Planet Money has released a free playtest of its new
economics-themed game, inviting the public to help refine the design ahead of a wider rollout. The project, built with card game studio Exploding Kittens, moves into an
open testing phase as the podcast’s team prepares a November 1 virtual Q&A and gathers player feedback to shape final rules and content.
The game aims to teach core ideas in markets and incentives while staying fast and fun. The team says the challenge was making a game that feels playful first. As co-hosts Kenny Malone and Erika Beras put it, the effort took months of iteration and trade-offs.
How the Game Came Together
Planet Money partnered with Exploding Kittens, the studio behind the hit party card game of the same name, to translate economics concepts into quick, competitive mechanics. The collaboration brought experienced designers into a newsroom known for turning complex topics into accessible stories.
“It’s here! It’s free to download and playtest! It’s the Planet Money game!”
Producers describe a process that began with broad concepts and many dead ends. Early versions leaned too heavily on theory. Later drafts pushed fun and interaction, then rebuilt the teaching moments inside those loops.
They set out to make “a game that is somehow filled with economics, impossible to put down, but does not feel like you’re cramming for school.”
Getting there was not simple. As one line puts it, it was “harder than we thought.”
Design Goals and Player Experience
The team sought a game that could be taught in minutes and played in short sessions. They also wanted players to experience scarcity, trade-offs, and competition through actions, not lectures.
- Fast setup and clear turns
- Simple choices with real consequences
- Moments of negotiation and risk
Exploding Kittens guided Planet Money on pacing, player incentives, and replay value. The studio’s role was to keep each round lively while ensuring that every decision reflects a basic economic idea, such as opportunity cost or supply shocks.
Opening the Doors to Playtesters
The playtest invites players to download materials, try a session, and send structured feedback. A how-to video with Malone and producer Elan walks through setup and the first game. The open test will surface issues on balance, clarity, and edge cases the team may not see internally.
“That’s where you come in, listeners!” the team says, urging the community to play and report back.
A virtual AMA is set for November 1,
giving testers a chance to ask questions and compare notes. The developers plan to fold suggestions into updated rules as they work toward a final build.
Why Media Brands Are Making Games
Educational games have long tried to connect learning with play. Many struggle when lessons crowd out fun, or when entertainment blunts the lessons. Planet Money’s effort sits at that junction, with a media team and a game studio trading off power between teaching points and table talk.
For Planet Money, the game extends a reporting mission into a new format. The show’s reporters often use stories, characters, and experiments to explain prices and policies. A tabletop game lets players test those forces themselves, round by round.
Voices Behind the Project
The new episode features hosts Kenny Malone and Erika Beras leading listeners through the build. Producer James Sneed drove production with help from Emma Peaslee, and editor Jess Jiang shaped the episode. Fact-checker Sierra Juarez vetted the claims, and engineer Cena Loffredo handled audio. Planet Money executive producer Alex Goldmark oversees the project.
The partners trace the goal back to turning “wild” game ideas into “the next blockbuster game.”
That ambition now depends on the test phase, where real tables will reveal which mechanics land and which need work.
What Comes Next
The team will watch how long games take, whether rules confuse new players, and which cards or actions dominate play. They will also monitor how often teaching moments arise without slowing the table.
Planet Money says the public test will
guide final edits on rules text, card balance, and player aids. Expect additional updates after the November AMA and as more feedback arrives.
The release marks a new
step for the brand and a test case for media-driven learning games. If the design manages to teach through action and stay fun, it could point to similar projects across other topics.
For now, the message is simple: play, report, and help shape the final version. The next few weeks will show whether the game’s mix of humor, competition, and economics delivers on its promise.
