The reference
This reference looks at CODENAMES to help you plan a shared session around the players, age guidance and available time. The values below belong to the named product, material, edition or care reference.
Published details
| Detail | Published reference |
|---|---|
| Players | 4-8+ |
| Playing time | 15 min |
| Age guidance | 10+ |
| Release date | Q3 2025 |
| Designer | Vlaada Chvátil |
| Developer | CGE |
| Artist | Tomáš Kučerovský František Sedláček Dávid Jablonovský Michaela Zaoralová Radek "RBX" Boxan Štěpán Drašťák Tibor Vizi |
| Genre | Party Game |
| Published name | Codenames |
| EAN/UPC | 8594156311254 |
| SKU | CGE00125 |
Values identify the named product, material or edition. Missing specifications are not inferred from a similar model or its photograph.
Make the comparison useful
Check the group size
The publisher range recorded for this entry is 4-8+. Count the actual people who will play, and check the edition and any required base game. Inclusion in a range does not establish that every supported count produces the same experience.
Plan around the published time
The time reference is 15 min. Keep its units and wording intact. Allow separately for learning, setup and interruptions; a publisher’s playing-time reference is not a guarantee for your table.
Read the age guidance
The published age reference is 10+. Read it with the complete rules and the needs of the actual group. It is not a measurement of how long a new player will need to learn the game.
Use the declared structure
The publisher genre description is Party Game. Use those labels to compare the kinds of decisions the game asks for, then read the actual turn sequence and scoring conditions in its rules. A genre label is not the rules themselves.
A first-session plan
For CODENAMES, write down the exact edition, planned player count and time available. Use the official rules to identify the starting state, one complete turn and the end condition. Teach those in that order, and keep an unresolved rule as an open question rather than inventing a shortcut.
This is an editorial planning example, not a product test or manufacturer recommendation.
Compare within this collection
These entries come from the same words and party games collection. Compare the published values and the exact format or edition; a blank specification is not a poor score or a reason to assume equivalence.
| Detail | CODENAMES | CODENAMES XXL | CODENAMES: Duet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Players | 4-8+ | 4-8+ | 2+ |
| Playing time | 15 min | 15 min | 15 min |
| Age guidance | 10+ | 10+ | 11+ |
| Release date | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 |
| Designer | Vlaada Chvátil | Vlaada Chvátil | Vlaada Chvátil & Scot Eaton |
| Developer | CGE | CGE | CGE |
Sources and scope
- CODENAMES ↗Czech Games Edition
Prepared October 28, 2026. The linked manufacturer, publisher or care reference establishes the facts it publishes. Use the exact edition, variant and current instructions when a decision depends on them. Editorial standards.
