Developed by Max Haiven, Aris Komporozos-Athanasiou, and A.T. Kingsmith, “CLUE-ANON” is a board game designed to explore the allure and dangers of conspiracy theories through interactive gameplay. In this game, four players work to uncover which of nine conspirators are collaborating on a nefarious plot, while each player secretly assumes a character with unique motivations. The game is inspired by the Q-Anon conspiracy theory and incorporates elements of deduction, bluffing, role-playing, and strategy across three conspiracy-themed rounds.

The podcast features a diverse array of guests, each bringing unique insights into the dynamics of conspiracy theories and their broader cultural implications. From how contemporary video games reflect and perpetuate colonial ideologies and the blurring lines between legitimate political discourse and conspiratorial thinking to the complex relationship between gaming and leftist politics, each guest contributes to a multifaceted examination of how conspiracies shape and are shaped by modern societal and technological trends.

Our contribution introduces Clue-Anon through presenting “11 theses on gaming conspiracies” which explore the allure of conspiracy theories as forms of dangerous play that provide a sense of meaning, community, and resistance against the dis-empowering structures of capitalism. Instead of attempting to merely debunk conspiracies, we argue that interventions should engage in radical map-making to re-imagine and transform societal narratives.