Economist Writing Every Day

I had the opportunity to play an advanced copy of “Publish or Perish,” a new card game that satirizes the world of academia. Created by Max Bai, this game offers a funny take on the often cutthroat world of academic publishing.

Official website for the game: here

My group of eight friends divided into teams to accommodate the game’s six-player limit, which I’d recommend not exceeding. From the moment we started reading the instructions aloud, we were laughing.

The gameplay is engaging. One unexpectedly hilarious rule involves clapping for each other’s achievements. The game’s core revolves around publishing manuscripts, accumulating citations, and navigating the waters of peer review and academic politics.

I was impressed by the calibration of the trivia questions. They struck a great balance – challenging enough that we often couldn’t answer them, yet not so obscure that they felt unreasonable. This aspect added an educational twist to the fun, sparking interesting discussions.

The humor in “Publish or Perish” is spot-on, especially in the details. The manuscript cards had us in stitches, with journal names like “Chronicle of Higher Walls” (a clever play on the real “Chronicle of Higher Education”) and absurd paper titles.

The two other full-time academics in our group were so impressed that they pre-ordered copies on the spot. While the game is probably most enjoyable with at least one academic in the group, our mixed party – including a government statistician and several non-academics – found it entertaining.  One of my non-academic friends summed it up as follows: “This game brought several people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise together for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.”

“Publish or Perish” manages to be both easy to learn and refreshingly original. I predict it will carve out its own niche with its unique theme and mechanics. Players can engage in academic shenanigans like plagiarism, P-value hacking, and even sabotaging opponents’ work – all in good fun.

If there’s any caveat, it’s that the game might not be for everyone. However, I believe this will naturally sort itself out – those drawn to its academic humor will likely seek it out and others won’t, much like how I don’t accidentally find myself at jiu-jitsu matches.

In conclusion, “Publish or Perish” is a delightful addition to the world of party games. It offers a blend of humor, strategy, and social interaction. Keep an eye out for its upcoming Kickstarter launch. Thanks to Max for letting me preview it with friends.

There is also a review of the game as a Nature news article.