CATAN – The Game, 6th Edition, CN3081 Strategy Board Game for 3–4 Players

Product Overview

CATAN – The Game, 6th Edition is the 2025 revision of Klaus Teuber’s resource-management and trading board game. Players establish settlements on a modular island assembled from hexagonal terrain tiles. Dice rolls determine resource production, while trading and construction allow players to expand roads, develop settlements into cities, and work toward the game’s victory-point objective.

This sixth-edition base game is designed for three or four players ages 10 and older. A typical session lasts about 60 to 90 minutes. Five primary resources are used during play: brick, lumber, ore, grain, and wool. The variable terrain arrangement, numbered production tokens, trading decisions, development cards, and robber mechanism cause starting conditions and strategies to differ between sessions.

The 2025 edition updates the presentation and component organization while retaining the established CATAN game system. The package contains 19 terrain hexes, six sea-frame pieces, 18 number discs, 120 cards, 96 wooden player pieces, dice, player aids, card trays, bonus victory-point tiles, and rules. Additional players and major gameplay systems require compatible CATAN expansions or extensions sold separately.

Product Information

Product Identifier Summary

Model Number

The model number identifies this particular sixth-edition CATAN base-game package. It is useful when matching rules, replacement components, extensions, and other edition-specific accessories.

MPN

The Manufacturer Part Number identifies a specific commercial product within manufacturing, distribution, and inventory systems. For this edition, the verified MPN matches the model designation.

UPC

The Universal Product Code is a standardized 12-digit barcode used for retail inventory and catalog identification. It helps distinguish this edition from earlier CATAN packages and related games.

EAN

An EAN is an international barcode format commonly used in product distribution outside North America. A separate verified EAN for this exact United States configuration was not established.

GTIN

A Global Trade Item Number provides standardized identification across retail and supply-chain systems. A UPC can be represented within the broader GTIN numbering framework.

ASIN

An ASIN identifies a specific marketplace catalog record. It can help distinguish this sixth-edition package from other CATAN editions but is not a manufacturer-issued game identifier.

ISBN

ISBN identifiers are primarily assigned to books and qualifying published works. An ISBN is not applicable to this board-game configuration.

Common Uses

CATAN is intended for face-to-face tabletop play involving resource management, negotiation, probability, and spatial planning. The base game supports several common recreational and educational settings.

• Family game sessions
• Board-game groups
• Casual strategy gaming
• Social gatherings
• Classroom activities involving probability or resource management
• Game clubs and community events
• Introductory strategy-game sessions
• Competitive recreational play

Maintenance and Care

Game components should be stored in the original box in a clean and dry indoor environment. The supplied card trays can help organize cards between sessions and reduce unnecessary handling.

Cards and cardboard tiles should be protected from liquids, excessive humidity, direct heat, and bending. Wooden pieces can be wiped gently with a dry or lightly damp cloth if needed, then dried before storage.

Terrain hexes and sea-frame pieces should be separated carefully after play rather than forcibly pulled apart. Repeated bending of cardboard connection points can cause edge wear over time.

Complete component counts periodically when the game is used frequently or transported. Small pieces such as roads, settlements, number discs, dice, and development cards are easier to replace when missing items are identified early.

Safety Information

The game contains numerous small components. It is intended for players ages 10 and older and should be stored where younger children cannot accidentally swallow game pieces.

• Contains small parts that may present a choking hazard to young children.
• Recommended for ages 10 and older.
• Keep dice, wooden pieces, tokens, and cards away from infants and toddlers.
• Inspect damaged wooden pieces for splintering before continued use.
• Do not expose cardboard components to open flames or excessive heat.

Technical Specifications

Product History

Klaus Teuber originally published the game in Germany in 1995 under the title Die Siedler von Catan. The English-language version followed in 1996 as The Settlers of Catan. The game was later renamed simply CATAN in English-language markets.

The sixth edition was introduced in 2025 as part of CATAN’s 30th-anniversary period. It represented the first major visual edition update since the fifth edition introduced in 2015.

The sixth edition retains the established base-game mechanics while updating the artwork, component presentation, packaging, card organization, and rulebook presentation. New sixth-edition versions of major expansions and player extensions were also introduced around the same period.

Key Features

• Modular board assembled from individual terrain hexes
• Resource production determined partly by dice rolls
• Player-to-player resource trading
• Road, settlement, and city construction
• Development-card system
• Robber mechanism that affects resource production
• Variable starting positions
• Four sets of wooden player pieces
• Two card trays for component organization
• Updated sixth-edition artwork and graphic presentation
• Multiple routes to earning victory points

Package Contents

The sixth-edition base game contains the components required for a standard three- or four-player CATAN session.

• 19 terrain hexes
• 6 sea-frame pieces
• 18 number discs
• 4 player aids
• 2 bonus victory-point tiles
• 96 wooden player pieces in four colors
• 2 card trays
• 2 dice
• 120 cards
• Game rules

Compatibility

This package is the CATAN base game and does not require another CATAN product for standard three- or four-player play. Additional products can expand the player count or add new gameplay systems.

The CATAN 5–6 Player Extension for the sixth edition increases supported participation to five or six players. It requires the base game and is not a standalone game.

