{
  "meta": {
    "source": "BoardGameGeek (boardgamegeek.com)",
    "data_collected": "2026-06-20",
    "method": "Web search extraction from BGG pages (XML API v2 blocked by Cloudflare; data gathered from BGG search result snippets and ratings pages)",
    "award_categories": {
      "spiel_des_jahres": "Main Game of the Year award",
      "kennerspiel_des_jahres": "Enthusiast/Connoisseur Game of the Year",
      "kinderspiel_des_jahres": "Children's Game of the Year"
    }
  },
  "nominees": [
    {
      "name": "Cozy Stickerville",
      "bgg_id": 456440,
      "bgg_url": "https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/456440/cozy-stickerville",
      "award": "Spiel des Jahres",
      "designer": "Corey Konieczka",
      "publisher": "Unexpected Games",
      "year_published": 2026,
      "stats": {
        "avg_rating": 8.281,
        "num_ratings": 2013,
        "std_deviation": null,
        "geek_rating": 8.3,
        "bgg_overall_rank": 861,
        "bgg_thematic_rank": 136,
        "weight_complexity": 1.19
      },
      "player_info": {
        "player_count": "1–6",
        "best_player_count": "1–2 (solo/duo favored)",
        "playing_time_min": "30–60",
        "suggested_age": "8+"
      },
      "community_polling": {
        "notes": "Very high average rating (8.28) with over 2,000 ratings. Strongly favored by solo and duo players. Described as a legacy sticker game — too simple for hardcore hobbyists but beloved by casual/family audiences. Some criticism about replayability (one-time use stickers)."
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Dito! (aka JinxO)",
      "bgg_id": 400495,
      "bgg_url": "https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/400495/jinxo",
      "award": "Spiel des Jahres",
      "designer": "Martin Ang",
      "publisher": "Game Factory",
      "year_published": 2025,
      "stats": {
        "avg_rating": 7.5,
        "num_ratings": 271,
        "std_deviation": null,
        "geek_rating": 7.5,
        "bgg_overall_rank": 6642,
        "bgg_party_rank": 348,
        "weight_complexity": 1.00
      },
      "player_info": {
        "player_count": "3–8",
        "best_player_count": "5–7",
        "playing_time_min": "30–45",
        "suggested_age": "10+"
      },
      "community_polling": {
        "notes": "Competitive word-association party game. Lightest complexity (1.00). Best at higher player counts (5–7). Modest number of ratings (271) with solid 7.5 average. Well-suited for casual groups and families."
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Morty Sorty Magic Shop",
      "bgg_id": 462742,
      "bgg_url": "https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/462742/morty-sorty-magic-shop",
      "award": "Spiel des Jahres",
      "designer": "Markus Slawitscheck",
      "publisher": "Schmidt Spiele",
      "year_published": 2026,
      "stats": {
        "avg_rating": 7.129,
        "num_ratings": 175,
        "std_deviation": 1.35,
        "geek_rating": 7.1,
        "bgg_overall_rank": 8947,
        "weight_complexity": 1.58
      },
      "player_info": {
        "player_count": "2–4",
        "best_player_count": "2",
        "playing_time_min": "30",
        "suggested_age": "8+"
      },
      "community_polling": {
        "notes": "New 2026 release with relatively few ratings (175). Described as an ideal Spiel des Jahres candidate — pleasant, quick (30 min), family-friendly sorting game. Art style reminiscent of The Quacks of Quedlinburg. Best at 2 players."
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Boss Fighters QR",
      "bgg_id": 454672,
      "bgg_url": "https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/454672/boss-fighters-qr",
      "award": "Kennerspiel des Jahres",
      "designer": "Michael Palm & Lukas Zach",
      "publisher": "Pegasus Spiele",
      "year_published": 2025,
      "stats": {
        "avg_rating": 8.059,
        "num_ratings": 1362,
        "std_deviation": 1.29,
        "geek_rating": null,
        "bgg_overall_rank": 1617,
        "bgg_family_rank": 409,
        "weight_complexity": 2.08
      },
      "player_info": {
        "player_count": "2–4",
        "best_player_count": "3",
        "playing_time_min": "40–60",
        "suggested_age": "10+"
      },
      "community_polling": {
        "notes": "Highly rated cooperative boss-battler with app integration via QR codes. 10-boss campaign. Praised for smooth gameplay, strong player synergy, and excellent app implementation. Highest-rated Kennerspiel nominee (8.06 avg). Best at 3 players."
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Moon Colony Bloodbath",
      "bgg_id": 425549,
      "bgg_url": "https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/425549/moon-colony-bloodbath",
      "award": "Kennerspiel des Jahres",
      "designer": "Donald X. Vaccarino",
      "publisher": "Rio Grande Games / Alea",
      "year_published": 2025,
      "stats": {
        "avg_rating": 7.641,
        "num_ratings": 5458,
        "std_deviation": 1.26,
        "geek_rating": null,
        "bgg_overall_rank": 571,
        "bgg_strategy_rank": 355,
        "weight_complexity": 2.12
      },
      "player_info": {
        "player_count": "1–5",
        "best_player_count": "4",
        "playing_time_min": "45–90",
        "suggested_age": "14+"
      },
      "community_polling": {
        "notes": "Engine-building tableau game from Dominion designer. Most-rated Kennerspiel nominee (5,458 ratings). Highest BGG overall rank among Kennerspiel nominees (571). Supports solo play. Described as fast, smooth, and addictive despite the 'bloodbath' theme. Best at 4 players."
