50 Facts About Cards Against Humanity (Game)

Origins and Early Days

Cards Against Humanity has an intriguing backstory that adds to its charm. Let's dive into how this game came to be.

1. Origins: Cards Against Humanity began as a simple game made from construction paper by eight friends who attended Highland Park High School together. Initially, it was called Cardenfreude, a play on the German word Schadenfreude, meaning delight in another's misfortune.

2. Design Team: The original design team included Max Temkin, Josh Dillon, Daniel Dranove, Eli Halpern, Ben Hantoot, David Munk, David Pinsof, and Eliot Weinstein. These friends continued to develop the game even after heading off to different colleges.

3. Initial Release: The game was first released for free under a Creative Commons license. This allowed it to gain popularity through word of mouth, leading to a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2011.

4. Kickstarter Campaign: Launched on December 1, 2010, the Kickstarter campaign met its $4,000 goal in just two weeks. By the end of the campaign on January 30, 2011, it had raised over $15,000, more than 400% of its original goal. This extra funding allowed the creators to add 50 more cards to the game.

Rise to Popularity

Cards Against Humanity quickly became a hit, capturing the hearts of many with its unique humor and gameplay.

5. Popularity: Within its first two years, Cards Against Humanity became Amazon’s bestselling game, selling nearly 500,000 copies. People were even willing to pay triple the price, showing its unique appeal.

6. Expansion Packs: The game's success led to the creation of expansion packs. The first expansion pack, released in November 2011, sold out in three days and included 100 new cards and 12 blank cards.

Gameplay Mechanics

Understanding how to play Cards Against Humanity is key to appreciating its humor and appeal.

7. Gameplay Mechanics: In each round, one player draws a black card with a fill-in-the-blank statement or question. The other players draw white cards with words or phrases they think are the funniest to fill in the blanks. The player who drew the black card reads out the question or statement and selects the funniest answer from the white cards. The player who submitted the chosen answer earns an "Awesome Point".

8. Card Types: White cards can be single words or phrases, while black cards are either fill-in-the-blank statements or questions. Both types of cards can occasionally break the rules, adding to the game's unpredictability.

9. Winning the Game: There is no official way to win, but players often aim to have the most "Awesome Points" or black cards by the end. Another way to end the game is by using the Haiku card, which helps get rid of all the "bad" white cards.

10. House Rules: The rules are flexible and can be altered with various house rules. These include democratic voting for winning cards, trading points for cards, and giving points based on ranks. Players can also gamble previously won "Awesome Points" for the right to play additional white cards during a round.

Cultural Impact and Controversies

Cards Against Humanity has made a significant cultural impact, but not without its share of controversies.

11. Cultural Impact: The game has had a significant cultural impact, particularly in adult entertainment. Its off-color humor and raunchy content have made it a staple in many social gatherings, often sparking controversy and debate.

12. Anti-Consumerism Roots: Despite its commercial success, the company behind Cards Against Humanity has maintained its anti-consumerism roots. The game was initially free to download, and the company has continued to offer "pay what you want" Black Friday sales. Additionally, the company has given nearly $4 million to charity since 2012.

13. Amazon Partnership: Cards Against Humanity has managed to partner with Amazon without losing its anti-establishment authenticity. This partnership has helped the game reach a wider audience while maintaining its unique brand image.

14. Localization: The game is available in localized versions for Canada, Australia, and the UK. This move has helped the game cater to different cultural sensitivities and preferences.

15. Creative Commons License: The base game cards are licensed under a Creative Commons license (CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0), allowing fans to download and print their own decks. However, this does not extend to commercial use, ensuring that the game remains a unique product.

16. Writer’s Room: To keep the material of expansion packs fresh, the company enlisted Chicago-area comedians to convene for a writer’s room at the company’s offices beginning in 2016. This system ensures that the cards are offensive but not excessively so. However, it has not always worked, as evidenced by the removal of an expansion pack from Target stores in 2017 due to antisemitic content.

