What is a megagame?

You could be wondering what a megagame actually is. Well, you’ve come to the right place to find out!

A megagame is a combination of live action role-playing (LARP), board games and wargaming all blended into this new thing! Megagames generally last a full day and are split into turns, with anywhere from 30 to 200 players playing the same game. Players are assigned to teams and play specific roles where they usually have to manage resources and work towards objectives in the universe the designer has created. The megagame designer sets up the initial background and objectives and players are free to take the story in whatever direction they please, based primarily on starting briefs and their own imaginations.

For First Contact: 2035 we decided to up the stakes and make a 200 player megagame. Are we mad? Possibly, but we think it’ll work. Our game is about what could happen if aliens were to visit Earth and the players will be in total control, taking the emerging narrative of this future world in whatever direction they see fit. Will the humans choose to trust their new inter-galactic neighbours or take the opportunity to start a war whilst everyone is looking skyward? What do the aliens actually want and why did they choose to visit Earth now? These are probably just some of the questions you’ll want to ask, but there are many more.