- BGG rating
- 6.8
Market Movements
- 2–6 players
- 10–40 min
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,808
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Downsize
2016
Rules assistance for Downsize
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 10–40 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Downsize
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Downsize is a board game released in 2016 for 2–6 players, 10–40 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Lewis Shaw and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting.
Expansions
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About the game
Downsize is a competitive card game for 2-6 players, which focusses on competing players firing employees, and racing to make investments and 'downsize' before the market crashes. At the start of each game, players are given 10 Employees, and can discard them either in Pairs to resolve an effect (which changes depending on what Employees you discard) or on their own, in the case of rare Specialist Employees, who have their own unique abilities. When Players have fired all of their Employees, they have 'downsized,' can no longer be affected by the actions of other Players, and do not take losses if the market crashes. The winner is the Player with the highest value of Returns at the end of the game. As well as several possible strategies, both passive and aggressive, the game requires Players to balance their workforce and rate of investment, to avoid losing money at the end of the game. Downsize can also be read as a satire of corporate business.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Braincrack Games
Questions and answers
Downsize supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Downsize is 10–40 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Downsize for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Downsize has a complexity rating of 1.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Downsize belongs to these categories: Card Game and Economic. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Downsize are: Lewis Shaw. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Downsize as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.