17. Picasso Acquisition: In December 2015, the staff of Cards Against Humanity acquired an original Picasso artwork called Tête de Faune. The team ran an online poll to decide whether to donate it to the Art Institute of Chicago or slice it into 150,000 pieces and distribute them to consumers. The majority voted to keep the artwork intact.

18. Controversies: The game has faced several controversies over the years, including accusations of promoting bigotry and hate speech. The company has been proactive in addressing these issues, often enlisting lawyers to discourage unauthorized games that might be confused with official expansion packs.

19. Copycats: Despite the company's efforts to protect its intellectual property, there have been numerous copycats and unauthorized games that resemble Cards Against Humanity. The company frowns upon these lookalike products and will often take legal action to prevent them.

Revenue and Economics

The financial side of Cards Against Humanity is as fascinating as its gameplay.

20. Revenue Streams: Cards Against Humanity has two primary revenue streams: selling the main game pack and selling expansion packs to existing customers. The company has also expanded the game format to new areas, such as 90’s nostalgia packs and holiday-themed expansion cards.

21. Fan Engagement: To stay relevant and engage with fans, the company solicits feedback, game testing, and card ideas online. This approach has helped the game maintain its popularity and attract new fans.

22. Product Economics: The game’s product economics are tough to beat. Each set costs about $1 to make and $2 to ship, with the main pack retailing at $25 and expansion packs at $10. This results in gross margins of 70-85%, making it a highly profitable venture.

23. Cultural Niche: Cards Against Humanity has carved out a unique cultural niche by combining off-color humor with a simple yet engaging gameplay mechanic. This blend has made it a staple in many social gatherings and parties.

24. Comparison to Apples to Apples: While Cards Against Humanity has drawn comparisons to Apples to Apples, a wordplay game released in 1999, the company is not prone to tolerating lookalike products. The company frowns upon unauthorized games that might confuse fans with official expansion packs.

Humor and Strategy

The humor and strategy behind Cards Against Humanity are key to its enduring appeal.

25. Humor Style: The humor in Cards Against Humanity is often described as shock value, with many cards featuring raunchy or offensive content. This style of humor can be polarizing, with some players enjoying the game’s edginess while others find it off-putting.

26. Judge’s Humor: The game requires players to correctly estimate what each given judge will find funny. This means the person who knows the sense of humor of everyone in the group the best will win. Some players enjoy the challenge of trying to better nail the judge’s tastes than the other players.

27. Variations: Some players have introduced variations to the game, such as using a random answer from the deck. However, this can sometimes lead to the game’s answers being picked more often than expected, which can make the game less engaging for some players.

28. Drinking Game: Cards Against Humanity is often used as a drinking game, where players take a drink for each card they draw or for each time they are chosen to play. This adds an element of fun and unpredictability to the game.

Offline and Online Presence

Despite the digital age, Cards Against Humanity has chosen to focus on offline interactions.

29. Offline Interaction: Despite the trend of focusing on fostering offline interactions, Cards Against Humanity has not translated the game to online or mobile platforms. This decision has allowed the game to maintain its unique social dynamic and cultural impact.

30. Copycat Apps: There are several copycat apps available that mimic the gameplay of Cards Against Humanity. However, these apps are not officially licensed by the company and often lack the same level of engagement and humor.

31. Brand Extension: The company has considered extending its strong brand to other offline games or exploring online platforms. However, any move into new markets would need to carefully balance the game’s unique cultural identity with the need for growth and expansion.

32. Customer Base: Cards Against Humanity has managed to generate momentum amongst its customer base with minimal effort. The game’s anti-establishment authenticity and brash content have helped it sustain its image despite partnering with mainstream e-commerce players like Amazon.

Sales and Fan Engagement

The game's sales figures and fan engagement strategies have been key to its success.

33. Sales Figures: The game has seen a rise in sales over the years, with customers downloading the PDF file 1.5 million times in the year since tracking began. The company has estimated that it has earned at least $12 million in profit since its release.

