EVERY HIDDEN CARD
IS A THREAT
2-4 Players · 30-45 Minutes · Ages 12+
A tactical card game of bluffing,
timing & shared threats
Rival Networks
Shared Rooms
Hidden Threats
You’re rival spy networks at the ambassador’s party, competing for the most Influence before the night ends.
Each turn, play a Guest or Spy into one of four shared Rooms — Open for an immediate effect, or Hidden to bluff your rivals and set up your next move.
Every Open Guest raises Attention, accelerating the clock for everyone.
HOW IT WORKS
Play Open or Hidden
Play Open for an immediate effect — or play Hidden to bluff and keep your options open. Hidden plays can reveal another card in the Room or gain you a new card, while some cards unleash special effects when revealed.
Manage Attention
Every Open Guest raises the shared Attention. As the party heats up, Security Tightens — and eventually the night ends for everyone.
Build INFLUENCE
Build influence with Open Guests, collect different Spy types, and fight for control of the Rooms.
Why it Stays Tense
Every hidden card changes what your rivals think they know.
Because cards share the same Rooms, every new play can change what’s valuable, what’s vulnerable — and what might be revealed next.
Read the room. Bluff your rivals. Choose when to strike.
EVERY CARD CHANGES THE PARTY
Guests build influence and trigger immediate effects when played Open. Spies create a different kind of threat: play them Open to affect everyone, or reveal them later for a personal effect.
Artwork shown is AI-generated for prototype purposes. Final illustrations will be professionally developed.
MEET THE DESIGNER
Michiel Rademakers is a Dutch game designer focused on interactive strategy games where player psychology, timing, and meaningful decisions drive the experience.
Previously, he worked at Dutch board game publisher Jumbo, contributing to interactive titles including the award-winning iPawn and digital adaptations of classics such as Stratego.
Shady Guests brings that focus to the tabletop: a compact, highly interactive game of hidden information, timing, and shared threats.
Be part of the Party
Want to know where Shady Guests goes next? Join the Guest List.