Do you have a Fast and Fun design that you and your playtesters think is the next big thing? AEG may want it for Big Game Night.
AEG is now actively looking for games for future Big Game Night lineups.
That process starts right here in our Design Portal, and pitches should be sent to [email protected]. All normal pitch submission guidelines and requirements remain in effect.
What Is Big Game Night?
Big Game Night (BGN) is one of AEG’s signature launch events. Almost one thousand players and GMs gather together at Gen Con to learn and play a curated lineup of brand-new games in a high-energy shared game night.
As these pictures show participants play 3-4 new games each year and when the evening ends
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Players leave with the games they just played.
That “I played it, I loved it, I own it” moment is the core of the BGN experience.
BGN is designed around the idea that sampling works. If players have fun, they will want to bring the game back to their own tables and play it again.
Games launched through BGN include Point Salad, Cat Lady, and other titles that went on to become long-term favorites. Every year we are looking for games that create memorable moments around the table.
Point Salad designers and owners of Flatout Games Molly Johnson, Shawn Stankewich and Robb Melvin at their first Big Game Night
What Makes a Great BGN Game?
There is no single formula, but successful BGN games tend to share a few important traits.
Quick to Learn
Players should be up and running in five minutes or less.
Fun Immediately
The game should create engagement right away. We want players smiling, reacting, and participating from the first turn.
Plays Well at Larger Counts
Games that work smoothly at 4 players without excessive downtime are especially attractive for BGN events. 7-8 is also a good BGN number because two tables can join together to enjoy those games.
30–45 Minute Play Time
We are looking for games that feel satisfying without overstaying their welcome.
Easy Setup and Breakdown
3-4 games will be taught and played during BGN. Fast set-up and breakdown is a must.
Facilitator Friendly
A volunteer or experienced player should be able to help guide the table without confusion or constant rules lookups. Big Game Night games need to function well in live event environments where games are being taught throughout the night.
Strong Replay Hook
The best BGN games create the feeling of “that was fast and fun let’s play again.”
Party Mode
Not required, but highly interesting to us: Games that can support large shared experiences where many players or tables can participate simultaneously. Think of experiences similar to Tiny Towns or other multiplayer-solo style structures. We have run Tiny Towns for 1000 players at once at the Gencon BGN event.
The 2026 Big Game Night Lineup
Our 2026 lineup includes four very different games that we are incredibly excited about:
Each of these games stood out to us for a different reason.
JumbleJack has one of the most unique gameplay components we have ever featured in a game. The JumbleJack doll and the way it is used during play really makes this hidden identity pirate party game shine.
Honey Pot delivers a fun social experience with strong table engagement and a hook that players understand almost immediately. Flatout Games has consistently shown a strong ability to identify games with this kind of instantly engaging core play experience.
Wiped! Word Wipe combines speed, tension, and accessibility in a way that creates instant participation. It’s cooperative and easy to jump into, but still creates exciting moments throughout the game.
Assemble! impressed us because of how quickly players understood the core idea while still feeling clever and satisfying to play repeatedly.
What most BGN games share is something very important: they already worked.
One of the unique things about Big Game Night is that we are specifically looking for games that are already gameplay ready.
Traditional AEG development often involves long periods of collaborative playtesting and iteration with designers before productization begins. We spend significant time balancing, refining, and tuning gameplay systems.
BGN games are different.
We will absolutely provide feedback, identify possible balance concerns, and brainstorm smaller gameplay improvements, but for the most part these games are released publicly with the gameplay vision the designer originally created. A hook that grabbed us as players not developers.
Historically, many of AEG’s most successful titles followed this exact pattern. We played Cat Lady, Point Salad, Space Base, and Love Letter once before signing them, and very little gameplay development was required afterward. The core experience was already there from the beginning.
Designers- What Helps a BGN Pitch Stand Out?
Pitch videos matter. A lot.
A strong pitch video is often the fastest way for us to understand whether a game has BGN potential. Games with a clear hook, immediate table energy, and gameplay that can be understood quickly will immediately get our attention.
We are especially interested in games where we can watch the pitch video and quickly understand:
- How to play
- Why players will care
- What makes the game feel different
- What creates excitement at the table
- Why players will want to play again
Games do not need final art or polished production values, but they do need confidence in the gameplay experience.
We are not looking for raw prototypes that still need the core gameplay discovered or heavily balanced. We are looking for games that have already been played, tested, refined, and proven at the table, games where the designer already understands exactly what the game is and why players connect with it.
Remember what we said earlier about your game being ready for the world and just needing a publisher to say yes?
If that sounds like your game, we would love to see it.
