When the pandemic started, the team scrambled to meet the demand. “When we see new groups of people playing or folks who don’t consider themselves gamers, or gravitate towards video games, who are suddenly doing that with family or friends, it’s awesome,” said Mike Bilder, CEO of Jackbox Games, in an interview with Polygon.

Jackbox Games is remarkably consistent, and their party games are slowly growing more complex and sophisticated. It’s the sheer variety of games that are viable to play again, and again, and again with friends that make them such a draw. Others are placid little trivia games or brain teasers, like Guesspionage or Blather ‘Round. Some of these encourage competition or mean-spirited (but ultimately funny) jabs like Push the Button or Survive the Internet. Image: Jackbox GamesĮach Party Pack comes with a bundle of games. It’s a welcome addition, as the COVID-19 pandemic has left people feeling disconnected, and the Party Packs have become a staple in digital birthday parties, office events, and friends groups. The ninth pack was recently announced, with all new games slated to arrive in fall 2022. The Jackbox Party Pack model works because of the regular releases and consistent quality - which isn’t easy to pull off. The entire design is seamless and inviting. There are no microtransactions, skinner boxes, log-in bonuses, or hooks. The rules are easy to learn and easy to follow, and most of them can be played off of one console, with others chiming in on their phones.

The various games in these packs are a mainstay on Twitch, but also safe to break out in a family setting. There’s an exception to the usual rule: The Jackbox Party Packs’ audience is secretly enormous over 72 million game rooms were created in 2021. Party games often rise and fall out of the spotlight, seizing the zeitgeist for brief moments of time.

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