Planet Money: "The Planet Money Game: Test our prototype" (October 4, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Planet Money team continues their quest to create the ultimate board game based on economic principles. Partnering with the renowned game company Exploding Kittens, the show goes behind the scenes of turning economic concepts into a fun, playable game. The episode highlights the creative and business hurdles in game design—from nerdy staff brainstorming to pitching prototypes, iterating rules, and preparing for mass playtesting with listeners.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Birth of the Planet Money Game

• Initial Brainstorming: The Planet Money staff is tasked by Exploding Kittens to brainstorm economic game themes. They return with 17 ideas, ranging from elf retirement plans to apprentice wizard bankers. (02:09)
  • Funny Moment: "Think about this. There are elves. They live forever, but they have to plan for retirement. What do they do?" — Erica Barris (02:41)
• Early Reactions: Few of the ideas are instant hits, but some spark genuine interest, like the concept of compound interest or a "moral hazard" bank bailout game.
• Game Design Wisdom: Exploding Kittens co-founder Elan Lee explains two ways games are created: either starting from a game mechanic or a strong theme. The team concludes that, so far, they have "planted seeds for a path for the latter." (05:29)

2. Settling on the Core Idea: Market for Lemons

• Chosen Theme: The "Market for Lemons" concept, based on George Akerlof's famous economics paper about asymmetric information in used car sales, emerges as the favorite. (09:10)
• Why Lemons Works: The idea is compelling both for its name and as a game mechanic—a negotiation where one party knows more than the other. "The play pattern of two people trying to make a deal where one person has more information ... is a pretty well established gameplay pattern..." — Ian Klayman (10:59)

3. Playtesting and Mechanics Breakthrough

• Rapid Prototyping: The Exploding Kittens team iterates rapidly, experimenting with simple card mechanics using regular playing cards to mimic asymmetric information and deal-making. The team catches a genuine game design “aha!” moment on tape (15:06–15:53).
  • Quote: "Already. Interesting." — Ian Klayman, during the first test of a new mechanic (15:38)
• Mechanics at Work: They find nuance and tension in the decision-making, as sellers and buyers must bluff, strategize, and sometimes gamble with hidden information.

4. Balancing Fun and Economics

• Fear of ‘Econ Homework’: There is hesitation; the Planet Money hosts worry the game doesn't sufficiently teach the economics of market failure or asymmetric information. (18:08)
• Game Design Philosophy: Elan Lee reassures them, emphasizing that it's better to start with a fun game and layer in economic insight, not vice versa.
  • Quote: "...if we can get there with this, we'll be in a good place. And it's better to start with a really fun game and try to get there rather than vice versa, which is a much harder task." — Ian Klayman (19:09)
• Continuous Iteration: Testing leads to tweaks: balancing good and bad cards, introducing (and discarding) superpower cards, adjusting play time, etc. (21:02–22:11)
• Why Not Add More Stuff? Attempts to introduce extra mechanics (Monopoly money, longer play times, complex components) are countered by lessons from the game industry: people prefer short (15–20 minute) games, and keeping components all-paper helps profitability and manufacturing simplicity. (23:06–24:43)

5. Final Mechanic: Sharing Just Enough Information

• Game Evolution: The breakthrough that wins everyone over is allowing sellers to reveal one card in the deal—giving buyers some information but not the whole picture, better matching real-world asymmetric information. (26:48–27:32)
  • Memorable: "The seller now shows one of the cards in the deal. Everyone gets to see it. That's it. That's the big change." — Kenny Malone (27:24)
• Success: The Planet Money hosts play this version and affirm that it finally feels like an economic game, capturing the tension of decision-making with imperfect information. (28:05–28:13)

6. Bringing in the Gatekeepers

• Testing with the Experts: The prototype is brought to Jamie Wolanski, a game consultant who helps pitch games to retail giants like Target, for the ultimate verdict. (29:56)
  • Jamie likes the new, original game mechanic and says it's "mass friendly enough that ... casual games gamers will pick it up and have a blast playing it." (34:27)
• Importance of Packaging: Jamie notes a great name and appealing art are now critical to commercial success. (35:06)
  • Quote: "A good title or a bad title will just absolutely sink a really great game." — Carly McGinnis (35:06)

7. Open Call: Playtest with Listeners!

• Listener Involvement: The episode concludes with an enthusiastic invitation for listeners to playtest the prototype—available for free at planetmoneygame.com—and provide feedback. (36:19–37:06)
  • Quote: "This is your assignment. Put a game night on the calendar and download the printable prototype of our game." — Erica Barris (36:34)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “You just described the mechanic by which armies are built in Risk, which is great... I would call that half of an idea.” — Elan Lee on the compound interest idea (03:23)
• “I've never tried to plot that out on a graph. But I will bet there is a really nice correlation [between game intensity and people yelling/F-bombing].” — Ian Klayman (17:26)
• “The sweet spot for us in general is really to try to hit a 20 minute game, maybe 15 to 20 minutes. But if we can get maximum entertainment satisfaction ... in 20 minutes, we know we have a hit.” — Ian Klayman (23:06)
• “We want a game that an economist will pick up and say, oh, this is the greatest game.” — Erica Barris (18:39)
• "There is not a game out there that I can equate this to. So to me, gamers are going to be excited about playing a new concept." — Jamie Wolanski, after winning a playtest round (34:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:52 | Exploding Kittens partners with Planet Money; challenge set
• 02:41–05:26 | Brainstorming game ideas and Elan Lee's game design philosophy
• 09:10–11:21 | Choosing "Market for Lemons" as the core concept
• 13:00–15:53 | Early prototyping; capturing the aha moment on tape
• 17:00–19:09 | Balancing fun and education; the designers’ learning process
• 21:02–22:11 | Rapid iteration and lessons from game prototyping
• 23:06–24:43 | Why games are kept to paper components and 20-minute playtime
• 26:48–27:32 | The key mechanic change: revealing partial information
• 29:56–34:27 | Testing the prototype with Jamie Wolanski; her expert verdict
• 36:19–37:06 | Listener call to action: download and test the prototype

Tone and Style

The episode is lively, nerdy, and full of friendly banter. Planet Money’s hosts are self-deprecating about their lack of game-design knowledge and genuinely curious about both creative and practical hurdles. Exploding Kittens brings humor and a seasoned game-maker’s pragmatism. The overall tone is collaborative, iterative, and inviting listeners behind the curtain with transparency and enthusiasm.

Conclusion & Listener Invitation

Planet Money and Exploding Kittens have developed a uniquely economic bluffing game, born from George Akerlof’s "Market for Lemons" and evolved through months of prototyping and expert wisdom. Now, they’re turning to listeners for massive playtesting—and input on what could become the next tabletop phenomenon. Download, play, provide feedback, and maybe help shape the first ever Planet Money Game!