Catan Studio has announced a new version of the popular strategy board game in Catan: New Energies.
New Energies literally modernizes the medieval time period into the industrialized modern age. However, players will have to manage pollution levels while balancing energy demands. By replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, players exchange bad pollution events for rewards.
Unlike the original game, each player has their own player board where they can track their resources and supplies.
“Gaming has an incredible power to reflect real-world challenges and inspire thoughtful conversations,” says Benjamin Teuber, managing director and co-designer. “As we designed this game, my dad said, ‘A game is an experience—not a lecture.’ Therefore, we are not telling players how to act best; we’re inviting them to learn and draw their own conclusions through play.”
Teuber’s father, Klaus Teuber, was the original designer of Settlers of Catan (which later officially changed names to “Catan”). He completed the gameplay design of New Energies before passing earlier this year.
To put its business practices where its mouth is, the English edition of Catan: New Energies will be printed in the United States using sustainable wood and paper, with zero plastic components.
A release date has not yet been announced. The original Catan board game is currently in its fifth edition, and a digital version is available on PC, PlayStation. Switch, and Xbox consoles.
