9. Rebecca Power ― When identity and games collide Game of Life Podcast

Rebecca Power is the co-founder of Hoax, an interactive design studio. Hoax's flagship product is The Racket, a noir-inspired, immersive cocktail party game which can be played by groups of 15 to 250 people.

Rebecca takes us through how she and her co-founder Justin crafted the identity-bending and empowering game that is The Racket. She also shares observations from running The Racket over 400 times -- the surprising types of people who usually win the game, and what social status dynamics emerge out of each playgroup. And if Rebecca is herself both designer and the host - the woman in the red dress - of each game, how has the The Racket changed who she is?

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Substack: https://gameoflifepod.substack.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophdeng

Email: golifepod@gmail.com

"Game of Life Podcast" is produced by ⁠⁠Sophia Deng⁠⁠; visuals by ⁠Alonzo Felix⁠; music is from Anchor.

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Timestamps

(04:26) The Racket's origin story and starting Hoax

(13:34) Design philosophy of The Racket

(24:46) Observations about social status and social dynamics from The Racket

(40:30) Impact of the game on Rebecca's personal identity - perception, success, feminism

(59:59) 2 final questions

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Rebecca's recommendations

Race for the Galaxy (board game)

Hearts (card game)

Brick (film)

Noir: A Novel (book)

Finite and Infinite Games (book)