Major CATAN expansions include Seafarers, Cities & Knights, Traders & Barbarians, and Explorers & Pirates. Each expansion has its own component and base-game requirements.

Sixth-edition components have updated artwork and card designs. Although some earlier-edition gameplay components may be mechanically usable, differences in artwork, card backs, dimensions, or graphic design can make mixed-edition sets visually inconsistent. Matching sixth-edition expansions and extensions provide the most consistent component presentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What model identifies this CATAN edition?

The sixth-edition English base game is identified by model CN3081. This identifier can help distinguish it from earlier editions and related expansions.

Is this the full CATAN game or an expansion?

This is the standalone base game. It includes everything required for the standard game with three or four players.

Can two people play the standard game?

The published base-game rules are designed for three or four players. Separate variants and other CATAN products exist for different player counts.

Can five or six people play?

Five- and six-player games require the compatible CATAN 5–6 Player Extension in addition to this base game.

Does the board have the same layout every time?

No. The island is assembled from separate terrain hexes. Variable setup allows terrain and number placement to change between sessions.

How is the winner determined?

Players gain victory points through settlements, cities, development cards, and certain achievements. Under the standard rules, the first player to reach the required victory-point total on their turn wins.

Does CATAN depend entirely on dice rolls?

No. Dice determine much of the resource production, but settlement placement, trading, building choices, resource management, and interaction with other players also affect outcomes.

What happens when a seven is rolled?

The robber mechanism is activated. Depending on players’ resource holdings and the robber’s new location, cards can be discarded, production can be blocked, and a resource may be taken from another player.

Can players trade with one another?

Yes. Negotiated resource trading between players is a central part of the game. Players can also use maritime trading under the conditions defined by the rules.

Is an internet connection required?

No. This is a physical tabletop game and does not require an app, electronic account, computer, or internet connection.

Are the player pieces plastic?

The sixth-edition package includes wooden player pieces in four colors.

Can sixth-edition expansions be added later?

Yes. Compatible expansions add new boards, pieces, scenarios, or mechanics while retaining the base game’s underlying settlement and resource systems.

Can older expansions be mixed with this edition?

Some earlier products may remain mechanically usable, but visual differences can exist between editions. Updated artwork and card backs can make components from different editions easy to distinguish.

Is CATAN cooperative?

No. Players compete for victory points. Trading and temporary cooperation can occur, but each player pursues an individual win condition.

Does the game require assembly?

The modular board must be arranged before each session, but there is no permanent mechanical assembly. The sea frame, terrain hexes, and number discs form the playing area.

How should a missing card or piece be identified?

The official component list can be compared against the contents of the box. Edition and model information should be checked before obtaining replacements because graphics and components can differ between editions.

Is a manufacturer warranty specified?

Manufacturer support is available for product issues, but a single verified warranty duration for this exact package was not established. Current support terms should be checked using the model and purchase information.

Buying Considerations

Player count is a significant consideration because the standard base game is specifically structured for three or four participants. Households or groups that regularly play with five or six people require the corresponding extension.

CATAN combines strategic decisions with random dice results and direct negotiation. Players who prefer games without randomness or interpersonal trading should account for those mechanics when comparing strategy games.

The sixth edition is visually distinct from earlier releases. Existing owners who intend to combine an older base game with newer expansion components should consider differences in artwork and card backs before mixing editions.

Table space is also required for the assembled island, resource cards, development cards, player pieces, and individual hands. The modular board is larger during play than the stored components suggest.

Expansion compatibility should be checked by edition and product type. A player-count extension adds participants, while full expansions such as Seafarers or Cities & Knights alter or extend gameplay in different ways.

Customer Feedback Summary

This section summarizes recurring themes in publicly available customer and player feedback. These observations describe general user experiences and are not verified product specifications.

Positive feedback about the sixth edition commonly focuses on its updated visual design, wooden playing pieces, card organization, and revised presentation. The included card trays and refreshed component storage are often described as practical improvements during setup and cleanup.

Players also continue to cite negotiation, variable board layouts, and changing resource availability as reasons individual sessions can develop differently. The interaction created by trading is frequently viewed as one of the game’s defining features.

Reported limitations often concern the amount of randomness introduced by dice and the possibility that poor resource production can slow an individual player’s progress. Some groups also find trading highly engaging, while others find repeated negotiation lengthens sessions.

Feedback about the sixth-edition artwork is subjective. Some players prefer the updated illustrations and component design, while others favor the visual style of earlier editions. Existing owners also note that differences in card artwork can be noticeable when combining components from different editions.

Related Products

The CATAN product line includes player-count extensions, full expansions, standalone variants, and digital adaptations. Expansion products generally have their own compatibility requirements.

• CATAN 5–6 Player Extension, 6th Edition
• CATAN: Seafarers, 6th Edition
• CATAN: Seafarers 5–6 Player Extension
• CATAN: Cities & Knights, 6th Edition
• CATAN: Cities & Knights 5–6 Player Extension
• CATAN: Traders & Barbarians
• CATAN: Explorers & Pirates
• CATAN Family Edition
• CATAN Junior
• Rivals for CATAN
• CATAN Universe digital game

Last Updated

August 16, 2026