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| Exploding Kittens | |
|---|---|
| Title | Exploding Kittens |
| Designer | Elan Lee; Matthew Inman; Shane Small |
| Publisher | Exploding Kittens, LLC |
| Date | 2015 |
| Players | 2–5 (standard) |
| Playing time | 15 minutes |
| Genre | Card game; party game |
Exploding Kittens is a card game created by Elan Lee, Matthew Inman, and Shane Small, launched via a crowdfunding campaign in 2015. The title became notable for achieving one of the fastest and largest funding totals on a major crowdfunding platform, attracting attention from creators and companies in the tabletop industry, digital media, and entertainment sectors. Its rapid rise intersected with figures and organizations across technology, comics, gaming, and publishing.
The game combines elements of risk management and hand management with a mechanic inspired by elimination games and strategic bluffing. Designers Elan Lee, known for work with Xbox Live and Microsoft, Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal, and Shane Small, who worked on Guillotine, brought experience from game design and webcomic publishing into the product. Production involved collaboration with manufacturers and distributors familiar from deals with Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast, and independent tabletop companies. The launch campaign interacted with online communities around Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit.
Players draw cards from a deck and attempt to avoid drawing a particular card that eliminates them from the round. Gameplay uses hand-management tactics similar to those in games produced by Richard Garfield and companies like Magic: The Gathering publisher Wizards of the Coast. Action cards create interactions resembling mechanics used in titles from designers associated with Days of Wonder and Fantasy Flight Games. The turn-based structure evokes comparisons to party games sold by Hasbro and strategy elements familiar to players of Dominion and Uno. Endgame tension and player elimination led to analysis alongside elimination mechanics in older games such as Mafia and Russian Roulette-inspired themes.
The initial announcement coincided with publicity campaigns leveraging webcomic audiences and connections to digital entertainment. The creators coordinated outreach similar to promotion strategies used by Marvel Entertainment, DC Comics, and independent publishers. Manufacturing used supply chains frequented by companies like Parker Brothers and Z-Man Games. Distribution plans considered retail channels including Target, Walmart, and independent hobby stores aligned with GameStop and Local Board Game Cafés. The crowdfunding campaign set records on Kickstarter and prompted commentary from business outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.
Subsequent releases included themed expansions and special editions that increased card variety and rule options, similar to expansion strategies seen in franchises managed by Hasbro and Fantasy Flight Games. Limited editions and collector versions employed packaging concepts used by publishers like IDW Publishing and Dark Horse Comics. Digital adaptations and companion apps mirrored approaches taken by companies such as Asmodee Digital and Ubisoft when translating tabletop experiences to platforms like iOS and Android.
Critical and commercial reception combined praise for accessibility with critiques about replay longevity. Coverage from outlets including Polygon, Kotaku, IGN, and BBC News highlighted its viral success and influence on crowdfunding norms for tabletop projects. The campaign influenced creators at Evil Hat Productions, Stonemaier Games, and independent studios exploring direct-to-consumer models. Market analysts compared its performance with major crowdfunding successes such as Oculus Rift and Pebble.
Legal and brand-related issues arose concerning trademarks, content ratings, and marketplace policies enforced by companies like Apple Inc. and Amazon. Disputes over intellectual property and licensing echoed cases involving Hasbro and Nintendo while raising questions addressed in forums frequented by legal commentators from Electronic Frontier Foundation and media law analysts at The Washington Post. Policies of crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter generated debate about creator obligations, mirroring controversies seen with other high-profile projects like Ouya.
The property expanded into digital formats, live events, and cross-promotional merchandise, involving partnerships comparable to tie-ins executed by Netflix, Hulu, and animation studios like Cartoon Network Studios. Discussions of adaptations invoked comparisons to successful transmedia efforts from The Lego Group and Hasbro, while fan communities organized tournaments and streaming events on platforms such as Twitch and YouTube. Licensed collaborations and product placements referenced practices used by entertainment conglomerates including Disney and Warner Bros..