Asmodee confirms Essen lineup, led by Forest Shuffle and Middle-earth

Forest Shuffle heads to North America

The Asmodee announcement says Lookout Games will offer Smoky Mountains demonstrations throughout the event, with a promotional card for purchases made at the show.

This is the third standalone Forest Shuffle game, rather than an expansion requiring an earlier box. Lookout’s product page lists two to five players, ages ten and up, and an estimated hour of play. Kosch returns as designer, with illustrations by Toni Llobet and Judit Piella.

The setting moves to the Great Smoky Mountains, introducing water-focused terrain and new interactions between plants and animals. Black bears and bobcats are among the larger wildlife featured. Lookout says the game will reach shops alongside its October Essen appearance; that is a release plan, so buyers should still confirm local stock and language editions with their retailer.

Middle-earth previews and familiar favourites

Office Dog’s Circle of Conflict, designed by Stephen Buonocore and Geoff Engelstein, will be shown ahead of its official release. Asmodee also lists the forthcoming Allies & Quest expansion for Duel for Middle-earth among its Middle-earth attractions.

The publisher’s eight themed zones include a LEGO area featuring NINJAGO: Destiny’s Bounty Adventures, plus family and Disney areas with games such as Dixit and Dixit Disney Edition. Visitors can find Asmodee and its studios in halls 5 and 7.

For a refresher before trying the picture-led storytelling game, Playiro’s Dixit guide explains clue-giving, voting and scoring. The basic challenge is to offer a clue that some players understand without making the answer obvious to everyone.

Dates and tickets for visitors

The organiser’s visitor information confirms that SPIEL runs from October 22–25, 2026, at Messe Essen in Germany. Opening hours are 10am–7pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 10am–6pm on Sunday.

Tickets are sold online only, with no ticket counters at the venue. The organiser says a ticket covers the full opening hours for its day and that trying games carries no additional charge. Check the official ticket page for current ticket categories and prices before making travel arrangements.

For planning a visit, keep a separate list of games to sample and games to purchase. An appearance on a convention lineup does not by itself establish a worldwide release date or guarantee that every edition will be available to take home.