Board Game Arena

The recent decision to make 51st State a fully premium game will be the nail in the coffin of this great game on BGA. The game has only 60 players above global 200 ELO and, from what I've seen in the last few months, only a handful of those are regular players. BGA should revert the decision and limit the premium requirement to the expansion New Era and future ones, like it does with much more popular games such as Race for the Galaxy.

That's not a BGA's decision but the publisher's. Always, in any game.
Also, the base set is still not premium, nothing have changed since the release as far as I can see

KuWizard wrote: ↑14 February 2026, 16:45 That's not a BGA's decision but the publisher's. Always, in any game.
Also, the base set is still not premium, nothing have changed since the release as far as I can see

Thanks for the information, I wasn't aware the decision came from the publisher. Until very recently I could open 51st base set tables as a non-premium player (as in RftG), only New Era was restricted to premium players. That has ended, hence my post. BGA now tells me only premium players are allowed to open 51st tables.

fameros wrote: ↑15 February 2026, 03:40

KuWizard wrote: ↑14 February 2026, 16:45 That's not a BGA's decision but the publisher's. Always, in any game.
Also, the base set is still not premium, nothing have changed since the release as far as I can see

Thanks for the information, I wasn't aware the decision came from the publisher. Until very recently I could open 51st base set tables as a non-premium player (as in RftG), only New Era was restricted to premium players. That has ended, hence my post. BGA now tells me only premium players are allowed to open 51st tables.

I'll ask BGA why this happened, maybe it's a bug from their side. From my perspective (I'm a premium account holder) there's a "star" on New Era showing it as premium and no star on the base game. But I will double check, thanks for raising this topic

Also as a premium user: https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?ga ... firststate is tagged as premium, while https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=thecrew (where IIRC some missions are premium and some are not) is not.

Jellby wrote: ↑15 February 2026, 10:35 Also as a premium user: https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?ga ... firststate is tagged as premium, while https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=thecrew (where IIRC some missions are premium and some are not) is not.

Thank you for the input. I've tested here opening a Crew campaign table and I'm allowed to do it, while mission tables are restricted to premium members, just like 51st used to work until very recently (base free, new era premium). I now can't open any 51st table at all, as reported.

KuWizard wrote: ↑15 February 2026, 09:59 I'll ask BGA why this happened, maybe it's a bug from their side. From my perspective (I'm a premium account holder) there's a "star" on New Era showing it as premium and no star on the base game. But I will double check, thanks for raising this topic

By the way, thank you for the excellent adaptation, a very fine job, sir. I hope someday you add a couple more expansions.

fameros wrote: ↑15 February 2026, 15:23 By the way, thank you for the excellent adaptation, a very fine job, sir. I hope someday you add a couple more expansions.

Really happy to hear that, thanks a lot!
Again, it's up to the publisher to find funds and sponsor the development. I am more than happy to implement one more or even all expansions
Imperial Settlers is a very similar game please try it if you haven't yet!

fameros wrote: ↑15 February 2026, 15:18 Thank you for the input. I've tested here opening a Crew campaign table and I'm allowed to do it, while mission tables are restricted to premium members, just like 51st used to work until very recently (base free, new era premium). I now can't open any 51st table at all, as reported.

Please try now and confirm it works. This was mistakenly changed for full premium recently. It should be returned to the old scheme now

Works now many thanks. Great job and +1 on adding the other extensions have the board and it's great winter plays different ect.