
The Vietnamese Board Game Innovation Competition – Road to Essen collaborating with reputable partners
In the context of 2025 – the year of Vietnam’s cultural ascendance, with various significant cultural events scheduled such as the 30th April Reunification Day and the 2nd September National Day, the Road to Essen competition also aims to closely connect Vietnamese culture with board games. This competition is not only a creative playground but also a journey to honor the ethnic identity through the “Board Game Embraces Vietnamese Culture” category. This is an opportunity for designers to incorporate cultural materials such as customs, cuisine, architecture, or folklore into their games, creating products that are rich in aesthetics and meaning. Rather than merely serving as entertainment, this category contributes to promoting Vietnamese values to the international community through each game played.
Follow the official Fanpage of Road to ESSEN – the Vietnamese Board Game Design Competition for the latest updates.
For middle and high school students, the organizing committee has extended the submission deadline to June 30, 2025, hoping that participants can experience a meaningful summer with activities from the competition!
Follow the competition Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574034230216
