Happy Hunting! Big Buck Hunter Is Coming to the Tabletop in 2027
The hunt is moving from arcades to tabletops. Maestro Media has announced that Big Buck Hunter: The Board Game, a new board game adaptation of the iconic franchise, will launch in June 2027. Developed in collaboration with Play Mechanix, the game brings the franchise’s signature shooting action to a competitive experience where players take on the roles of both Hunter and Wildlife.
For decades, Big Buck Hunter has brought players together for a fast-paced, skill-based hunting experience built around physical gameplay, competition and the pursuit of the highest score. The new tabletop game brings those familiar elements to a new setting, putting players on both sides of the hunt and giving fans an entirely new way to play.
In Big Buck Hunter: The Board Game, players compete across three rounds, with each player taking a turn as the Hunter while the others control the Wildlife. Rather than simply sitting back and watching, Wildlife players actively shape the hunt, placing trees on the board and moving animals along branching tracks using dice. That means every turn can create a different challenge for the Hunter, adding an element of strategy and unpredictability to the physical shooting action.
The Hunter takes aim using a movable rifle and plastic blasters, attempting to knock down targets as animals move across the board. Cards can further change the action, giving players opportunities to reposition the rifle, take additional shots and respond to what is happening on the board.
The hunt evolves throughout the game. Players pursue deer in the first two rounds before moving on to moose, elk and caribou in the final round, with larger animals offering greater rewards. But not every target is worth taking: hitting the doe costs points and immediately ends the Hunter’s turn. A bear can also enter the game through special card effects, creating an unexpected threat that can bring a hunt to an abrupt end.
Big Buck Hunter: The Board Game supports multiplayer and solo play, giving players the opportunity to compete against friends or take on the hunt themselves in pursuit of the highest score.
