1996 in games

This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and tabletop role-playing games published in 1996. For video games, see 1996 in video gaming.

Game awards given in 1996

• Origins Awards (for 1995):
  • Best Card Game: Middle-earth: The Wizards
  • Best Fantasy or Science-Fiction Board Game: Dragon Dice
  • Best Graphic Presentation of a Board Game: RoboRally - Armed and Dangerous
  • Best Miniatures Rules: Warzone - A Fast & Furious Miniatures Battle Game
  • Best Modern-Day Board Game: Empire of the Rising Sun
  • Best Pre-20th Century Board Game (tie): Colonial Diplomacy, Three Days of Gettysburg
  • Best Roleplaying Rules: Mage: The Ascension (2nd edition)
  • Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame
    • Axis & Allies
    • Call of Cthulhu RPG
• Games: 25 Words or Less

Significant games-related events of 1996

• Five Rings Publishing Group formed as a spin-out of Alderac Entertainment Group and ISOMEDIA.
• Looney Labs is founded after the demise of Icehouse Games, Inc.

Deaths

Date	Name	Age	Notability
April 17	Piet Hein	90	Scientist and game designer
July 18	Stephen Donaldson	49	Activist and wargame designer for Simulations Publications, Inc.
December 18	Charles Deaton	75	Architect who designed Gusher (1946)

See also

• 1996 in video gaming