The entertainment brand WatchMojo is stepping into the world of tabletop gaming at this year's PAX Unplugged. Their debut title, Terrible Influence, is described as a satirical board game with comedian Mark Cope as its lead designer.
Terrible Influence at PAX Unplugged 2024
According to an official press release, the first public demo for Terrible Influence will be made available at PAX Unplugged 2024 in the Forever Stoked booth at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The convention begins Friday, December 6 and ends Sunday, December 8.
In the game, players take on the roles of famous online personas. The goal is to draw in an audience of passionate (and possibly deranged) fans and accrue as much wealth as possible, triggering juicy scandals along the way. You'll need that money and influence to avoid the consequences of Leaked DMs, Internet Trolls, and various Cancel cards. After all, if you're famous and rich enough consequences just go away.
The different online superstars in Terrible Influence include a funny podcaster, a vlogger with actual talent, a marketing-savvy reality TV show star, and many others. Players can gain valuable skill cards like Good Looking or Great Personality, and can role-play lucrative scenarios like sponsor ads or acceptance speeches to earn more money.
The ultimate goal with all of this money and power? To become President, naturally.
“The game is a comedic and frankly cynical journey through our modern society, where players try to earn as much money and fame as possible in order to win the game and become President” said Mark Cope, Creator and Lead designer of Terrible Influence. “The real humor comes from the wild bonuses and absurd scandals throughout the game, and if I’m honest, those are pulled more from real life than satire.”
Cope has over 15 years of film and TV experience, including the stop-motion series The Most Popular Girls in School and Dr. Havoc's Diary. Cope has also helped create shows and branded campaigns for Harry Potter, Mattel, and TruTV.
Terrible Influence will launch on Kickstarter in 2025.
