# 🔥 Top 15 Trending Board Game Topics (Last 3 Days)

**Data sources**: Reddit r/boardgames (top/hot/new feeds, June 1–4 2026) + BGG Hotness rankings  
**Filters applied**: Posts from June 1 08:00 UTC onward; deduplicated across feeds; COMC/collection showcase posts excluded; AutoModerator stickies excluded.

---

**1. This sub is being overrun by AI bots**  
   📊 Score: 1,785 | 💬 Comments: 526 | 🕐 17h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Community meta-discussion about a perceived surge in AI-generated content and bot activity on the subreddit, with calls for stronger moderation.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tvrx6k/this_sub_is_being_overrun_by_ai_bots/)

**2. First look at artwork for upcoming LOTR Ascension looks absolutely dismal**  
   📊 Score: 748 | 💬 Comments: 279 | 🕐 68h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Leaked/early artwork for the upcoming Lord of the Rings: Ascension game draws heavy criticism for poor visual quality and AI-looking art style.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1ttq5j3/first_look_at_artwork_for_upcoming_lotr_ascension/)

**3. Responding to yesterday's thread about The Lord of the Rings: Ascension art**  
   📊 Score: 380 | 💬 Comments: 152 | 🕐 13h ago | Reddit  
   📝 StoneBlade Entertainment (the publisher) directly responds to the art controversy, defending their design choices for the upcoming LOTR Ascension game.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tvzlo2/responding_to_yesterdays_thread_about_the_lord_of/)

**4. Heat has become the game that gets tabled the most!**  
   📊 Score: 1,276 | 💬 Comments: 226 | 🕐 62h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Popular post celebrating Days of Wonder's racing game Heat: Pedal to the Metal as the most frequently played game in the OP's group, sparking discussion about its broad accessibility.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tso1rp/heat_has_become_the_game_that_gets_tabled_the_most/)

**5. Chwazi is back, and I owe you all an open letter**  
   📊 Score: 533 | 💬 Comments: 172 | 🕐 79h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Developer of the popular finger-choosing app Chwazi announces its return and explains the app's disappearance in an open letter to the community.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1ts7qge/chwazi_is_back_and_i_owe_you_all_an_open_letter/)

**6. [GIVEAWAY] Concordia Special Edition (Plus Castles of Burgundy and Puerto Rico)**  
   📊 Score: 590 | 💬 Comments: 4,514 | 🕐 11h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Massive giveaway by Awaken Realms promoting the upcoming Concordia Special Edition Gamefound campaign (launching June 9), with Castles of Burgundy and Puerto Rico SE as bonus prizes.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tw2epk/giveaway_concordia_special_edition_plus_castles/)

**7. Found this at Goodwill for $8. I know it's a steal… but what makes Mage Knight so beloved?**  
   📊 Score: 777 | 💬 Comments: 137 | 🕐 62h ago | Reddit  
   📝 A thrift-store find of Mage Knight at an incredible price sparks a discussion about what makes Vlaada Chvátil's classic solo/co-op game so enduringly popular.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tu0sql/found_this_at_goodwill_for_8_i_know_its_a_steal/)

**8. My Review of UKGE 2026 — Bigger Than Ever, But Was It Better?**  
   📊 Score: 42 | 💬 Comments: 43 | 🕐 23h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Detailed attendee review of UK Games Expo 2026 (held May 29–31) covering the expanded venue, notable game demos, and whether the growth improved or diluted the experience.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tvjemj/my_review_of_ukge_2026_ukge_2026_bigger_than_ever/)

**9. UKGE 2026 review — the zero willpower edition**  
   📊 Score: 25 | 💬 Comments: 14 | 🕐 13h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Another UKGE 2026 recap focusing on impulse purchases made at the convention and first impressions of newly acquired games.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tvz5g4/ukge_2026_review_the_zero_willpower_edition/)

**10. What happens when you… return a Kickstarter delivery to sender?**  
   📊 Score: 91 | 💬 Comments: 33 | 🕐 11h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Discussion about the logistics and ethics of refusing delivery on a Kickstarter board game and what happens to the package and the backer's relationship with the creator.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tw32cu/what_happens_when_you_return_a_kickstarter/)

**11. World Order concepts book appreciation post**  
   📊 Score: 62 | 💬 Comments: 29 | 🕐 14h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Praise for the thematic concept art book included with the recently released World Order board game, highlighting its worldbuilding and production quality.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tvxfpm/world_order_concepts_book_appreciation_post/)

**12. LOTR trick-taking game! I can't believe such a compact and simple game can pack a punch like an Oliphaunt!**  
   📊 Score: 239 | 💬 Comments: 48 | 🕐 65h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Enthusiastic review of the new Lord of the Rings trick-taking card game, praising its compact design and surprising strategic depth.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1ttw116/lotr_tricktaking_game_i_cant_believe_such_a/)

**13. Soothsayers, a game that really surprised me!**  
   📊 Score: 23 | 💬 Comments: 19 | 🕐 16h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Positive first-impressions review of the social deduction/bluffing game Soothsayers, which exceeded the OP's expectations.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tvu2cq/soothsayers_a_game_that_really_surprised_me/)

**14. What's the best rulebook you've ever read?**  
   📊 Score: 239 | 💬 Comments: 254 | 🕐 31h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Community crowdsourcing of the best-written board game rulebooks, with extensive discussion of what makes rulebook design excellent vs. frustrating.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tv9rub/whats_the_best_rulebook_youve_ever_read/)

**15. Dominion Opinions — Best starter decks for new players?**  
   📊 Score: 5 | 💬 Comments: 33 | 🕐 15h ago | Reddit  
   📝 Discussion about optimal Dominion card setups for teaching new players, with veterans sharing their recommended kingdom card combinations.  
   🔗 [Link](https://old.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1tvvl90/dominion_opinions_best_starter_decks_for_new/)

---

## 📈 BGG Trending Hot Games (Top 10)

The most actively researched games on BGG right now (via XMLAPI2 `/hot?type=boardgame`):

| # | Game | Year |
|---|------|------|
| 1 | Moon Colony Bloodbath | 2025 |
| 2 | Wondrous Creatures | 2024 |
| 3 | World Order | 2026 |
| 4 | DNUP | 2025 |
| 5 | Excalibur | 2026 |
| 6 | The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship | 2025 |
| 7 | Stonesaga | 2026 |
| 8 | Lands of Evershade | 2026 |
| 9 | The Old King's Crown | 2025 |
| 10 | SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence | 2024 |

---

## ⚠️ BGG News Forum Limitation

The BGG News Forum (ID 68) could not be directly scraped because:
- BGG's web pages are protected by Cloudflare anti-bot challenge (returns JS challenge page to curl)
- The XML API v2 `/forum?id=27` endpoint returned the Photography forum, confirming the API works but the correct News forum ID could not be identified from the available forum list
- BGG's RSS feeds (`/blogposts/rss`) are also behind Cloudflare

The BGG Hotness list above serves as a proxy for what the BGG community is actively engaging with.
