A big win!
A board game inspired by Cherokee culture has picked up a major award, with Winter Rabbit taking home the Light Strategy Game of the Year prize at the 49th annual Origins Awards! The awards are organised by the Game Manufacturers Association and were presented during the Origins Game Fair. For designer and Cherokee Nation citizen Will Thompson, seeing Winter Rabbit beat a strong field of finalists made the win even more special. The game was competing against titles from some much bigger names in the industry, including Finspan from Stonemaier Games and a Star Wars title. Thompson described the victory as an amazing moment, particularly given the game's strong connection to Cherokee culture.
Prepare for winter!
Released in 2025, Winter Rabbit takes players into the world of Cherokee animal stories, with familiar characters including bear, deer and otter. The aim is straightforward enough: work together to prepare a village for winter. However, there is a catch! Rabbit is a non-player character who acts as a trickster, creating problems for the players as they attempt to gather the resources they need. Players must cooperate to make sure the village survives, while also competing against each other to collect the most resources. If the group successfully completes the village's winter preparations, the player with the most points wins. If the players fail, nobody takes the victory!
Two languages!
One of the game's most important features is its use of the Cherokee language. Thompson worked alongside Cherokee language translators to create a version that can be played in both Cherokee and English, with bilingual cards and instructions. That makes Winter Rabbit stand out beyond its gameplay. It gives players an opportunity to engage with Cherokee culture and language through a modern tabletop game, while also helping introduce those elements to audiences who might not otherwise encounter them. Thompson has said he is particularly proud that the game has received recognition at the Origins Awards, describing it as an opportunity to showcase Cherokee culture and the work of Cherokee creators.
More to come!
Thompson isn't stopping with Winter Rabbit. He is already developing more games, including a simpler card and dice game inspired by classic family games. His biggest upcoming project is 1,000 Generations, an Indigenous fantasy roleplaying game built around Indigenous mythology, values and ideas of community. While it isn't specifically Cherokee, Thompson hopes it can offer an alternative to traditional fantasy RPGs and bring Indigenous perspectives to the genre.
With Winter Rabbit already picking up major recognition, it looks like Thompson's tabletop journey is only just getting started!
