# Game Reasoning Arena: A Framework and Benchmark for Assessing Reasoning Capabilities of Large Language Models via Game Play

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.03368 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.03368/

## Key facts

- Cited by 11 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in Reasoning for agents, planning and code, one of 17 directions in LLM reasoning.
- Builds on 4 of its 6 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 5 Aug 2025.

## Placed in

- LLM reasoning / [Reasoning for agents, planning and code](https://mlsanity.com/lr/reasoning-for-agents-planning-and-code/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [GameBench: Evaluating Strategic Reasoning Abilities of LLM Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.06613/) (2024)
- [lmgame-Bench: How Good are LLMs at Playing Games?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.15146/) (2025)
- [GameArena: Evaluating LLM Reasoning through Live Computer Games](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.06394/) (2024)
- [Evaluating Large Language Models with Grid-Based Game Competitions: An Extensible LLM Benchmark and Leaderboard](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.07796/) (2024)

## Built on by (most cited first, 11 of 11)

- [Code World Models for General Game Playing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.04542/) (2025)
- [Discovering Differences in Strategic Behavior Between Humans and LLMs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.10324/) (2026)
- [Shall We Play a Game? Language Models for Open-ended Wargames](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.17192/) (2025)
- [The Deliberative Deficit: An Empirical Critique of LLMs in Democratic Discourse](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.10186/) (2026)
- [Game Arena: Strategic LLM Evaluation in Competitive Environments](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.31473/) (2026)
- [Evaluating Large Language Models in a Complex Hidden Role Game](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.22826/) (2026)
- [LLMs Judge Themselves: A Game-Theoretic Framework for Human-Aligned Evaluation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.15746/) (2025)
- [Stratagem: Learning Transferable Reasoning via Trajectory-Modulated Game Self-Play](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.17696/) (2026)
- [SidConArena: An Environment Evaluating Agents in Open-Ended,Positive-Sum Bargaining Game](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.27397/) (2026)
- [When Reasoning Narrows the Move: Diversity Collapse in LLM Game Play](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.19523/) (2026)
- [Can Agents Deceive? Evaluating Reasoning and Deception in ParliamentBench using a Social Deduction Game](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.28146/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The Game Reasoning Arena library provides a framework for evaluating the decision making abilities of large language models (LLMs) through strategic board games implemented in Google OpenSpiel library. The framework enables systematic comparisons between LLM based agents and other agents (random, heuristic, reinforcement learning agents, etc.) in various game scenarios by wrapping multiple board and matrix games and supporting different agent types. It integrates API access to models via liteLLM, local model deployment via vLLM, and offers distributed execution through Ray. This paper summarises the library structure, key characteristics, and motivation of the repository, highlighting how it contributes to the empirical evaluation of the reasoning of LLM and game theoretic behaviour.