
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,112
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Hostage Negotiator: Crime Wave
- 1 player
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2017

Rules assistance for Hostage Negotiator: Demand Pack #1
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hostage Negotiator: Demand Pack #1 is an expansion for Hostage Negotiator released in 2017 for 1 player, 20 minutes per game, and ages 15 and up. It was designed by A. J. Porfirio and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Open Drafting.
Demand Pack #1 is an expansion pack that comes with 16 new cards that will add new major demands for the original abductors (Arkayne, Donna, and Edward) as well as the abductors from Abductor Packs 1-4 (Connor, the Pedersen Twins, Lt. Jackson, and Herrera). These cards will breathe new life into abductors you've faced off against before. Demand Pack #1 was a stretch goal that was achieved in the Hostage Negotiator: Crime Wave Kickstarter campaign.
Hostage Negotiator: Demand Pack #1 supports 1 player according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Hostage Negotiator: Demand Pack #1 is 20 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 Hostage Negotiator: Demand Pack #1 for ages 15 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.
Hostage Negotiator: Demand Pack #1 has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Hostage Negotiator: Demand Pack #1 belongs to these categories: Card Game, Dice, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, 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 Hostage Negotiator: Demand Pack #1 are: A. J. Porfirio. 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 Hostage Negotiator: Demand Pack #1 as an expansion for Hostage Negotiator. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Hostage Negotiator to use it. Check that your edition of Hostage Negotiator is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.