Catan 6th Edition

Catan — 6th Edition

Thirty years. Still the one everyone argues about.

If you've ever played a board game with people who don't usually play board games, there's a reasonable chance it was Catan. Since Klaus Teuber introduced it to the world in 1995, it has sold over 45 million copies, won the Spiel des Jahres, and quietly converted more people to hobby gaming than almost anything else on the planet. It is, in the most genuine sense of the word, a classic.

This 6th Edition — released in 2025 to mark the game's 30th anniversary — doesn't mess with what works. The core mechanics are untouched. What it does bring is everything the game deserved all along: beautiful revamped artwork, redesigned terrain tiles with a richer naturalistic aesthetic, a new square premium box, organised card holders, and a streamlined rulebook built for getting new players up and running faster than ever.

How to play Catan

You and up to three friends are settlers on the island of Catan, collecting resources — wood, brick, grain, ore, sheep — and using them to build roads, settlements and cities. Dice determine what resources get produced each turn, trading keeps everyone involved even when it's not their go, and the race to ten victory points creates exactly the right amount of tension, negotiation, and occasional betrayal.

It's approachable enough for people who've never played a strategy game, deep enough to keep experienced players coming back, and social enough that the table talk is half the fun.

What's new in the 6th Edition

The game now features a premium square-format box, redesigned tiles with naturalistic aesthetics, and a new resource card holder. Roads, settlements and cities are slightly larger than previous editions. The rulebook has been revamped with additional images and examples of play to streamline the learning process, and the term "expansion" returns after being changed to "extensions" in the 5th edition. A new paired player rule also replaces the Special Build phase for 5–6 player games. Tabletop Monthly + 2

If you already own Catan, this edition is worth the upgrade for the components alone. If you've never played, there is genuinely no better time to start.

The details

• Players: 3–4 (5–6 with expansion)
• Playing time: 60–120 minutes
• Ages: 10+
• Designer: Klaus Teuber
• Publisher: CATAN Studio / Kosmos

Perfect for: Strategy lovers, family game nights, anyone who's been meaning to try it for years, and anyone whose previous copy is looking a little worn