The rise of the medium-weight euro over the last decade has been one of the most interesting shifts in board game design. Wingspan, Everdell, Castles of Burgundy, Viticulture — these games sit between gateway accessibility and heavy euro depth in a way that has created a massive underserved audience.

What makes a game medium-weight? My definition: learnable in one session, interesting across 20+ plays, with a decision space that rewards study without requiring it. Wingspan is textbook medium-weight. Azul skews light. Brass Birmingham skews heavy.

The market has followed. Publishers have learned that medium-weight euros sell better than either light or heavy, leading to deliberate targeting of that space. This has produced excellent games but also a certain homogeneity — too many games that could be described as 'charming, engine-building, bird-themed, attractive components.'