The first German Catan game was released in 1995 as Die Siedler von Catan. It was an instant success, selling out the initial print run at the Essen game fair. In its first year, it won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres award, and reprints could barely keep up with demand.

Mayfair Games acquired the English language license and in 1996 published the 1st English edition of The Settlers of Catan. It, too, was a huge hit, with the first print run quickly selling out. The second printing (1996) was also the 2nd Edition. The colors of the playing pieces and backs of the cards changed, plus a few variant rules were included. 

It became clear that reprints would be frequent, so later reprints involving minor cosmetic changes were no longer classified as new editions. The 3rd Edition (1997) involved a complete reformat and a significant commitment of graphic resources. A new partner, Iron Crown Enterprises, produced a new graphic trade dress and commissioned new art by Stephen Graham Walsh. The size of the cards increased. The rules were expanded and clarified, then split into a rules book and Almanac. A 4-page, four-color game overview sheet was included. The 3rd Edition lasted for almost 10 years in basically the same format with some minor changes. There was a transition from rubber-bands to die-cut sheets and cellophane wrapped decks to tuck boxes.

The Fourth Edition (2007) featured different cover art by Volkan Baga and updated interior art by Harald Lieske. Fresh trade dress was implemented and the graphics were updated. A frame was added to hold the tiles together. The rules were rewritten and reformatted in full color. The new art and graphics shifted thematically from a European colonial theme to a Viking motif.

The latest edition (5th Edition, 2015) brings consistency to the different foreign language editions. It renames the game to simply Catan. It adds new art by Michael Menzel and introduces a new, international logo and trade dress.