Following the highly anticipated Judges’ Choice awards earlier in the weekend, the attendees have spoken, crowning the People’s Choice Awards from a staggering pool of 450 entries.
This year’s event not only celebrated the best in tabletop and roleplaying games, but also introduced a poignant new accolade: the Patrick Campbell Award, commemorating the late founding member of the UK Games Expo and recognising the absolute best stand at the convention. Adding a touch of prestige to the milestone 20th-anniversary proceedings, the awards were handed out by Olympic gold medal athlete and avid gamer Bryony Page, alongside tabletop royalty Luke Gygax.
- Strategy Award: Paverson Games – Luthier: The Art of the Instrument
- Family Award: Ravensburger – Disney Villainous: Treacherous Tides
- Roleplaying Award: Loot Tavern Publishing – Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms
- General Award: Days of Wonder – Battle of Hoth
- Patrick Campbell Award (Best Stand): It’s Not Games – It’s Not Cricket
Geek Native’s core audience of tabletop roleplaying games fans will be thrilled to see Loot Tavern Publishing secure the People’s Choice Roleplaying Award for Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms. The highly acclaimed RPG supplement successfully captured the imaginations of the UKGE attendees.
Across the other major categories, the competition was fierce. The Strategy Award went to Paverson Games for the musical masterpiece Luthier: The Art of the Instrument. In the family space, Ravensburger took home the People’s Choice Family Award for the swashbuckling Disney Villainous: Treacherous Tides. Meanwhile, Days of Wonder proved the Force is still strong with tabletop gamers, claiming the General Award for the newly released STAR WARS: Battle of Hoth.
However, the most emotional victory of the weekend belonged to a brand-new publisher. The first-ever Patrick Campbell Award for best stand went to It’s Not Games for their highly thematic It’s Not Cricket booth. This was not an audience vote but one made by Patrick’s friends and UKGE organisers Tony Hyams and Richard Denning.
Released just weeks ago on Star Wars Day, It’s Not Cricket is not only the first game published by the indie company, but UKGE 2026 also marked their first time exhibiting at the convention. The game was designed from the ground up to make the sport of cricket feel less elite and more approachable, with similar accessible titles already in the pipeline.
Paul, founder at It’s Not Games, told Geek Native at UK Games Expo:
It is truly an honour and a privilege to have been granted that award.”
With the 20th anniversary of the UK Games Expo winding down, the massive turnout and the sheer quality of the People’s Choice winners prove that the UK tabletop scene is healthier and more vibrant than ever.
Wrapping Up the Expo
Whether you spent the weekend hunting down independent roleplaying games, testing your strategies on grand board game layouts, or admiring the sheer creativity on display across the exhibition halls, UKGE 2026 delivered an unforgettable milestone year. The diversity of this year’s winners highlights how broad and inclusive the hobby continues to grow.
Congratulations to all the nominees, the judges, the dedicated voters, and especially the team at It’s Not Games for carving out a historic win on their very first outing. As the gaming tables pack away and the clean-up begins at the NEC, the countdown to next year’s expo is already firmly underway.
Geek Native still has dozens of notes to write into articles, so stay tuned for more stories from this huge experience and keep an eye on our UK Games Expo news page for the headlines.
