How to Play Empire
Social deduction & memory game for 3–25 players
Overview
Each player secretly writes one famous name — real or fictional. All names are revealed to the group (but not who wrote them). Players take turns guessing which player wrote which name. Correct guesses absorb that player into your empire. The largest empire wins!
Game Flow
- Submit a Name: Each player types a famous name on their phone. It can be anyone — Beyoncé, Yoda, Abraham Lincoln. Choose something fun but not too obvious!
- Memorize: All names are shuffled and revealed to the group. Study the list — you won't see it again once guessing starts!
- Take Turns: On your turn, pick an unmatched name and guess which player wrote it.
- Correct Guess: The player you identified (and their entire empire) joins your empire. You get to guess again!
- Wrong Guess: Your turn ends. It becomes the accused player's turn to guess.
Empires
Building Empires
When you correctly guess someone's name, they join your team. Their entire empire merges into yours. On your team's turns, you can discuss guesses together.
Winning
The game ends when all names have been correctly matched. The player who leads the largest empire wins!
Why It's Fun
Players deduce authorship based on humor, inside jokes, interests, and personality. If someone wrote "Taylor Swift," you might guess the person known for loving pop music. The strategy is in choosing a name that won't give you away!
Tips
- Pick a name that could plausibly belong to multiple people in the group.
- Pay attention to reactions when the names are first revealed.
- Use process of elimination — as names get matched, the remaining options narrow down.
- Bluff! React to names that aren't yours to throw people off.
- When in an empire, strategize with your teammates before guessing.