A new version of Catan is due to land in Spring 2025, and it gives the long-running board game a facelift. As the board game's sixth edition since the series began in 1995, this update is focused on "modernizing the Catan brand for today’s players" according to CEO Guido Teuber.
However, that doesn't mean the essentials are changing – those iconic mechanics haven't been meddled with. The art and rulebook are the center of attention instead.
Besides an overhaul that sees the game's tiles, cards, and packaging rebuilt from scratch, the instructions have been streamlined with clearer examples that will apparently help newcomers find their feet faster than before.
Catan's storage solutions have also leveled up thanks to eco-friendly box trays and organized card holders to keep everything in order (an eternal thorn in the side of the best board games).
Catan managing director Benjamin Teuber noted that the team's goal "was to enhance many parts of the player experience without redefining the game play – redesigning our packaging, evolving the game’s art across components, focusing on functionality, and even reimagining the rulebook to simplify the learning component of picking up the game for the first time.