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Rebirth",
      "bgg_id": 417197,
      "bgg_url": "https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/417197/rebirth",
      "award": "Kennerspiel des Jahres",
      "designer": "Reiner Knizia",
      "publisher": "Frosted Games / Mighty Boards",
      "year_published": 2024,
      "stats": {
        "avg_rating": 7.761,
        "num_ratings": 6014,
        "std_deviation": 1.12,
        "geek_rating": 7.8,
        "bgg_overall_rank": 397,
        "bgg_strategy_rank": 246,
        "bgg_family_rank": 66,
        "weight_complexity": 2.00
      },
      "player_info": {
        "player_count": "2–4",
        "best_player_count": "3",
        "playing_time_min": "45–60",
        "suggested_age": "10+"
      },
      "community_polling": {
        "notes": "Tile-laying, route-building, area-control game from legendary designer Reiner Knizia. Compared to Carcassonne, Through the Desert, Samurai, Blue Lagoon. Highest-rated among all 9 nominees by number of ratings (6,014). Best BGG overall rank (397). Some controversy about rating inflation. Best at 3 players; 2-player experience described as underwhelming by some."
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Buh Party (Boo Party)",
      "bgg_id": 454722,
      "bgg_url": "https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/454722/boo-party",
      "award": "Kinderspiel des Jahres",
      "designer": "Florian Sirieix & Benoit Turpin",
      "publisher": "Loki",
      "year_published": 2025,
      "stats": {
        "avg_rating": 6.5,
        "num_ratings": 27,
        "std_deviation": null,
        "geek_rating": 6.5,
        "bgg_overall_rank": null,
        "weight_complexity": 1.00
      },
      "player_info": {
        "player_count": "2–6",
        "best_player_count": "4–5",
        "playing_time_min": "10–15",
        "suggested_age": "5+"
      },
      "community_polling": {
        "notes": "Very few ratings (27) — game is new/unreleased in many markets. Halloween-themed hidden-identity kids game. Monsters hide in costumes; a Seer tries to unmask them. Very light (1.00 weight), very short (10–15 min). Geek rating of 6.5 is low but typical for children's games on BGG (hobbyist audience bias)."
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Die Insel der Mookies (Mooki Island)",
      "bgg_id": 435346,
      "bgg_url": "https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/435346/mooki-island",
      "award": "Kinderspiel des Jahres",
      "designer": "Florian Sirieix",
      "publisher": "Kosmos / Scorpion Masqué",
      "year_published": 2025,
      "stats": {
        "avg_rating": 7.215,
        "num_ratings": 141,
        "std_deviation": 1.31,
        "geek_rating": 7.327,
        "bgg_overall_rank": 10593,
        "weight_complexity": 1.00
      },
      "player_info": {
        "player_count": "2",
        "best_player_count": "2 (only 2-player)",
        "playing_time_min": "15–20",
        "suggested_age": "4+"
      },
      "community_polling": {
        "notes": "2-player-only set collection game for young children. Adorable Mookie creatures theme. Highest-rated Kinderspiel nominee (7.22 avg, 141 ratings). Praised for charming artwork and simple choices. Good for kids and adults playing with children."
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Verflixt Verzaubert (Mimose & Sam et le Voleur de Fruits)",
      "bgg_id": 420360,
      "bgg_url": "https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/420360/mimose-and-sam-et-le-voleur-de-fruits",
      "award": "Kinderspiel des Jahres",
      "designer": "Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance",
      "publisher": "Game Factory",
      "year_published": 2024,
      "stats": {
        "avg_rating": 7.886,
        "num_ratings": 45,
        "std_deviation": 1.36,
        "geek_rating": 7.9,
        "bgg_overall_rank": 15056,
        "weight_complexity": 1.00
      },
      "player_info": {
        "player_count": "2–4",
        "best_player_count": "3–4 (One-vs-All)",
        "playing_time_min": "20–30",
        "suggested_age": "5+"
      },
      "community_polling": {
        "notes": "One-vs-All deduction game for families. One player is a ghost thief stealing magical objects; others are apprentice wizards trying to unmask them. Highest average rating among Kinderspiel nominees (7.89) but very few ratings (45). German edition released Q1 2026 as 'Verflixt Verzaubert'."
      }
    }
  ],
  "summary_comparison": {
    "by_award_category": {
      "spiel_des_jahres": {
        "games": ["Cozy Stickerville", "Dito! (JinxO)", "Morty Sorty Magic Shop"],
        "avg_rating_range": "7.13 – 8.28",
        "weight_range": "1.00 – 1.58",
        "total_ratings": "2,459",
        "characteristic": "Light family games, accessible to all ages, quick play times (30–60 min)"
      },
      "kennerspiel_des_jahres": {
        "games": ["Boss Fighters QR", "Moon Colony Bloodbath", "Rebirth"],
        "avg_rating_range": "7.64 – 8.06",
        "weight_range": "2.00 – 2.12",
        "total_ratings": "12,834",
        "characteristic": "Medium-weight enthusiast games, more strategic depth, longer play times (45–90 min)"
      },
      "kinderspiel_des_jahres": {
        "games": ["Buh Party (Boo Party)", "Die Insel der Mookies (Mooki Island)", "Verflixt Verzaubert (Mimose & Sam)"],
        "avg_rating_range": "6.50 – 7.89",
        "weight_range": "1.00 – 1.00",
        "total_ratings": "213",
        "characteristic": "Very light children's games, ages 4–5+, very short play times (10–30 min), few BGG ratings (hobbyist audience bias)"
      }
    },
    "highest_avg_rating": "Cozy Stickerville (8.28)",
    "most_ratings": "Rebirth (6,014)",
    "highest_bgg_rank": "Rebirth (Overall #397)",
    "lowest_weight": "Multiple at 1.00 (Dito!, Buh Party, Mooki Island, Verflixt Verzaubert)",
    "highest_weight": "Moon Colony Bloodbath (2.12)"
  }
}