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What if you had to solve problems using only your friends' beliefs?
You know that moment when political conversations go sideways? When someone says "we should just..." and you think "but that ignores..." and suddenly everyone's defending positions instead of listening?
Council: A Game of Principles fixes that problem with one simple rule:
You can't use your own principles.
You can't use your own principles.
When it's your turn to moderate, you have to build solutions from everyone else's beliefs—not your own. That libertarian's take on healthcare? Your socialist friend's housing policy? You'll need to actually understand them to make decisions that earn points.
The result is the best political conversation you've ever had. No debates. No conversions. Just genuine "oh, THAT'S why you think that" moments.
How It Works
Each player holds a set of Principle cards—your personal framework for how society should work. Things like:
- "What determines who gets what?" (Market price? Based on need? Everybody gets equal shares?)
- "How should collective decisions be made?" (Do we vote? Let experts decide? Let a leader decide?)
- "How should we design systems for humans?" (Carrots and sticks? Helping people find purpose? Rely on social bonds?)
Every round, someone draws a real-world dilemma: a housing crisis, a pandemic response, a water shortage, an AI ethics question.
Everyone explains how their principles apply. Then the moderator builds a solution—using only the principles they just heard, not their own.
Other players score by having their principles selected. The moderator scores by making decisions others find coherent and thoughtful, whether or not they agree.
The game rewards understanding, not agreement.
What Makes This Different
Most conversation games are either:
- Too shallow — funny for 20 minutes, then repetitive
- Too vulnerable — forced emotional sharing with strangers
- Too abstract — interesting in theory, boring in practice
Council sits in the sweet spot:
- Deep enough for a 3-hour game night with friends who actually think differently
- Structured enough that nobody dominates or gets steamrolled
- Safe enough for real ideological diversity (skip any scenario, take breaks anytime)
- Interesting enough that you'll want to play again with different people
What You Get
- 74 Principle Cards across 4 categories (Economic Output, Political Authority, Resource Pooling, Systems & Change)
- 30 Scenario Cards featuring real dilemmas—from local (housing shortages, school capacity) to global (climate policy, gene editing)
- Complete Rulebook with variants for different group sizes and play styles
- 3-5 players, 60-90 minutes (best with 4)
- Ages 16+ (it's accessible, not academic—but deals with real-world complexity)
Who This Is For
- Friends who enjoy deep conversations but hate arguing
- Dinner parties where people actually disagree
- Educators teaching civics, philosophy, or political economy
- Anyone tired of shallow party games
- People who want to understand—not convert—the people they disagree with
Coming Spring 2026
We're launching on Kickstarter in the next few months. Sign up now to:
- Get notified the moment we launch
- Unlock early-bird pricing
- Help us gauge interest (and maybe unlock stretch goals)
- Be part of the conversation about what makes conversation games actually work
Because the best games don't just entertain—they change how we connect with each other.
Want To Go Deeper?
Follow the project on Instagram or TikTok to see principle cards, scenario previews, and playtesting stories.
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