Barnes & Noble names Endearment and Making Monsters its 2026 game winners
Created By Adam Davis Fernsby
20th October 2026, 12:22 CEST
Barnes & Noble has named Endearment its 2026 Game of the Year and Making Monsters its Family Game of the Year. The US bookseller announced both selections on 19 October 2026, recognising two different approaches to a shared game night: Regency-era social manoeuvring and a competition to build monsters.
The awards belong to the retailer’s own annual selections. For readers looking beyond familiar family classics, they put the spotlight on two games with distinct themes, player counts and styles of decision-making.
At a glance
- Endearment is Barnes & Noble’s 2026 Game of the Year; Making Monsters takes its Family Game of the Year title.
- Both selections were announced on 19 October 2026.
- Endearment supports 1–4 players; Making Monsters is for 2–4 players aged 10 and over.
Endearment turns courtship into strategy
In its official Endearment announcement, Barnes & Noble describes a game inspired by Jane Austen’s world. Players guide heroines through Regency society, develop their traits and relationships, and compete to earn Endearment.
Visits to locations such as a tea house and a dressmaker support those ambitions. The game combines its social theme with planning around resources, rivals and changing story chapters. It can be played solo or competitively, with the retailer listing a playing time of 40–70 minutes.
Amy and Dusty Droz are the designers behind the game. Barnes & Noble’s exclusive Peacock Edition includes Handsome Headdresses and a metal peacock first-player piece, so readers comparing editions should check which version a shop is offering.
Making Monsters mixes preparation with risk
The Family Game of the Year announcement takes players into a very different setting. In Making Monsters, rival scientists order ingredients and assemble creatures for a science fair, balancing ambitious experiments against the possibility of failure.
The game uses bag-building and push-your-luck decisions. Completing monsters earns prestige and enables upgrades, while a rotating central board is part of the physical presentation. Barnes & Noble lists 45–60 minutes for a game.
Published by Sky Lion Games, it was designed by Jonathan Gilmour-Long and David Gordon, with artwork by Brett Bean. The publisher also confirmed the award in its 19 October press release.
Two selections, different audiences
Endearment offers a historical theme and a solo option; Making Monsters centres on a multiplayer family competition. Those differences are useful starting points when deciding which deserves a closer look.
The new development is the pair of awards. They do not establish a new worldwide release date or guarantee stock outside the United States. International buyers should check the edition, language and availability with their own retailer.