34. IndieCade Exhibition: In October 2011, the game was exhibited as part of the "Big Games" area of the annual IndieCade games festival in Culver City. This exposure helped further boost the game’s popularity and visibility in the gaming community.

35. Mad Libs Influence: Ben Hantoot, one of the co-creators, noted that Mad Libs was the most direct influence on the game. This influence is evident in the fill-in-the-blank format and the use of wordplay to create humorous sentences.

36. Inspiration from Other Games: The creators drew inspiration from various games such as Magic: The Gathering, Balderdash, and Charades. These influences helped shape the game’s unique blend of strategy and humor.

37. Chicago Sun-Times Estimate: The Chicago Sun-Times estimated that Cards Against Humanity earned at least $12 million in profit. This figure underscores the game’s financial success and its ability to attract a large and dedicated customer base.

38. Expansion Pack Sales: The first expansion pack sold out in three days, indicating strong demand for additional content. This success led to the release of subsequent expansion packs, each adding new cards and themes to the game.

Creative Freedom and Community

The company's approach to creative freedom and community engagement has been crucial to its success.

39. Creative Freedom: The company’s decision to license the game under a Creative Commons license allows fans to download and print their own decks. However, this does not extend to commercial use, ensuring that the game remains a unique product.

40. Fan Engagement Model: The company’s model of soliciting feedback and card ideas online has been successful in engaging fans and maintaining the game’s relevance. This approach has helped the game stay fresh and exciting for both new and existing players.

41. Product Cost: Each set of the game costs about $1 to make and $2 to ship. This low production cost combined with a high retail price has resulted in gross margins of 70-85%, making it a highly profitable venture.

42. Amazon Partnership Benefits: Partnering with Amazon has helped the game reach a wider audience. The company’s ability to balance its anti-consumerism roots with mainstream partnerships has been a key factor in its success.

43. Localization Strategy: The localized versions of the game for Canada, Australia, and the UK have helped cater to different cultural sensitivities and preferences. This strategy has expanded the game’s market reach and appeal.

44. Charity Donations: Since 2012, the company has given nearly $4 million to charity. This commitment to social responsibility has helped maintain the game’s positive image and appeal to a broader audience.

45. Black Friday Sales: The company’s "pay what you want" Black Friday sales have been a successful strategy in engaging fans and generating revenue. This approach aligns with the game’s anti-consumerism roots and has helped maintain its unique brand identity.

46. Cultural Niche Maintenance: Despite its commercial success, the company has managed to maintain its cultural niche by staying true to its anti-consumerism roots and continuing to offer unique and edgy content. This balance has been crucial in sustaining the game’s popularity.

47. Fan Participation: The company’s decision to allow fans to create and download their own decks under a Creative Commons license has encouraged fan participation and engagement. This model has helped build a dedicated community around the game.

48. Expansion Pack Themes: The company has released various expansion packs with different themes, such as 90’s nostalgia packs and holiday-themed cards. These themes have helped keep the game fresh and exciting for players.

49. Online Presence: Despite not having an official online or mobile version, the game has a strong online presence through its website and social media channels. This presence helps maintain engagement with fans and provides a platform for feedback and card submissions.

50. Legacy and Impact: Cards Against Humanity has left a lasting legacy in the gaming world, particularly in the realm of adult entertainment. Its unique blend of humor and gameplay mechanics has made it a staple in many social gatherings and parties, ensuring its continued popularity and relevance.

The Last Hand

Cards Against Humanity isn't just a game; it's a cultural phenomenon. Starting as a humble project among friends, it quickly skyrocketed to fame thanks to its unique blend of humor and simplicity. With expansion packs, localized versions, and even a Creative Commons license, the game has kept fans engaged and laughing for over a decade. Its anti-consumerism roots and charitable efforts add layers to its appeal, making it more than just a source of entertainment. Despite controversies and copycats, Cards Against Humanity has maintained its edgy charm and continues to be a staple at social gatherings. Whether you're a longtime fan or a curious newcomer, this game offers endless laughs and memorable moments. So, gather your friends, shuffle those cards, and get ready for a night of outrageous fun.