Tickets for COMBO Festival will be available for purchase online from Wednesday, 17 June at 10:00 AM.
DAY 1 - Saturday, 3 October: Click here
DAY 2 - Sunday, 4 October: Click here
This October, at Morel Milano, previews, workshops, exhibitions and talks will explore the cultural value of tabletop gaming
While the video game industry continues to expand, the board game market is also experiencing a new season of growth. Many observers describe it as a second “golden age” of board gaming: a rapidly evolving sector that engages with design, storytelling, illustration and contemporary creative practices, developing both alongside and in dialogue with the world of video games. It is from this perspective that COMBO – Festival of meeples, dice and cards was born, a new event dedicated to contemporary board game culture, taking place on 3 - 4 October 2026 at Morel Milano.
Created by Ludo Labo, Studiolabo and Cranio Creations, COMBO presents itself as an alternative to traditional trade fairs. Rather than a purely commercial exhibition, the festival aims to be a space for connection, where games become a tool for building relationships, encouraging dialogue and fostering communities. Its name, an acronym for COMmunity BOardgames, reflects this mission by placing people at the heart of the experience.
Morel Milano
The setting chosen for the first edition is Morel Milano, a former industrial site redeveloped in Milan’s Garegnano district. Across more than 3,000 square metres of indoor spaces and extensive outdoor areas, a dedicated ecosystem for gaming in all its forms will take shape. More than thirty exhibitors, including some of Italy’s leading board game publishers, will present new releases and previews, transforming the exhibition area into a meeting point for visitors, designers and industry professionals. Each stand will be accompanied by demo tables where attendees can try the featured games firsthand, turning discovery into experience. Upon entry, every visitor will receive a welcome bag containing themed gadgets and exclusive coupons, designed to enhance the experience from the very first moment and offer a tangible keepsake of the day.
One of the festival’s defining features will be its focus on the cultural and design dimensions of board games.
Among the special projects of the first edition is Un gioco da ragazze, an exhibition highlighting the contribution of Italian and international female game designers to the evolution of contemporary board games. Through ideas, creative approaches and design journeys that often remain unknown to the wider public, the exhibition sheds light on voices that have played a crucial role in shaping the industry’s transformation in recent years.
The design value of board games will also be celebrated through the COMBO Award, a recognition dedicated to games that stand out for design quality, innovation, ergonomics and aesthetics. The award aims to promote board games not only as entertainment experiences but also as design objects and cultural projects. The winner will be selected by a multidisciplinary jury composed of Emiliano Sciarra, Lorenzo Palmeri, Giulia Amici, Alessia Interlandi, Roberto Goglio and Francesco Rugerfred Sedda, professionals whose expertise ranges from game design and architecture to communication and cultural dissemination.
Reflecting its vocation as an open platform for discussion, the festival is built around a network of respected voices from the board gaming world and its media ecosystem, with the goal of broadening its reach through diverse channels and highly engaged audiences. Around COMBO, a community of ambassadors is taking shape and will accompany the project throughout its journey, from the months leading up to the event to the festival days themselves and beyond. Creators, influencers, journalists and educators will become active participants in the festival’s ecosystem, helping to shape and expand its narrative.
The festival experience will continue beyond the exhibition halls. On Saturday, 3 October, from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Morel Milano’s outdoor area will host the COMBO Cocktail Party, an informal gathering featuring music, food, drinks and open gaming tables. It is a natural extension of the festival’s spirit, interpreting play as a social practice and an opportunity for meaningful encounters.
Illustrazione di Jacopo Rosati
With a capacity limited and an all-inclusive formula covering every activity on the programme, COMBO Festival aims to create an intimate and immersive experience, far removed from the scale and pace of major trade shows. A place to play, certainly, but above all a place to meet, exchange ideas and rediscover the value of shared presence. Because today, perhaps more than ever, gathering around a table continues to build something that goes beyond the game itself.
Tickets for COMBO Festival will be available for purchase online from Wednesday, 17 June at 10:00 AM.
DAY 1 - Saturday, 3 October: Click here
DAY 2 - Sunday, 4 October: Click here
Tag: Giochi da tavolo Milan festival
© Fuorisalone.it — All rights reserved. — Published on 17 June 2026
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