How to Play the Game

How to Play Capitalism: The Ruthless Pursuit of Stuff

Welcome to the grind. This is a 2–8 player board game (or digital party simulator) where each player takes on a persona, manipulates markets, buys influence, dodges scandals, and climbs to the top of the economic food chain.

Objective

The goal is simple: End the game with the highest Net Worth.

Net Worth = Cash + Assets + Favors – Scandals

Game Length

• Default: 5 Years (1 lap around the board per year)
• Each Year = 12 Turns (3 moves per quarter)

You can play for 3, 5, or 10 years depending on how ruthless your group is.

Game Setup

1. Choose a Banker (host and central figure – only one allowed)
2. Each player chooses a Primary Role and a Secondary Role
3. Give each player:

• $5,000,000 starting cash
• 3 Favor tokens
• 1 Player Dashboard (digital or printed)

1. Shuffle all decks: Political, Event, Scandal, Industry
2. Set People Meter to Level 0

Turn Structure

Each player gets one turn per round. A round = 1 month. There are 12 rounds per year.

On Your Turn:

• Choose 1 action:
  • Invest
  • Upgrade Asset
  • Draw Political Card
  • Trade Favor
  • Block Scandal
  • Donate (lower People Meter)
• Draw an Event Card (optional)
• Lock in your move

Once all players lock in, the game server (or Banker) resolves the round events.

The People Meter

A global scale (0–10) representing public unrest. It rises due to:

• Scandals
• Orange political cards
• Hoarding
• Bad PR

When it hits 10, a People Uprising is triggered:

• Assets frozen
• Scandals exposed
• Emergency taxes or charity

Lower it by playing blue cards or donating to public causes.

Card Types

• Political Cards: Red, Blue, Orange – affect economy, people meter, or laws
• Scandal Cards: Triggered by risky plays or sabotage
• Event Cards: Random chaos—booms, crashes, personal drama
• Industry Cards: Buyable assets that boost your net worth
• Favor Cards: Used to bribe, block, or swing votes

Victory Conditions

When the final year ends, all players calculate their net worth:

• Cash
• + Industry Assets
• + Favors Held
• – Scandal Penalties

The player with the highest total wins. In case of tie: Most Industries → Fewest Scandals → Coin Flip

Optional Rules

• Era Mode: Begin in 1980s, 2000s, or 2020s for different starting conditions
• Faction Mode: Form teams with shared goals
• Secret Objectives: Draw hidden win conditions (e.g., Trigger Uprising, Win w/ 0 Scandals)
• The People NPC: A non-player force that can vote, disrupt, or reward players

Tips for Ruthless Play

• Team up—but never trust anyone.
• Watch the People Meter. If it pops, you’re all toast.
• The Banker always has a slight edge. Exploit it—or overthrow him.
• Don’t hoard too early. Don’t charity too late.

See Also

• Roles and Personas
• Card Index
• People Meter
• Dev Hub

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Capitalism is a game. So is this.