- BGG rating
- 6.3
ESSEN: CW & WC
- 3–8 players
- 45 min
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,291
- BGG rating
- 5.8
ESSEN
2014
Rules assistance for ESSEN
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for ESSEN
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
ESSEN is a board game released in 2014 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Harry-Pekka Kuusela and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Commodity Speculation, and Action Queue.
Expansions
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About the game
In ESSEN, players are exhibitors who are trying to sell their games at a large board game fair in the well-known western German city of Essen. By placing their sellers, creating buzz, and managing their promotional efforts correctly, they can turn a profit and get board game geeks excited about their games. Each player board is themed as a certain type of game publisher (eurogames, ameritrash, war games, RPGs) with the reverse side showing other possibilities (abstract, children's games, party games, LARP). ESSEN is a game for 2-4 players, and by combining two copies of the game up to 8 players can play at the same time.
Designers
Publishers
- LudiCreations
Questions and answers
ESSEN supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for ESSEN is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists ESSEN for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
ESSEN has a complexity rating of 2.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
ESSEN belongs to these categories: Humor and Economic. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Commodity Speculation, and Action Queue. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of ESSEN are: Harry-Pekka Kuusela. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists ESSEN as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.