A game designer is a person who invents games at the conceptual level. Outstanding board game designers are recognized annually by awards such as the Spiel des Jahres and the As d'Or. The Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design, a division of the Game Manufacturers Association, inducts outstanding individuals into the Hall of Fame.
The Origins Awards are presented by Game Manufacturers Association for outstanding work in the tabletop gaming industry. The Charles S. Roberts Award and the Charles Roberts Awards Hall of Fame recognize excellence in manual, tabletop games, with a focus on conflict simulations. Mensa Select is an annual award given by American Mensa to five board games that are "original, challenging and well designed".
The following is a list of notable board game designers. Role-playing games are not included in this list, but can be found in Role playing game designers.
DesignerNotable gamesHonorsScott AbbottTrivial PursuitRobert AbbottBaroque chess (aka Ultima), Crossings, and EpaminondasF. O. AlexanderMonopolyTed AlspachSuburbia and WerewordsMensa SelectRobert AngelPictionaryRichard BakerAxis & Allies Miniatures and Axis & Allies Naval Miniatures: War at SeaRich BannerEuropaAntoine Bauza7 Wonders, Mia London, Ghost Stories, and TakenokoKennerspiel des JahresDeutscher Spiele PreisAs d'Or Jeu de l'AnnéeMichael BennighofU.S. Navy Plan Orange, Celtic Age, Panzer Grenadier, and Great War at SeaOrigins Award (3)Richard BergWar of the Ring and The Campaign for North Africa and Gondor: The Siege of Minas Tirith Hall of FameBrian BlumePanzer Warfare and Warriors of MarsChristophe BoelingerDungeon TwisterTy BombaWhen Dragons Fight and The Sedan Campaign of 1870: An AnalysisCharles S. Roberts Award (2)Charles Roberts Awards Hall of Fame Rob BontenbalUm ReifenbreiteSpiel des JahresRichard BorgCall my BluffSpiel des JahresMilton Bradley The Checkered Game of Life (aka The Game of Life)Darwin BromleyEmpire BuilderHall of FameJames Cooke BrownCareersRich BurlewThe Order of the Stick Adventure Game: The Dungeon of DorukanKris BurmGIPF, ZÈRTZ, DVONN, TAMSK, YINSH, and PÜNCTMensa Select (3)Alfred Mosher ButtsScrabbleAllan B. CalhamerDiplomacyMike Carr Fight in the Skies and Don't Give Up the ShipBruno CathalaKingdomino, Shadows Over Camelot, and Five TribesHall of FameSpiel des Jahres (2)Frank ChadwickEuropaHall of FameColeman CharltonThe Lonely MountainBanana ChanBetrayal at House on the Hill 3rd editionRobert N. CharretteBushido and BattleTechHall of FameVlaada ChvátilCodenames, Space Alert, and Through the Ages: A Story of CivilizationHall of FameSpiel des Jahres (2)Naomi Clark ConsentacleIndieCade Impact AwardStephen V. ColeStarfire, Asteroid Zero-Four, Cerberus, Valkenburg Castle, and Star Fleet BattlesLeo Colovini Clans, Cartagena, and InkognitoHall of FameMiles Copeland Jr.The Game of NationsWilford, Hugh (2013). America's Great Game: The CIA's Secret Arabists and the Making of the Modern Middle East. New York: Basic Books. p. 296. .Liz DanforthMiddle-earth Strategy Battle GameHall of FameCharles DarrowMonopolyRob DaviauPandemic Legacy - Season 1, Axis & Allies: Pacific, Risk 2210 A.D., Betrayal at House on the Hill, Heroscape Master Set: Rise of the Valkyrie, Return to Dark Tower, SeaFall, and Risk LegacyAs d'Or Grand PrixFranz-Benno DelongeTransAmerica and FjordsSpiel des JahresMensa SelectMarco DonadoniZargo's Lords, Iliad, Magic Wood, and Ra: Strategy Among HexagonsSpiel des JahresRüdiger DornDragonheart, Istanbul, Luxor, Los Mampfos, and KarubaSpiel des JahresJim DunniganPanzerBlitz, The American Civil War: 1861–1865, The Ardennes Offiensive, Barbarossa: The Russo-German War 1941–45, 'CA': Tactical Naval Warfare in the Pacific 1941–43, Desert War: Tactical Warfare in North Africa, Destruction of Army Group Center, The East is Red: The Sino Soviet War, El Alamein: Battles in North Africa, 1942, Empires of the Middle Ages, The Fast Carriers, Firefight: