The newly revised edition of Catan comes with a little Klaus Teuber hidden on the cover
Klaus Teubers Katanwidely credited with starting the modern board game renaissance, turns 30 this year. To celebrate, Catan – the global company behind the beloved tabletop brand – is refreshing the look and feel of the classic title for the first time in a decade with a revised sixth edition launching in April 2025. New, revised extensions and extensions are also available. currently in production for release. Polygon spoke with director Benjamin Teuber, son of the original game’s late designer, to discuss the upcoming release.
Katan tells a story about Vikings who colonized islands long before the dawn of modern Europe, asking players to make their way in the fictional world by trading commodities such as wood, grain and sheep. The game’s popularity has directly contributed to changing American tastes for board games. Nowadays, the domestic audience has a strong preference for these so-called “Euro-style” board games Katan eschew direct conflict, instead favoring cooperative gameplay with more limited randomness and dice rolling.
Benjamin Teuber told Polygon that even he is constantly surprised by the impact his father had on the industry.
“It has changed so much in the way (board) gaming is perceived,” he said in a recent video call, “and how you bring people to the table.”
Ten years ago Katan changed the name, deleted the preamble of “The Settlers of” and put the name of the island first. This time around, the biggest change by far is the new box art, which offers a brighter and more naturalistic expression of the Katan universe — complete with hexagonal fields in the background, which directly reflect the look of the game on the table. There’s also a very heartfelt Easter egg embedded in the base game’s cover: a little Klaus Teuber wheeling a cart full of wheat around the track.
The tile art has also been updated and the components, such as roads and buildings, are a hair larger, while a handy plastic packaging makes drawing maps easier. For existing fans, however, it is Katan should look and play just like it has in the past. Importantly, it also remains compatible with existing expansions, so fans can be assured of cross-compatibility with the supplements they already own.
Benjamin Teuber said he hopes the game’s appeal will continue well into the next three decades.
“My personal opinion is that the best way to publicize a game is to play it and let people play it,” he said. “I think there are a few things you just have to do these days, like a good video tutorial explaining the game, easy access to the game, maybe a good app to learn the game. But then you just have to let people experience it.”
Katannext to Catan: Cities and Knights And Catan: Seafarers expansions, will be available worldwide in 6th Edition starting April 4, 2025, alongside their five- and six-player expansions.