Catan board game

Catan, originally known as The Settlers of Catan, is one of the most influential modern board games in history. It was designed by Klaus Teuber and first published in Germany in 1995 by Franckh-Kosmos Verlag (Kosmos). The game revolutionized the tabletop industry by introducing 'Eurogame' mechanics—focusing on resource management and trading rather than direct player elimination—to a global audience.

Today, the brand is managed by Catan GmbH, the family company founded by the late Klaus Teuber. Ownership and licensing are structured through a partnership with the Embracer Group, which acquired Asmodee (the parent company of the game's primary English-language publisher, Catan Studio) in 2022. While the intellectual property remains closely tied to the Teuber family, the commercial distribution and publication rights are held by global gaming giants. Manufacturing occurs in multiple locations, including Germany, the United States, and China, depending on the specific edition and language version.