Ares Games will be attending the Spielwarenmesse 2026 - Nuremberg Toy Fair (Hall 10.0 Booth F-05) presenting three releases coming in the second half of 2026: the strategy game Quartermaster General: West Front and two expansions in the War of the Ring game line, Sieges of Middle-earth, the 4th expansion of the War of the Ring board game, and Hope and Despair, the 3rd expansion of the card game.
At the Nuremberg Toy Fair, Ares will also present two new games, Mega Empires: Far East - North and South, launching on Kickstarter in Q1/2026 and two upcoming releases, the thematic game Viking Route and the first expansion for ‘Altay – Dawn of Civilization’, Altay Seafarers. The recently released roll, flip, and write game Tedoku will also be spotlighted.
‘Quartermaster General: West Front’ is the third entry in Quartermaster General’s two-player line. It is played over 23 seasonal game rounds, from Fall 1939 through Spring 1945, with one player controlling the Allies’ forces - United Kingdom, United States, and France – and the other playing the Axis - Germany, Italy, and other associated countries (the “Pact,” so called after the Tripartite Pact). ‘West Front’ also includes components and rules to create massive, combined games with ‘Quartermaster General: East Front’ and ‘South Front’.
‘Sieges of Middle-Earth’ is a new expansion for the ‘War of the Ring Second Edition’ boardgame, focusing on the siege battles against the main strongholds of the Free Peoples. New game mechanics bring those desperate battles to the forefront of the conflict: the Shadow player can field powerful Siege Engines to smash fortifications and spread despair among the defenders, while the Free Peoples player may attempt heroic feats, lead bold sorties, and inspire last stands that can turn the tide of battle.
‘Hope and Despair’ is an expansion for ‘War of the Ring - The Card Game’ that adds a new type of card, the Story card. Inspired by key events and turning points of ‘The Lord of the Rings’, Story cards represent natural and supernatural influences on the events of Middle-earth and provide a powerful way to modify your playing decks.
‘Mega Empires: The Far East – North’ and ‘Mega Empires: The Far East – South’ are two new stand-alone sets expanding the epic ‘Mega Empires’ series. These games will explore peoples, dynasties, and historic developments from the easternmost regions of Asia, from Japan to Indonesia. Both games are designed for 3 to 5 players, and they can also be combined together or with previous Mega Empires games (Mega Empires: The West and Mega Empires: The East). The new games will be launched with a crowdfunding campaign in the first quarter of the year and are due to be released in Spring 2027.
Coming to retail in February 2026, ‘Altay – Seafarers’ is the first expansion for ‘Altay - Dawn of Civilization’, opening the gates to the seas and the mysteries of the ancient Waterfolk – enigmatic people forgotten by history who could command the waves with their songs and bend the ocean to their will. Seafarers introduces three major additions: a brand-new game board, the Forgotten Sea, where players can establish harbours and expand their civilizations through maritime routes; new rules for shipbuilding, sailing, and naval combat, supported by fresh action cards and technologies such as Shipwrights, Sailors, Explorers, and Astronomy; and a completely new playable faction, the Waterfolk.
‘Viking Route’ is a cooperative game with an ingenious compass-and-magnets movement mechanic. Players sail a magical Drakkar to the World’s Edge, guided by Odin’s ravens and the winds of Fate, facing powerful Norse creatures, fulfilling challenging quests, and preparing for the decisive battle to avert Ragnarök. The game is played on a beautiful 3D Viking ship and a scenario board, where the Drakkar is represented by a compass. The players manipulate multiple magnets (the Ravens and Wind) to steer the course of their ship. Funded on Kickstarter in December 2024, it is due to be released in Q2/2026.
Published in late 2025, ‘TEDOKU’ is a clever roll, flip, and write game for any number of players, combining the logical satisfaction of Sudoku with the spatial challenges of polyomino puzzles. It can be played solo or as a group, as players only need a pencil and their own sheet. All players use the same inputs, placing shapes so that at least a part of them touches a specific area. After 20 turns, they score points for all completed rows, columns, and sectors. The highest score wins, with ties broken by the fewest empty squares.
War of the Ring, War of the Ring -The Card Game, Sieges of Middle-earth, Hope and Despair, Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings and the characters, items, events, and places therein are trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC used under license by Ares Games srl.