What Kind of Games Is AEG Looking For?

Every AEG game should feel great to play and make players want to come back for more. We value compelling decisions, smooth turns, clear goals with satisfying payoffs, and just enough surprise to keep each session feeling fresh. Whether it’s an engine builder or a party game, it should be quick to teach, rewarding to master, and have a strong table presence or identity.

Just as important, the game’s elevator pitch needs to be instantly catchy—something that grabs attention and makes people say, “I want to play that.”

Our ideal game has a secret sauce that makes it fun to play, fun to lose, and even more fun to try again. The best games are the ones players want to revisit—even when they rarely win.

We’re actively seeking submissions in the following categories. If your game fits one (or more) of these, we’d love to hear from you:

Party Games

What we’re looking for:
Fast, funny, and highly social games with sneaky depth for 4–10+ players. Easy to teach, quick to play, and built around memorable moments, 

Ideal traits:
Laughter, clever reveals, social deduction, chaotic fun, or structured creativity.
(Think: games you’d play at a game night, dinner party, or with coworkers.)
(Examples:, Codenames, Things in Rings, Just One, Taboo)

Single Card Games

What we’re looking for:
Self-contained card games with clever mechanics and replayability (No CCG’s so no boosters or blind buys.)

Ideal traits:
Portable, affordable, teachable in 5 minutes or less, and punchy enough to hit the table often.
(Examples: Point Salad, Love Letter, Flip 7, The Gang, The Mind)

Expandable Card Games

What we are looking for:
Card-driven games with a strong core and room to grow—expandable through fixed packs, modular decks, or new character/faction sets. No boosters or blind buys. This also includes cards as the engine for a wider board game.

Ideal Traits:
Fast-playing, easy to learn, and highly replayable. Expansions should feel fresh without bloating the system. Modular content, asymmetric decks, or scenario variety are all welcome.
(Examples: Dominion, Smash-Up, Thunderstone, Dune Imperium, Lost Ruins of Arnak) 

Tableau / Engine-Building Games

What we’re looking for:
Games where players build something that gets stronger or more efficient over time.

Ideal traits:
Combo-driven play, strategic decisions, and rewarding player arcs in under 60 minutes.
(Examples: Space Base, Wingspan, Century Spice Road, 7 Wonders)

Pattern-Building Puzzle Games

What we’re looking for:
Visually satisfying games built on spatial placement and scoring optimization.

Ideal traits:
Simple rules with deep gameplay. Abstract-ish, and beautiful when finished.
(Examples: Splendor, Cascadia, Calico, Azul, Sagrada)

Family Weight Euro Style Games 

What we’re looking for:
Games that provide strategic depth without overwhelming complexity. Accessible across generations.

Ideal traits:
Minimal text, clear icons, turns under 60 seconds, and rich decisions.
(A modern take on the classic Euro, but with warmth and charm)(Examples:Ticket To Ride, Carcassonne, Wingspan)

Push-Your-Luck Games

What we’re looking for:
Games that create tension and excitement through risk-taking.

Ideal traits:
Easy to learn, quick to reset, with fun choices and dramatic swings.
(Examples: Can’t Stop, Quacks of Quedlinburg, Flip 7)

Authentically Themed Games

What we’re looking for:
Games that deliver comfort, warmth, cozyness, or mindfulness through connection between theme, tone and gameplay. 

Ideal traits:
Wholesome settings, tactile components, and emotional accessibility.
(Examples: Lets Go to Japan, Tokaido, A Gentle Rain, Knitting Circle)

You may notice that all the games we’re currently looking for from new-to-us designers fall into a certain weight class. So what about bigger titles, games like Terraforming Mars, Edge of Darkness, Dead Reckoning, or Everdell? We know AEG publishes games like these, so why aren’t they on the list?

AEG is a relationship-driven company. When a designer releases a successful game with us, it often leads to future collaborations, and sometimes that next game is a larger, more complex title. But for new designers we haven’t worked with before, it’s much harder to fully evaluate and appreciate a heavier game from a short pitch. That’s why we usually start with something more accessible and build from there.