Modern U.S. and Soviet Small Unit Tactics, Foxbat & Phantom, Fulda Gap, The Game of France, 1940, The Great War in the East, Invasion America, Jutland, Kursk: Operation Zitadelle, Leipzig: The Battle of Nations, Napoleon at Waterloo, Outdoor Survival, Panzergruppe Guderian, Wacht am RheinHall of FameCharles Roberts Awards Hall of FameJames ErnestKill Doctor Lucky and TakHall of FameBruno FaiduttiMystery of the AbbeySpiel des JahresStefan FeldThe Castles of Burgundy, Trajan, and CivolutionHall of FameAs d'Or Grand PrixMary FlanaganPox: Save the People, Zombiepox, Buffalo (card game), Awkward Moment, and Grow-A-GameMeaningful Play's Best Non-Digital Game Award Major Fun Award for Cooperation ThinkingMatt ForbeckGenestealer, Warzone, and The Great Rail WarsOrigins Awards (3)Friedemann FriesePower Grid and Fearsome FloorsMac GerdtsImperial, Concordia, and AntikeHall of FameSuzanne GoldbergSherlock Holmes: Consulting DetectiveSpiel des JahresDonald GreenOCTIAllen HammackViking GodsChris HaneyTrivial PursuitDaryl HannahLove It or Hate It and LIEbraryElizabeth HargraveWingspanSpiel des JahresDavid A. HargraveArduin and The Arduin AdventureJeb HavensUk'otoa Andria HaydayDragonStrikeRob HeinsooDreamblade and Castle RavenloftOrigins AwardArnold HendrickCrypt of the Sorcerer, Barbarian Prince, Demonlord, Star Viking, and Grav ArmorDirk HennAlhambra, Metro, and WallensteinSpiel des JahresMensa SelectEphraim Hertzano RummikubSpiel des JahresJohn HillSquad Leader and Johnny RebHall of FameMaureen HironContinuoHall of FameMensa SelectJeremy HolcombThe DukeMensa SelectSteve Jackson Ogre and Car WarsHall of FameJennell JaquaysDark Tower Hall of FameJohn JefferysA Journey Through EuropeTom JollyCargo, Diskwars, and G.O.O.T.M.U.Jervis JohnsonBlood Bowl, Epic 40,000, Necromunda, and Age of SigmarPhilippe Keyaerts Evo, Vinci, and OlymposAs d'Or Grand PrixMichael KieslingAzul, Asara, The Palaces of Carrara, Heaven & Ale, and TikalSpiel des Jahres (2)As d'Or Jeu de l'AnnéeMensa SelectReiner KniziaRa, Modern Art, Samurai, Ribbit, FITS, Keltis, Mmm!, L.A.M.A. (L.L.A.M.A.), Ingenious, My City, and The Lord of the RingsSpiel des JahresHall of FameKinderspiel des JahresMensa SelectJohn KovalicDork TowerHall of FameWolfgang KramerEl Grande, Java, Mexica, Tikal, The Princes of Florence, Blox, Asara, The Palaces of Carrara, Auf Achse, Top Secret Spies, Princes of Florence, and TorresHall of FameSpiel des Jahres (5)As d'Or Prix du JuryRobert J. KuntzKings & Things and LankhmarCharles S. Roberts AwardVital LacerdaThe GalleristAlbert LamorisseRiskEric M. LangBlood Rage, Rising Sun, XCOM: The Board Game, and Chaos in the Old WorldHall of FameDiana Jones AwardSerge LagetShadows over Camelot and Spiel des JahresAs d'Or Jeu de l'AnnéeRyan LaukatAbove and Below and Near and FarMatt LeacockPandemic, Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age, Pandemic Legacy - Season 1, Daybreak , and Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, Forbidden IslandAs d'Or Grand PrixSpiel des JahresHall of FameMensa SelectDiana Jones AwardTom LehmannTo Court the KingAs d'Or Grand Prix The interview is also available here from PressReader and verifies the interviewer is Christopher John Eggett.Ted Leonsis Only In New YorkSam LewisDragonriders of Pern, BattleTroops, Renegade Legion, and Classic BattleTechPaul Lidberg A Line in the Sand Edwin S. LoweYahtzee and BINGO!Lizzie Magie The Landlord's GameGérard MathieuSupergangSuper As d'OrMike MearlsCastle RavenloftSamaira MehtaCoder BunnyzTom MeierThunderbolt MountainHall of FameHeinz Meister, , and Kinderspiel des JahresMichael MenzelAndor, Legends of Andor, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Shogun, Thurn and Taxis, Stone Age, Havana, and CatanSpiel des JahresAs d'Or Jeu de l'AnnéeMarc MillerDouble StarHall of FameJoseph MirandaRenaissance of InfantryGeorge Howard MonksHalma and BasilindaLund, F. B. "Memoir: George Howard Monks, M.D., 1853-1933"