Catan - Dawn of Mankind brings us back to the stone age this October

Catan - Dawn of Humankind cover — (Image credit: Catan Studio)

One of the best board games is going back in time later this year, and Catan - Dawn of Humankind is due to hit shelves on October 1.

Dragging the popular trading and settling board game for families back a few million years, this is a "standalone adventure charting the worldwide migration and development of the first humans". Catan - Dawn of Humankind takes place during the Pleistocene epoch (otherwise known as the last ice age), and new promo pictures reveal that it features a larger, more traditional board than its predecessor. It still relies on probability-driven resources, though.

This new Catan isn't available to pre-order in the USA just yet and no price has been announced, but it should go up for sale at Target and hobby stores as of October. Judging by the UK's listings, (you can pre-order it now via Wayland Games for a reduced £55.66), it'll probably weigh in at around $70.

Catan - Dawn of Humankind board — A closer look at the Dawn of Humankind board (Image credit: Catan Studio)

Teased back in March, Dawn of Humankind was developed by Catan creator Klaus Teuber and his son Benjamin. While little is known about how it differs from older versions, promo pictures suggest that it adds technological upgrades that require you to travel as well as collecting resources. However, it's interesting to note that the board doesn't have random board spaces - this time it seems as if it's the resources that are randomly placed.

It won't use traditional city tokens either; instead, its miniatures are fur-covered tents that suit the stone age aesthetic of its other models. Similarly, its artwork is completely new with era-appropriate wildlife.

This wasn't the only Catan announcement to land today, either. The Catan 3D edition is getting two expansions at some point soon as well, with a Seafarers + Cities & Knights double pack due to launch soon. It'll cost $399.99, which… well, it's a lot. When combined with the original Catan 3D's price of $300, you're looking at an overall bill of $699.99. It's a gorgeous set, but that's quite the investment.

Fortunately, Dawn of Humankind won't be as expensive as that when it launches toward the end of 2022.

For more tabletop recommendations, take a look at these board games for adults and the best cooperative board games. You can also get the younger members of your family involved with find these board games for kids and board games for kindergartners.