Germany is the country where a box of cardboard and dice can fill a Friday night with laughter. Here is why game night will be one of the easiest ways to make friends after you arrive.
Picture your first Friday evening in Germany. It is dark by five, it is cold outside, and you do not know many people yet. Then a flatmate knocks on your door, holding a colourful box. “We are playing a game in the kitchen. Want to join?”
Say yes. That one evening around a kitchen table can change your whole first semester.
In Germany, board games are not just for children. Students, office workers, grandparents and whole friend groups play them every week. They are called Gesellschaftsspiele, which literally means “games for company”, and that name tells you exactly why they matter. They are how people get together, laugh, and get to know each other without any pressure.
Germany Is the Home of Modern Board Games
You may already know Catan, the game where you build roads and settlements and trade wood for sheep. It was created by the German designer Klaus Teuber and won Germany’s top board game award, Spiel des Jahres, in 1995. According to the award jury, every one of its eleven jurors gave it top marks, something that had never happened before. The game went on to be published in more than 70 countries and has sold around 27 million copies together with its expansions and editions.
Catan helped start a whole style of games that people around the world still call “German games” or Eurogames. They are clever, friendly and usually do not knock anyone out of the game early, so everyone stays at the table until the end.
The Spiel des Jahres award itself has been running since 1979, chosen by an independent jury of game critics. Each July it names a game of the year, plus awards for expert games and children’s games. The 2026 winner was Dito!, a cheerful word game for 3 to 7 players where you score by guessing what your friends are thinking. The jury said that while you play, you get to know your fellow players better. That is board game culture in Germany in one sentence.
The World’s Biggest Board Game Fair Happens in Germany
Every October the city of Essen hosts SPIEL Essen, the world’s largest public fair for board games. In 2026 it ran from 22 to 25 October and was sold out on all four days. The organisers reported a record 230,000 visitors, 997 exhibitors from 53 countries, and more than 2,000 new games across eight halls.
Imagine walking through halls filled with tables where you can sit down and try brand new games with strangers from all over the world. Many international students take a train to Essen with friends just for the experience. The next edition is planned for 21 to 24 October 2027, and since 2026 sold out, buying tickets early is a smart idea. Dates and prices can change, so check the official website before you plan.
Your Kitchen Table Will Become the Best Room in Your WG
If you live in a shared flat, called a WG, game night often happens naturally. Someone has an old copy of Catan, someone else brings a card game, and suddenly it is midnight and everyone is laughing about who stole whose sheep.
For a new student from Sri Lanka, this is a gift. You do not need perfect German to play. Rules can be explained in English, many games use pictures and symbols instead of text, and your flatmates will happily teach you. Within a few rounds you will be part of the group, making jokes and planning revenge for the next game.
Game night also costs almost nothing. Instead of going out to an expensive bar, people cook something simple, put out snacks, and play at home. On a student budget, that matters a lot.
Borrow Games for Free from Your City Library
Here is a secret many newcomers do not know. Lots of public libraries in Germany lend board games, just like books.
The Stadtbibliothek Freiburg, for example, says it has more than 1,300 games to choose from and adds over 100 new titles every year, guided by the big awards. Games there can be borrowed for four weeks and extended up to three times. The Stadtbibliothek Saarbrücken lends games for free for four weeks, including classics like Catan and Monopoly. In Solingen, the library’s game collection has more than 1,000 games, and borrowing is free with a valid library card.
Rules, fees and collection sizes differ from city to city, so check your local library’s website after you register in your new town. With a library card, you can try a new game every month without spending money on it. Just remember to count the pieces before you return the box, because libraries check that everything is complete.
Game Cafés, Clubs and Open Game Evenings
Beyond home and the library, you will find many places to play with new people.
Board game cafés exist in many German cities. You pay a small table fee or order drinks and food, and pick from shelves full of games. Staff often help explain the rules.
Libraries and community centres often run open game evenings, called a Spieletreff or Spieleabend, where anyone can drop in. The Saarbrücken library, for example, lists regular game meetings and even pen and paper role playing sessions for adults.
Universities also have student groups for board games, card games and role playing games. Look out for them during your first week, at the student union, or on your university’s club list. Joining one is one of the fastest ways to meet both German and international students who share a hobby with you.
Why Game Night Is Perfect for Your German
Board games are a surprisingly good language teacher. While you play, you hear the same simple words again and again. Du bist dran means “it is your turn”. Würfeln means “to roll the dice”. Gewonnen means “won”. You learn numbers, colours and everyday phrases in a relaxed way, and nobody minds if you make mistakes.
Many popular games come in German editions, and playing them with German speakers pushes you to listen and react quickly. Word games like Dito! are a fun challenge once your German grows. It is learning that does not feel like studying.
A Good Fit for the German Winter
German winters are long and the evenings get dark early. Instead of feeling lonely in your room, game night gives you a warm reason to be with people. A pot of tea, a plate of biscuits, and four friends around a table can make even a grey December evening feel cosy.
You can also bring a little Sri Lanka to the table. Teach your new friends carrom, or a card game you played at home with your cousins. Germans love trying new games, and sharing your own is a beautiful way to show where you come from.
Simple Tips for Your First Game Night
Say yes when you are invited, even if you have never played that game before. Everyone was a beginner once.
Bring something small, like snacks or drinks. It is a friendly gesture and people notice it.
Ask questions about the rules. Germans usually enjoy explaining them properly before starting.
Play fair and be a good loser. Laughing about a lost game is part of the fun.
Offer to host the next one. Even a small student room can fit three people and a card game.
The Friends You Make Around the Table
Years after your degree, you may not remember every lecture. But you will remember the night you finally won at Catan, the friend who always cheated a little, and the flatmate who taught you your first German words over a pile of cards.
That is what life in Germany can feel like. Not just studying, but belonging.
If you want to start your journey to studying in Germany, Belfurt can guide you step by step, from choosing the right university to preparing for your new life there.
Plan your study in Germany from Sri Lanka
Life in Germany starts with a good plan. These free Belfurt tools help you take the next step:
- Study in Germany Cost Calculator (LKR): estimate your blocked account, rent and monthly costs in rupees.
- Master’s Readiness Check: check your grades and profile for German master’s programmes.
- Visa Interview Simulator: practise typical German student visa interview questions.
Questions? Message Belfurt on WhatsApp at +94 77 056 9927 or use our contact page.
Keep reading
- Thermal Baths in Germany: Your First Therme Day
- Ice Skating in Germany: Your First Eisbahn Night
- Volksfest in Germany: Free Funfairs for Students
Sources
Prices, dates and rules change. Always check the official pages before you plan.
- SPIEL Essen closing report 2026: spielwarenmesse-group.com, spiel-essen.de
- Brettspiel-News.de / wuerfelreich.de: brettspiel-news.de, wuerfelreich.de
- Spiel des Jahres, 2026 winners: spiel-des-jahres.de, spiel-des-jahres.de
- Spiel des Jahres, history: spiel-des-jahres.de, spiel-des-jahres.de
- Spiel des Jahres, 1995 Die Siedler von Catan by Klaus Teuber: spiel-des-jahres.de
- Stadtbibliothek Freiburg board games: stadtbibliothek.freiburg.de
- Stadtbibliothek Saarbruecken: stadtbibliothek.saarbruecken.de
- Stadt Solingen Spieliothek: solingen.de
- Cover photo: "Spiel 2015 Essen – Der Freitag – Treasure Hunter" by yashima, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons: commons.wikimedia.org
