The Economist's Credit Crunch Game Makes Subprime Loans Fun Again!
We think the idea of "Credit Crunch," a print-it-yourself board game in this week's issue of The Economist, is great. We're not convinced it's exactly cost-effective to print the board, cards, and money with your own equipment, though—as someone suggests in their comments section, maybe a web-savvy reader should create an online version.
Our board game pits players against each other and encourages them to pick on the weakest, kick opponents when they are down and generally manifest all the characteristics that bring success in the financial world. Winner takes all!!
"Credit Crunch" [The Economist]
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Comments:
I would have expected this from Mad or Cracked (especially "back in the day"), but to see this from the Economist speaks volumes about how messed up things truly are.
That said, very enjoyable - I found myself chuckling at many of the spaces on the board (buying Iceland on eBay and too big too fail) and the financial risk cards. Bravo, good sirs of the Economist, bravo and well done.
The problem I see with the game is the Banker always wins
@dragonfire81: If you win...well you can get the Trillion dollar defficit. How many years working in the slave mines of China do you think it will take you to work that off?
I especially like the Alan Greenspan square: upon landing there, move wherever you like while seizing another player's money then set the board on fire then forcibly "date" the player to your right's significant other.
When the game grinds to a screeching halt as the pilfered player punches you in the face, while another throws your piece off its new square screeching, "Cheater!" while you're trampled by incoming, water-spraying firemen as the significant other maces you in the face immediately before the arriving police Tase you into submission, you get to exclaim, "Perhaps I misjudged the ramifications of my actions in a real-world setting. Who knew, who knew?!
Funny. I don't recall the Economist speaking out against subprime loans *before* shit hit the fan. But of course, now they're getting in on the action.
So it's a game of you against the government? oh snap.