I had the chance to play a pre-release version of Publish or Perish, a new card game that satirizes the world of academia. Developed by Max Bai, the game offers a funny take on the often unforgiving world of academic publishing.
Official website for the game: here
My group of eight friends split into teams to keep to the six-player limit that I wouldn’t exceed. From the moment we started reading the instructions out loud, we were laughing.
The gameplay is addictive, with one unexpectedly fun rule involving clapping for each other’s achievements. At its core, the game revolves around publishing manuscripts, collecting citations, and navigating the waters of peer review and academic politics.
I was impressed with the balance of the quiz questions. They were very well balanced – challenging enough that we often couldn’t answer them, but not so difficult to understand that they seemed unreasonable. This aspect added an educational touch to the fun and sparked interesting discussions.
The humor in Publish or Perish is spot on, especially in the details. The manuscript cards made us laugh, with journal names like Chronicle of Higher Walls (a clever pun on the real Chronicle of Higher Education) and absurd essay titles.
The other two full-time scientists in our group were so impressed that they immediately pre-ordered copies. Although the game is probably most fun when there is at least one scientist in the group, our mixed group – including a government statistician and several non-scientists – found it entertaining. One of my non-academic friends summed it up like this: “This game brought together several people from different backgrounds and different areas of expertise for a thoroughly entertaining evening.”
Publish or Perish is both easy to learn and refreshingly original. I expect it will find its own niche with its unique theme and gameplay mechanics. Players can engage in academic shenanigans such as plagiarism, P-value hacking, and even sabotaging opponents’ work – all in good fun.
If there is a caveat, it is that the game may not be for everyone. However, I believe that will sort itself out – those attracted to its academic humor will probably seek it out, others will not, just as I don’t find myself randomly attending jiu-jitsu matches.
In summary, Publish or Perish is a wonderful addition to the world of party games. It offers a mix of humor, strategy, and social interaction. Keep an eye out for the upcoming Kickstarter launch. Thanks to Max for letting me test it out with friends in advance.
There is also a review of the game in a Nature News article.
