1981 in games

This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and tabletop role-playing games published in 1981. For video games, see 1981 in video gaming.

Games released or invented in 1981

• A House Divided
• Aftermath! (role-playing game)
• Attack of the Mutants!
• Axis & Allies (Nova Games version)
• Baboon Ball
• The Barbarians
• Bushido (role-playing game)
• Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game)
• Champions (role-playing game)
• Conquistador (2nd edition)
• Cry Havoc
• Dimension Demons
• Down with the King
• A Fistful of Turkeys
• The Fury of the Norsemen
• The Generic Gangster Chase Game
• Hitler's War
• The Lords of Underearth
• Midgard (role-playing game)
• Shuttlewars
• Storm Over Arnhem
• Stormbringer (role-playing game)
• They've Invaded Pleasantville
• Trailblazer
• Transylvania
• The Trojan War
• Upwords
• Voyage of the B.S.M. Pandora

Game awards given in 1981

• Spiel des Jahres: Focus

Significant games-related events in 1981

• Amarillo Design Bureau founded.