Category
Industry
17 articles in this category. Browse the full Almanac →
Industry
The Catan Economy: 40 Million Copies and What It Means
Catan has sold over 40 million copies. The business behind that number is more interesting than the number itself.
Industry
Catan Around the World: Translations, Regional Editions, and Localised Art
Every region gets a slightly different Catan. The differences are small individually and enormous collectively.
Industry
Catan in the Classroom: How Teachers Use Catan for STEM and Economics
Catan teaches probability, negotiation, and resource economics better than most textbooks. Educators have noticed.
Industry
Catan: Game of Thrones, Star Trek, and Every Licensed Spinoff Explained
Catan has more licensed spinoffs than most board games have expansions. Most of them are gimmicks. A few are excellent.
Industry
The Spiel des Jahres Effect: How One Award Changed Catan's Trajectory
Catan would not be Catan without the Spiel des Jahres. The award is the single most important event in the game's history.
Industry
Catan and the Tabletop Renaissance: How One Game Started a Hobby Boom
Without Catan there is no Kickstarter board-game boom. The lineage is direct.
Industry
The History of Catan: From 1995 to 2026
Catan turned 30 last year. Here's the full arc — design lineage, distribution wars, the Spiel des Jahres effect, and what the 2025 brand refresh actually changed.
Industry
Catan vs Settlers of Catan: Why the Name Changed and What It Means
You'll see both names on the shelf. Here's what actually changed in 2015, what the 2025 reprint cycle added, and which edition you should buy.
Industry
Why Catan Is the Most-Played Modern Board Game
45 million copies sold. Translations in 40+ languages. Catan didn't just sell well — it rewrote what "popular board game" means.
Industry
The Catan Tournament Meta: What World-Championship Play Looks Like in 2026
The Catan Tournament meta isn't what casual players think. Here's what the 2025 World Championship final looked like, and what the players were actually doing.
Industry
Catan Online vs Tabletop: Which Should You Actually Play?
Catan online is faster, cleaner, and has zero setup. Catan tabletop has the trading. Here's the honest comparison and which version wins for which audience.
Industry
The Best Catan Apps in 2026: Ranked
Three apps dominate online Catan in 2026: Catan Universe, Colonist, and the original Catan Classic. Here's an honest comparison.
Industry
Klaus Teuber: The Designer Who Invented the Modern Board Game Industry
A dental technician designed the most-played board game on Earth. Klaus Teuber, who died in 2023, is the reason the modern hobby industry exists.
Industry
The Catan World Championship: A Complete History
The Catan World Championship has run biennially since 2002. Twenty years of national qualifiers, finals, and a meta that has visibly evolved. Here's the history.
Industry
A Brief History of Catan Video Games
Catan has had five major digital adaptations across two decades. Most are dead. The two still running define online Catan in 2026.
Industry
Catan in Pop Culture: From The Big Bang Theory to Hollywood Adaptation
Catan is the only modern board game most non-board-gamers can name by sight. Here's how that happened — and what it means.
Industry
The Future of Catan: What's Next After 2026
The 2025 brand refresh consolidated the Catan empire. What comes next? Here's what's known, what's rumoured, and what makes sense from a design perspective.