Funemployed is a tabletop card game created by Urban Island Games that mixes real jobs with “unreal qualifications”.

It is a game for all ages that transforms the traditional interview process into a satirical, ridiculously fun card game. Using wild qualifications such as “soft hands” and “self-entitled”, players use their improvisational skills to weave a set of unrelated characteristics into a cohesive narrative explaining why they’d be good for a job.

  • We at Urban Island Games wanted to create a card game that was more engaging and interactive than its fellow party games.

  • Knowing this interactive element needed to include improvisation from the players, we tested card ideas and organized multiple plays before moving to Kickstarter.

  • Once we moved to Kickstarter, we participated in multiple fairs and conventions in addition to launching ads on Facebook and Google to promote the game to the general public.

  • From its first successful Kickstarter campaign, Funemployed then secured the backing of a second publisher where we then launched another Kickstarter campaign for an updated printing. Finally, after another successful outreach to consumers, Funemployed was published worldwide by Mattel and has been enjoyed by millions. Funemployed is also popular in the streaming community, having been played on livestreams and at conventions by top internet personalities like Markiplier, JackSepticEye, The Yogscast, Smosh Games, PointlessBlog, NorthernLion, and more.

The Process

Throughout the process, we playtested the game with hundreds of friends, family members and strangers at private playtests and public conventions, asking for their feedback about rules, mechanics, and content. Running user surveys, for example, allowed us to hone in on the best words to include in the game.

We also launched Facebook and Google ads to promote the Kickstarters and monitored their KPIs, adjusting the designs and copy for best results.

With its growing success, we continued the process of networking through conventions, not only pitching the game to the gaming consumers but to larger publishers. During this time, we also pitched to YouTube creators and playtested at smaller fairs where the attendees laid outside of the typical “gaming” community to assess its success with the general consumer to better understand its reach.

Funemployed started as an idea after playing another title in development in the "improvisation party game space." I developed a concept that revolved around real jobs and real qualifications for those jobs that you would mix and match while playing the game. With the help of many playtests from many friends, I developed a game system that had infinite combinations and unlimited opportunities for players to express themselves.

From there, I went into a design phase and began looking into those stereotypical images we conjure up when we think of an office job such as folders, Post-It notes, and “help wanted” ads. Our initial Kickstarter launched in 2013, followed by an updated look and fresh Kickstarter campaign in 2014.

In 2016, we signed an exclusive contract with Mattel to print Funemployed worldwide. Now, Funemployed is shared by streamers, YouTube celebrities, career centers, educators, and content creators around the world. I negotiated a new deal with Mattel and, as of 2023, look forward to a new printing of Funemployed and seeing it continue to grow.