Last year, 13 of us assembled into a board and, with help from many volunteers, put out a call to women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people to compete in designing a top historical boardgame from any viewpoint they chose. ... https://zenobiaaward.org/advancing-game-proposals/

By January, we were overwhelmed with 145 applications. Through a judging process that we have tried to make as expert, diverse, and fair as we could, we have narrowed that amazing field down to these 46 game concepts from 46 diverse designers and teams. ...

Many of us saw some of our favorite entries declined for advancement, in the need of the competition to narrow to an eventual winner. Yet the breadth, depth, and freshness of the remaining field of talent is clear. ...

We had asked contestants to simulate any historical setting that inspired them—political, social, cultural, scientific, economic, military, or any other human affairs in any combination, up to the present day. Look how much history we got back to explore ...

I hope that you will agree, the results include something for everyone!

Shortly, designers will submit their game material drafts for feedback that will augment what they are already receiving from our dedicated mentors. ...

In just over two months, designers will submit their playable prototypes to our judges panels, to zero in on a handful of finalists whose work will exemplify historicity, originality, and gameplay. ...

Let’s cheer these groundbreaking designers on as they invent and tighten their prototypes. We have some great historical gaming in store for all of us @ZenobiaAward!