Tabletop Scholars: Nominate a Game
Board games, card games, and other non-digital tabletop titles are eligible for submission. Industry board members from Board Game Academics will conduct an initial review of game submissions and announce which categories that year will be presented to the Tabletop Scholars at the conference for their evaluation. These evaluations will emphasize accessibility, inclusivity, clarity of instructions, adaptability across diverse settings, and the potential for practical, positive application beyond recreation.
Requirements
Tabletop Scholars will assess games’ usability with groups of professionals in the field, their ability to foster learning or therapeutic growth, and their overall design quality. Written feedback is provided to publishers, including detailed comments from professionals regarding the game’s value within their areas of expertise.
All submissions must be complete, and published games should be appropriate for general audiences. We cannot accept prototypes, single-use titles, or games requiring apps or electronics. Submissions should reflect a commitment to inclusive design, ensuring that players of different abilities, backgrounds, and identities can participate meaningfully.
Screening Process
Thank you for your interest in submitting a game to the Tabletop Scholars Conference for consideration in the Board Game Academic Accreditation recognition program.
Eligibility Requirements
- Only commercially available tabletop games (no prototypes or video games) will be accepted.
- Upon selection, the publisher will be contacted to provide six new physical copies of the game for evaluation.
Nominate a Game
Publisher Requirements
For the game to be selected, the publisher must agree to the following. Board Game Academics will contact the publisher to facilitate these steps.
- To provide six copies of the submitted game.
- Allow the Tabletop Scholars Conference evaluation team to use the game for evaluation.
- Submissions that do not meet the eligibility requirements may be disqualified.
Publishers of winning games will receive the digital Board Game Academic Accreditation for use on product boxes, websites, emails, and social media.
Want to Attend?
Apply to join us in Rochester as a game evaluator from the link below. You’ll be asked to join BGA, and upon approval, will receive a registration link for the conference.