Essen 2026: five boxes I want to bring home

From 22 to 25 October SPIEL Essen opens its doors, and for the occasion I'm teaming up with Dis on joue: we each put together a top 5, and we set them side by side, place by place. My rule is simple. Not a ranking of what's most anticipated, but the boxes I really want to bring a copy of back home. All five of my picks have already crossed your path in my pre-show series, the first round-up in July, my seven August new releases and my September world tour. One caveat upfront: I haven't played any of these, they are wishes on paper.