diff --git a/frontend/src/App.jsx b/frontend/src/App.jsx
index f21c6e7..c9d2384 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.jsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import NewGameModal from "./components/NewGameModal";
 import StatsModal from "./components/StatsModal";
 import AdminSettingsModal from "./components/AdminSettingsModal";
 import InvitePage from "./components/InvitePage";
+import HomePage from "./components/HomePage";
 import { useLanguage } from "./i18n";
 
 export default function App() {
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ export default function App() {
     const gs = await api("/games");
     setGames(gs);
 
-    if (gs[0] && !gameId) setGameId(gs[0].id);
+    // Always open on the start page; the user explicitly chooses a game.
   };
 
   const reloadSheet = async () => {
@@ -528,7 +529,7 @@ export default function App() {
     await api(`/games/${gameId}`, { method: "DELETE" });
     const nextGames = await api("/games");
     setGames(nextGames);
-    setGameId(nextGames[0]?.id || null);
+    setGameId(null);
     setSheet(null);
     setGameMeta(null);
     setMembers([]);
@@ -539,6 +540,20 @@ export default function App() {
     showSnack(language === "en" ? "Game cancelled." : "Spiel abgebrochen.");
   };
 
+  const goHome = () => {
+    setGameId(null);
+    setSheet(null);
+    setGameMeta(null);
+    setMembers([]);
+    setGameChips([]);
+    setWinnerUserId("");
+    setChipOpen(false);
+    setChipEntry(null);
+    setCelebrateOpen(false);
+    setCelebrateName("");
+    setStartCelebrateOpen(false);
+  };
+
   // ===== Winner =====
   const saveWinner = async () => {
     if (!gameId) return;
@@ -735,6 +750,9 @@ export default function App() {
           <AdminSettingsModal open={adminSettingsOpen} onClose={() => setAdminSettingsOpen(false)} />
         )}
 
+        {!gameId ? (
+          <HomePage games={games} onOpenNewGame={() => setNewGameOpen(true)} onOpenGame={setGameId} />
+        ) : <>
         <GamePickerCard
           games={games}
           gameId={gameId}
@@ -750,6 +768,7 @@ export default function App() {
           chipCount={gameChips.length}
           onStartGame={startGame}
           onCancelGame={cancelGame}
+          onGoHome={goHome}
         />
 
         {gameStarted && (
@@ -760,6 +779,7 @@ export default function App() {
             }}
           />
         )}
+        </>}
 
         <HelpModal open={helpOpen} onClose={() => setHelpOpen(false)} />
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/GamePickerCard.jsx b/frontend/src/components/GamePickerCard.jsx
index a8f323f..74f2618 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/GamePickerCard.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/GamePickerCard.jsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ export default function GamePickerCard({
   chipCount = 0,
   onStartGame,
   onCancelGame,
+  onGoHome,
 }) {
   const { language, t } = useLanguage();
   const cur = games.find((x) => x.id === gameId);
@@ -102,8 +103,11 @@ export default function GamePickerCard({
             ))}
           </select>
 
-          <button onClick={onOpenHelp} style={styles.helpBtn} title={t("help")}>
-            {t("help")}
+          <button onClick={onGoHome} style={styles.helpBtn} title={language === "en" ? "Home" : "Startseite"} aria-label={language === "en" ? "Home" : "Startseite"}>
+            🏠
+          </button>
+          <button onClick={onOpenHelp} style={styles.helpBtn} title={t("help")} aria-label={t("help")}>
+            ❔
           </button>
         </div>
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/HomePage.jsx b/frontend/src/components/HomePage.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ab06c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/HomePage.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import React from "react";
+import { styles } from "../styles/styles";
+import { stylesTokens } from "../styles/theme";
+import { useLanguage } from "../i18n";
+
+export default function HomePage({ games = [], onOpenNewGame, onOpenGame }) {
+  const { language, t } = useLanguage();
+  return (
+    <main className="hp-home-page" style={{ marginTop: 14, display: "grid", gap: 14 }}>
+      <div style={styles.card}>
+        <div style={{ padding: "26px 20px 22px", textAlign: "center" }}>
+          <div style={{ fontSize: 34, color: stylesTokens.textGold }}>✦</div>
+          <h1 style={{ margin: "8px 0 0", color: stylesTokens.textGold, fontSize: 24 }}>{language === "en" ? "Welcome to Notizbogen" : "Willkommen beim Notizbogen"}</h1>
+          <p style={{ margin: "9px auto 0", maxWidth: 430, color: stylesTokens.textDim, lineHeight: 1.5 }}>{language === "en" ? "Create a new investigation or join an existing game to get started." : "Erstelle eine neue Ermittlung oder tritt einem bestehenden Spiel bei, um zu beginnen."}</p>
+          <button onClick={onOpenNewGame} style={{ ...styles.primaryBtn, marginTop: 18 }}>{language === "en" ? "✦ Create or join game" : "✦ Spiel erstellen oder beitreten"}</button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      {games.length > 0 && <div style={styles.card}>
+        <div style={styles.sectionHeader}>{language === "en" ? "Your games" : "Deine Spiele"}</div>
+        <div style={{ display: "grid", gap: 8, padding: 12 }}>
+          {games.map((game) => <button key={game.id} onClick={() => onOpenGame(game.id)} style={{ ...styles.secondaryBtn, display: "flex", justifyContent: "space-between", alignItems: "center", textAlign: "left" }}>
+            <span style={{ overflow: "hidden", textOverflow: "ellipsis", whiteSpace: "nowrap" }}>{game.name}</span><span style={{ color: stylesTokens.textGold, marginLeft: 10 }}>{game.code}</span>
+          </button>)}
+        </div>
+      </div>}
+    </main>
+  );
+}