It’s been a while since our last update, and we’re delighted to announce the moment we’ve been waiting for: Custom Goban’s early release on Steam arrives on October 20, 2026!
That same day, we’ll host a webinar with Vadim Efimenko from Go Magic. Go Magic is our partner—an online Go learning platform with interactive video courses and practice problems for beginners and experienced players.
Webinar link and start time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI6Vuof7hXc (16:00 UTC 20th October)
Here’s what we’re bringing to your next game.
A Go bot that plays on any board
A classic square? A map of Japan? A board with a hole in the middle? The new built-in Go bot plays on all of them—including boards you create yourself.
It runs on your device, so local bot games need no internet connection, no model downloads, and no separate AI installation. Choose a board, select AI, and start playing.
Pick your bot profile:
– Novice — start small and get a feel for the game.
– Casual — explore a new board or try your next opening idea.
– Senior — more tactical reading for captures, escapes and ladders.
– Master — deeper tactical search on custom boards, including nets and capture races.
Novice, Casual and Senior run locally on every layout.
Your OGS games, right here
OGS games come straight into Custom Goban. Pick a supported game from the list and play against OGS opponents right in the app—even without registering your own OGS account.
Just want to watch? Open Watch to follow ongoing games, with the moves streamed directly into Custom Goban.
Custom boards for something different. OGS for the classic online game. Why choose just one?
New boards, ready to play
14 ready-to-play layouts. No drawing required. Pick one and see what happens when familiar Go meets unfamiliar territory:
– Classic gobans: 5×5, 9×9, 13×13 and 19×19.
– Shapes with a twist: crosses, triangles, rhombuses—and a hollow board with a whole new edge to fight around.
– Maps and more: Japan, China, South Korea, the USA, Europe, and even a cat-shaped board.
Your favorite opening might need a rethink. That’s part of the fun.
Make the game yours
– Create and keep your own boards. Add intersections, cut holes, change the outline, and save your favorite layouts.
– Play with friends. Private games by room code, public rooms, or face-to-face on one device.
– Set the pace. Bullet, Blitz, Rapid, Classic—or your own clock settings.
– Choose your scoring. Japanese or Chinese.
Which board will you try against the bot first?
Wishlist Custom Goban on Steam and get ready for the early release.
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