Canceled! — Influencer Showdown

Objective:

Navigate the chaotic world of social media to gain Followers, manage Controversy Points, and avoid getting canceled. The last uncanceled player or the player with the most Followers at the end of 10 rounds wins!

Setup:
Players: 2–8
Game Components:

• 25 Event Cards
• 25 Controversy Cards
• 25 Action Cards
• 12 Influencer Cards
• 50 Follower Tokens
• 4 Controversy Point Trackers

Initial Setup:

• Each player starts with 1 unique Influencer Card.
• Each player begins with:
• 5 Followers
• 0 Controversy Points
• Shuffle the Event, Action, and Controversy Cards into a single shared gameplay deck.
• Each player draws 3 cards from the deck to form their starting hand.

Gameplay Overview:
Turn Structure:

Start of Turn:

• Draw 2 cards from the gameplay deck.

Event Phase:

• If you have an Event Card, you must play 1.

Controversy Phase:

• If you have a Controversy Card, you must play 1.

Action Phase:

• You may play 1 Action Card or your Influencer Action\

1. End of Turn:

• Check for cancellation.
• If your Controversy Points exceed the threshold, you are canceled and eliminated.
• Followers and Controversy Points cannot fall below 0.
  
  

Cancellation Threshold:

• 4 Players or Fewer: 10 Controversy Points
• More Than 4 Players: 8 Controversy Points

Game End:

The game ends when:

• Only 1 player remains uncanceled, or
• 10 rounds are completed.
• The player with the most Followers wins.
• If tied, the player with the fewest Controversy Points wins.
  

Card Types:

• Influencer Cards:
  Provide a unique ability used once per turn in place of an Action card.
  Example:
  "Gamer Dude: Remove 2 Controversy Points by creating a funny reaction video."
  
  
• Event Cards:
  Trigger platform-wide effects, impacting all players.
  Example:
  "Algorithm Update: Everyone loses 2 Followers unless they discard 1 Action Card."
  
  
• Controversy Cards:
  Represent scandals or backlash.
  Example:
  "Offensive Tweet: Lose 3 Followers unless you discard 2 cards."
  
  
• Action Cards:
  Help avoid cancellation, gain Followers, or sabotage others.
  Example:
  "Damage Control: Remove 2 Controversy Points."
  
  

Gameplay Rules:

Drawing Cards:
Draw 2 cards at the start of your turn.
If the deck is empty, reshuffle the discard pile into a new deck.

Playing Cards:
You must play:

• 1 Event Card if you have one during the Event Phase
• 1 Controversy Card if you have one during the Controversy Phase
• 1 Action Card during the Action Phase (optional)
  Use your Influencer ability instead of an Action card if desired.
  
  

Followers:

• Cannot go below 0.
• Certain effects cause players to gain or lose Followers.
  
  

Controversy Points:

• Cannot go below 0.
• If you exceed the cancellation threshold, you're eliminated at the end of your turn.
  
  

Interrupts:

•  Some Action cards interrupt other players. These must be activated in your turn, and then will be active for the round, unless specified otherwise.
  
  

Discarding:

•  If a card effect requires discarding, it is mandatory.
  
  

Targeting:

•  If a card affects a specific player, it is considered a targeted effect.
  
  

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FAQs:

Q: Can I skip a phase if I don’t have the right card?
A: Yes. You must play Event and Controversy cards if you have them, but you may skip the phase if you don’t.

Q: Can I play more than 1 card per phase?
A: No, unless a card or ability says otherwise.

Q: What happens if I’m canceled?
A: You finish your turn, then are eliminated. Your cards are discarded.

Q: Can I return from being canceled?
A: No. Once canceled, you're out.

Q: How do I win if multiple players remain uncanceled after 10 rounds?
A: The player with the most Followers wins.
Tiebreaker = fewest Controversy Points.

Q: Can I target myself with a card?
A: Yes, unless the card says otherwise.