page_title: Playing Gods
section_title: History and development
hierarchical_section_title: Playing Gods / History and development
caption_attribution_description: English: Ben Radford at Dragon*Con during the games premiere 2008 in Atlanta
context_page_description: Playing Gods is a satirical board game released in late 2008. Two to five players each represent a different god, and compete with each other to take over the world. This is done by spreading believers, converting the followers of other gods, or killing them off with Acts of God. The game premiered at the 2009 New York Toy Fair.
context_section_description: The game was introduced in September 2008 at Dragon*Con, the annual fantasy and science fiction convention in Atlanta. The game is produced by an independent company called Balls Out Entertainment, which, according to its Web site, "is an undisputed world leader in edgy fun, satirical entertainment, and pompous hyperbole. Formed just recently yet dating back to Caesar, Balls Out Entertainment is at once both new and improved."
  According to the game's creator, Ben Radford, the game was partly inspired by a British game called War on Terror: The Board Game.  The concept for "the world's first satirical board game of religious warfare" was inspired by his realization that "many of the world's worst conflicts are rooted in religion. Lots of people believe that God is on their side, and as long as God is on your side, any actions you take are justified... I realized, 'This is ridiculous, all these people killing each other because their neighbor down the road prays to a different god.'" Radford said. "I wanted to address this religious violence from a satirical angle, as I'd never seen it done before."
caption: Dragon*Con premiere Atlanta 2008
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